I started couch to 5K about a month and a half ago, but I had been doing a little bit of running for several months beforehand. I had major surgery in January, and my mother suggested that I take up some light exercise to help with the recovery. So I did, and sort of built it up from there. My aim is to be running for a confident 30 minutes 3 times a week by the end of the year, then in the new year I'll be doing an eight-week sugar ban to kick that particular major addiction.
Anyway, back to couch to 5K.
I've just finished wk6 run 2... Or rather, I got through the podcast, but I had to pause about 2 minutes into the second 10-minute run because a muscle in my right leg was hurting beyond rational thought.
I've found the week 6 runs to be very difficult, for some reason, so I'm thinking I might go back to wk 6 run 1 and do it a few times, then do the same with run 2, before tackling the big beast that is run 3.
What do y'all think? Does that seem sensible?
Written by
gillebro
Graduate
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Week six is tough for quite a lot of people, so you are far from being alone. The beauty of this training plan is that you can do it as you wish. You are in control. So, with that in mind, your plan is fine but I have reservations about this approach.
I always say, repeat any run that you do not complete, but when you have completed it, move on. There is often a temptation to repeat a week, but this is not facing the challenge, which is something I believe runners need to do to build their self belief. By Week 6 this is becoming of even greater importance. The grit and determination to battle through those tough runs is what makes a runner, not staying in the comfort zone of repeated runs. Keeping up the momentum is crucial in my view.
Week 6 is a really big step up from week 5, but I agree with the move on if you've completed it idea. And I think you did complete it. I've just repeated week 7 run 3, but that was because I (ahem...!) did 18 mins by mistake instead of 25. I think that does legitimately count as not completing it!
On the sugar thing, I've been under constant 3-month blood glucose testing by the NHS ever since I moved back to the UK 3 years ago, for diabetes. it's not bad enough to go with much stricter diet management/insulin control, but not good enough to stop the monitoring. Last dr visit, they decided that if I wasn't going to give up the sweet foods, I had to exercise more (from nothing!). So I'm doing couch to 5k to see if it makes a difference. And then if not... sugar's out too. After the holiday season...
Well, i ran for a total of 20 minutes, but there was a big break during the second running block, so I don't think it counts. I count that as not complete, myself.
I gave up sugar last year, and I was just about there (as in, I had just about beaten the addiction) when I had my surgery and decided that I shouldn't be restricting my eating at all while I recovered. As it is, sugar is my biggest weakness, and it will be my downfall if I don't do something to limit my intake.
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