W4 complete!

[I_can_run]

Wife and I very achy after completing week 4 - the legs are certainly feeling the dramatic increase in the actual jogging component. I was particularly stupid and on Sunday between r2 (saturday) and r3 (monday) we drove around a few parks and spaces to find a reasonably low mud off road trail for future runs - and like an idiot I tried them out...not a huge amount of running but still enough I think to reduce my recovery - I won't be doing that again!

R3 was a killer - in some ways the hardest yet - both wife and I agreed how heavy our legs felt and how difficult it was to get to the end of particularly the last two jogging phases (unfortunately both on our route coincide with noticeable uphill portions just on the final 90s of each jog) ...but interestingly as hard as it was in some ways it was also easier than r1 - recovery was noticeably faster and at the end of it we felt much better even though we had been slower over all and seemed to have suffered more. How strange the human body is.

Well week 5 next - and a further upping of the exercise level. But I feel a bit more confident about that than the week 3 to week 4 jump, and I am hoping to aching legs are a prelude to an increase in their fitness which will see us through - after all the programme has worked so far!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Keep it slow and steady..... make sure you put in some non impact exercise on rest days for strength and stamina

Well done you ...both

[I_can_run Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks - we will try and do that. I like my swimming but never seem to have the time.

[Razouski]

Hi I_can_run don't forget you can always take an extra rest day if you need to. Sounds like you and Mrs Can_I_Run are doing well.

[I_can_run Graduate in reply to Razouski]

Thanks for the advice, we took a two day break between week 4 and w5r1 and that worked out really well!

[Elfe5 Graduate]

... and it will continue to work. Well done to you both. 😀

[I_can_run Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Thanks! half of me says it is bound to work as it has for so many people so far...half of me looks at w5r3 which will probably be next monday or tuesday and thinks is that really possible? This time next week I'll know for sure!

[Squeakypoptest Graduate]

You two are a week ahead of me so I like hearing about how you're doing!

[I_can_run Graduate in reply to Squeakypoptest]

Thanks - we just did w5r1 - hope you are enjoying your week four if you have started it!

[I_can_run Graduate in reply to I_can_run]

Oh you have started it! Well done!

[RuthL Graduate]

Well done. Keep going. As Razouski said, you can always take an extra rest day if you’re feeling particularly stiff or have had a difficult run. (I took plenty!)

[I_can_run Graduate in reply to RuthL]

Thanks! Week did before w5r1 and I am guessing we may have to bracket w5r3 with rest, although coming back to the run after two days rest is less achy on the legs it does feel a little bit worse on the breathing and general fitness front. We will have to see - I can half imagine needing a week of after w5r3!