Week 8 run 1: I still find the first 10-1... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Week 8 run 1

9 Replies

I still find the first 10-15 minutes or so of every run really hard work, legs feel like dead weights, just want to give up, usually get a stitch at some point in those first 15 minutes too..... and then at some magical point, everything has warmed up, body feels okay, brain is enjoying itself and by the end of the run I feel great - tired but great. Am still amazed at how much I want to get out and do the runs despite how I feel at first. The post-run high is just fantastic!

Anyway, just needed to convey my amazement to someone!

Happy running everyone xx

9 Replies
IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Well done you pushed through.

You are experiencing the toxic ten healthunlocked.com/couchto5... just like every other runner.

At least with longer runs a greater proportion of the run is when well warmed up.

Keep running, keep smiling.

in reply to IannodaTruffe

That is brilliant - thank you for sending me that link! That makes me feel normal now and I will be telling myself that explanation on my next run. This forum is brilliant, it really is.

Anthie profile image
AnthieGraduate

Just a suggestion as I'm only beginning to understand how all this running works ;-) but perhaps you are like me, a "diesel engine", and you need a longer warm-up in order to feel comfortable. When I started, I had 10 or 15 mns of walking before reaching the park where I run. It doesn't mean you won't get the toxic ten but it may help you a bit. Just to show you that our body slowly changes, today as I was getting cold and I had only a thin jacket, I started to run after the 5 mn warm-up, before reaching the park. And it was fine. My heart is less slow to react now :-)

Well done in any case for your perseverance and enjoy the next runs!

in reply to Anthie

Thanks, love thinking of myself as a diesel engine! Excellent! :-)

Anthie profile image
AnthieGraduate in reply to

Which means that the longer you run, the more comfortable you feel ;-)!

ejvcruns profile image
ejvcrunsGraduate

I always feel the same way -- the amazing thing for me is that I just get faster and faster and find it more and more fun. The furthest I've ever run is 7k and each kilometre was faster than the one before. That run stays in my mind for sure!

in reply to ejvcruns

Yes I tend to find that too - my kilometres get steadily faster as I go on. Great isn’t it! :-)

Elfe5 profile image
Elfe5Graduate

Yup, those first 10-15 mins sounds familiar! I just go really slow & short paced in the first 10 mins. - Then I go really slow for the rest!! 😄

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

The toxic ten..:) Or fifteen..or twenty... depending how long it takes me to get going:)

IannodaTruffe has given you some great advice... now, just relax, slow down and enjoy:)

Well done you:)

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