Week 4.

[Ellmcloughlin]

Hi all. I recently completed the first run in week 4 to my amazement!! Today I attempted the 2nd run and just could not manage it! I am not sure what went wrong and why I managed one run but not the other it was just extremely tiring and my legs felt sore! I managed the first 3mins and then could only manage around 2 mins of the first 5 mins. Then from there I just ran in little spurts within the next runs. No idea what happened! I just wondered if anyone could advise me what to do? This is the first time I have not completed a run first time. Do I just move on to the 3rd run of this week and ignore it or do I repeat this second run until I can complete it? Feeling quite deflated and nervous to try again!! So any tips/ advice on what to do next would be very much appreciated! Thanks so much In advance

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Hi Ell, sounds like you had a practise run today. Maybe you started too quickly, maybe you aren't feeling so well... or hadn't eaten...

Take your rest day...and make sure you are feeling well.

Next time make sure you warm up properly and start nice and steady. Week 4 is a good one, I actually stayed on it for a few weeks. There is no rush to push on through the program, you are building stamina every run, and todays run will have helped too.

So don't worry about it, next time you will do it.😊x

[ToniCR Graduate]

After my first run of each week, I need an extra rest day or I'm just too tired. If my first run is on Monday, I'll run again on Thursday and Saturday. My body just needs more recovery after the increase in activity. Not sure if that helps you, but it seems to be working for me.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Rest up as Bluebirdrunner suggests... some stretching exercises too...

You may have headed off too quickly...so next time. Warm up well, and start slow and stay slow...then try and relax as you run. Keep your steps light and just enjoy.

You are, as Jan says, building up Stamina, so repeating this will not be an issue

[Nonnie83]

I'm so sorry you had trouble with the run but relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who has had that problem. I spent several weeks at week four because I had such a hard time with it. (Don't be too concerned for yourself, though, I have a lot of health issues and those were the weeks I discovered I was anemic.) Hopefully a few extra tries at it and you'll be good to go to week five. I made it to the last run in week five... At which point I got the flu, so now I'm back at week four again. (Week five is actually easier, at least for the first two runs!) But I'm keeping at it. Slowing down will help. I run on a treadmill, so I am absolutely sure that I slowed down to get through week four, and have NOT increased my speed! (For me, knowing and being able to control my speed has been helpful.)

[Ellmcloughlin in reply to Nonnie83]

Thankyou so much for this! I decided yesterday to re-try the run on a tread mill and I actually found it so so much easier! I found that the distractions in the gym (tv and people) and being able to 100% control my speed meant that it was a lot more enjoyable and easy. Thankyou x

[badcrumble]

I ran 20 mins last fri (W5R3) but really struggled last night on W6R1 to run the first 5 mins. Had to stop at 2.5mins! Bizarre. I usually do 10 mins warm up then a few stretches but only did 5 mins warm up last night. I'm putting it down to that. I usually have 2 rest days in between too. I'd repeat that run and don't worry about it too much 🙂

[Not_giving_up]

Don’t worry about it. There is no ‘one size fits all’ so everyone does these things at their own pace. If it feels tough then just skip back a week and go again. All that really matters is that you feel good about yourself so keep that glass half full, not half empty!