Week 9 Run 2 f̶a̶i̶l̶ practice: Anyone else... - Couch to 5K

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Week 9 Run 2 f̶a̶i̶l̶ practice

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate
13 Replies

Anyone else falter at the last few hurdles? Couldn't do this today.

I don't know if it was because going in, I just knew I wasn't up to it (whether that was in my mind or not, who knows) or if I took two rest days instead of one or if it was that today I just couldn't stop myself clock watching and those minutes felt looooong... I just don't know. Couldn't get motivated, even whilst listening to 93 til' Infinity. But after fifteen minutes, I had to walk for a few minutes and then carry on. I still did the 30 minutes, and then ran for the 3 minutes that I owed onto the end, but since I didn't run for 30 minutes with out stopping, I'm personally not counting it. In fact reading that back, I'm so mad at myself I couldn't have just kept going.

So much for graduating on Friday, looks like it will be a Sunday. Hopefully. Disheartened. (But I know, it's just one of those things).

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VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRuns
Graduate
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13 Replies

I really struggled the last couple of weeks, it was a lack of a motivation more than anything, and needed a lot of dragging myself through it. Once i have done the first 28 mins, quite comfortably, i knew i could do it....and then i think that was my downfall.

You will do it, just mind need a bit of will power :-)

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate in reply to

Thanks Scott

Uphill-downhill profile image
Uphill-downhillGraduate

W9R2 is my next run on Thursday. I think there is such a thing as 'fear of self actualisation' making a head challenge which is for once feeling bigger than the leg/lung challenge! When we get there what are we, runners well that's a little alienating as I for one have always (well for 40 years) been very confident that I am not a runner. It's a head **** but of the best variety! Good luck completing this week DoYouRemember21 🏃 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏃🏃🏼‍♀️🏃

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate in reply to Uphill-downhill

Thank you!

the_tea_fairy profile image
the_tea_fairyGraduate

I agree with uphill-downhill; it's a mind thing, not a body thing. Sounds a bit smug-bronzed-fitspiration-nonsense-ish, but have you tried a mantra? I find Scott Jurek's "this is what you came for" can get me through gremlins unscathed (it reminds me it's my choice to be running, and running better than last time, so helps put you back in control of the situation. And worked for childbirth too!)

The other thing that can be weirdly powerful is smiling. Genuinely seems to send my muscles a flood of extra energy - I think if you can manage a genuine grin it sends your body an 'everything is ok, we're having a nice time' message*.

Good luck with your next attempt!

* based on absolutely no science of any kind, but it does work for me!

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate in reply to the_tea_fairy

Thank you, I'll try it on Friday. I just felt a bit "off" today before I even started. It felt physical, but since I can't pin down what it was exactly, it may well have been mental. Going to swim tomorrow morning and try to forget about it, then Friday morning I'll keep that mind.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply to the_tea_fairy

There is science! Well, a glimmer of science anyway...

outsideonline.com/2256666/s...

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate in reply to roseabi

Well there you go!

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate in reply to VictoriaRuns

That was also a very fun article

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

You get anxious as the programme draws to its close. Everything gets tense.

Hang loose and go out there to enjoy yourself then you’ll nail it

Good luck 👍🏃‍♀️🙂

Scott Jurek book Eat and Run is Great! He “just had to do things” His young life was quite hard so he had no choice much of the time. He learned from it and it’s what made him the runner he is today 🙂 💪

MikeJones68 profile image
MikeJones68Graduate

Don't let it get you down. We all have good and bad days. I remember running W7r1 with ease, bt then r2 was not so good. I put it down to eating too late that day, but could have been any number of things I suppose.

I'm still resting after my calf issue from W9r1 on Saturday and totally fed-up because I should have been graduating tonight. Hopefully taking a few days off will sort it and won't put me back too far.

VictoriaRuns profile image
VictoriaRunsGraduate in reply to MikeJones68

Yes, I run at the same time in the morning, (tried running in the afternoon but find it much trickier) and have dinner at the same time every day and breakfast after, but you're right, it's an elusive puzzle when you have a bad run, we can only speculate.

So sorry to hear about your calf! That must be very frustrating. You'll be back out there soon though and on the road to graduation.

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

I'm with Teafairy, just smile because you are running, and as Scott Jurek says, that's what you want to be doing, so why not.

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