Hello everyone I seem to have a mental block. I am on week 5 run 3 but I cannot finish 20 minutes. The 2 x 8 minutes went well, it was hard but I managed it but this 20 minute run is killing me. I have a mental block at about 14 minutes.
Please help. Any ideas?
I have been trying to complete the 20 minute run for two weeks now☹️
Hi I found this one mentally challenging too! I did it by thinking about the advice I'd seen on here about slowing right down then slowing down again - that and telling myself it was my mind trying to beat me! I also zone right into my music now and try not to think about the minutes left! You'll do it, keep at it! 🙌🙌
I'm due to do w5r3 on Tuesday and from what I've read it should be physically possible after the 5 weeks build up and is mostly mental, you could try:
-slowing down the running pace
- repeating w5 r1/2
- go onto w6 r1/2 then back to w5 r3
Good luck 
Thank you. 8 minutes seems forever when you are doing it but 20 minutes is going to be murder☹️
I struggled at about 12mins in, i slowed down while maintaining the ‘running’, had a bit of water, got myself together again then once i felt able i went back up to my normal running pace and managed to finish. I hope you find something that works for you, good luck with your next go, im sure you will do it xx
Don't think of it as 20 minutes. Think of it as only 4 more minutes. You have already done 16.
But not all in one go🤣
Build up wise you have been leading up to this.
Go slower, then even slower.
Tell you head, you are going slower, you can do the 20!!!
Today I did not feel great and thought I'll just do 20. JUST DO 20!!!!!
Once I got to 20, I thought sod it, only 10 left.
I could barely do 60 seconds 10 weeks ago.
You have to trick your brain, easily done in my case.
Keep us posted 😓
I'll give a full reply later on but I need to ask one question first to do so, given that you've been stuck at this circle of hell for 2 weeks. Why are you stopping?
Genuine question, not snark! Are you in pain, are your legs giving out, too hot, can't get a breath, stitch etc. and these things feed into your mental block and you stop? Or is it physically fine, but your brain starts up a cycle of "can't do this, can't do this" with every increasing urgency until you can't shut it up and you stop? Is there some panic in there, or a fear of failing because you want to do it so bad? Talk us through it exactly and it'll be easier to work out the best solution. Because there IS a solution. You're gutsy enough to have repeated it for 2 weeks, so you CAN do this.
Actually, oops, hang on, second question are you doing it on a treadmill or outside? 
I think it’s mental as I’m running on the treadmill at work so I’m staring at a wall. If there was a tv to distract me I’d be fine☹️
I really find running outside is much much easier than in the gym ☹️
Hi I’m the other way around. I find running on a treadmill great ( because I’m watching other people because I’m nosey)😉
I run at the gym normally
A big part of the programme is mental. You have to get your mind and body working together for maximum benefits.
Try thinking of it as 6 or 7 songs and find some good music that makes you want to move.
The other option is to just push. If you're giving in at 14 mins then next time tell yourself you are NOT giving up before 16, then 17, then 18 etc.
Your body can do this. Your mind is listening to those gremlins that don't want change. Imagine every footfall as beating those gremlins away. Think of all the reasons you want this, how it will benefit you, where it will take you. You really can do it, but you have to believe that too 👍😉
Thank you JoJo😉
First will done. Take it as practice runs.
Try to really really slow down. Judge it so that you are physically not close to tiredness when approaching the 20minute mark. When I started I could go really slow. I mean almost walking-jogging pace. It will be easier next time once you get it done first time. The pace will just come later but the mental block will be gone. Just my two cents. Good luck.
I've always run outside so it's a bit easier to set mini goals when it starts to feel tough - I'll keep going to the next lamp post, tree, gate or whatever - but I think switching to outside now, when your confidence is wobbling might just make it worse. Can you just think of it as 6 or 7 song tracks and put a playlist together that you love or lose yourself in a radio podcast? Or maybe drop back a run or two (rather than keep attempting a run you've half convinced yourself you can't do) and then have another go.
I'm sure you can do this- your obvious determination will make sure you get there - you just need to relax into it and go super slow.
Keep us posted.
Thank you I will keep you posted
Please don’t beat yourself up about this. Judging from what people say on this forum, it will happen. You’re doing everything right, slow and steady, great music and hopefully some sunshine too. It doesn’t matter if it takes two, three, four or more weeks to move on, you’ll do it. Try taking extra rest days and possibly a slower pace warm up walk. I’m no expert and I may well feel exactly the same at some point, so I hope I’ll take my own advice if that happens. Keep us posted. 😊
I will, thank you😊
Hi, I did the run with a group and the first time we did 20 minutes in one go they did a ‘treasure hunt’ where they put out signs for us to collect. Focussing in collecting made the time fly past!
If you look out for and collect the following items next time you go out it should help.....
Collect or just spot 5-10 things from this list depending on running area)
Stone
Leaf
Piece of rubbish
A cigarette end
A dropped coin
A green coloured door
Someone wearing yellow
A ginger haired person
A cat
A magpie
A bottle top
Hope this helps - it is mind over matter for this one! X
That's a neat idea. Always welcome a distraction idea! 
It was too good - we actually got conned into a 22 minute jog instead of 20 as everyone was doing so well! It’s amazing the difference it made! Even now I try and people or dog watch when jogging - keeping up the nosey ness to pass time!
Just spotted you are inside on a treadmill - I think that’s harder and would recommend you go outside if you can! Slow the treadmill right down and listen to music and hide the timer if you can.
I think being able to see changing scenery and changing pace when needed are really important to get to 20 minutes x
Hi I started c25k running at my local park but I found it really difficult and so I joined the gym to run on wet days and to train with my son. When I ran on the treadmill I found it a lot easier. When I’m on there I’m watching what other people are doing and I do cover the display with my towel but I get to the 12ish minute mark and my brain says that’s enough☹️
You need to over ride your brain. Just one more minute...... just another 30 seconds.... come on.,,,, keep going.... just another 30 seconds........blimey I’m nearly at 15 I can do 15...... have I another 10 seconds?
This is the sort of conversation I have in my head if it helps but it is a case if you accepting you have a mental block and purposefully not listen to it.
The other thing that might work is give yourself 2 ‘cheats’ where you can walk for 20 seconds. Use as needed. This means you get the time and get over the stumbling block even though you may have walked for 49 seconds.
I can do 30 minutes - never thought I could. I actually did longer on my park run. It is all about how much you want it.
Good luck!
Ah, had thought about the towel, but you're already there! I think distraction is definitely the key. I was going to go through a million peptalk ideas, mantras, memorised passages to recite etc. and other things folks have already mentioned here, but I'm a bit stuck at the treadmill part. Simply because I can't put myself in your shoes there and go, yep, they'll still work! Want to be clear, though I'm an outdoor runner, I'm not snotty about treadmill running. Quite the opposite, I doff my caps to people who manage to do C25K entirely on the treadmill. That seems a million times harder to me! That's largely why my advice is pretty useless because I know I'd not make 5 minutes on a treadmill before I'd want to drive a sharp spike through my head. I would be doing exactly what you're doing, clockwatching. I need to be seriously distracted and I just couldn't distract myself enough at your work gym where it's just a wall 
Best I've got is, an audiobook or a podcast? Something that prevents your brain from working out how long it's been/will be, because if you're as bad me your brain is even clockwatching through what song number you're up to!
I will just throw in, if you spend another week stuck on that run on the treadmill, THEN it might be worth revisiting the running outside (only start with Week 5 Run 2) purely because 3 weeks and no change, means something needs to change. The one true advantage of outdoor vs treadmill is you physically have to return! So if you're stopping at 12/14 minutes, you're still at least 8 minutes away from home and at some point in that 8 minutes, you can talk yourself into some more running. Plus if you're doing an out and back route outside, mentally it DOES help when you've turned around after 10 and you can't escape the knowledge that you're getting closer and closer to being finished! This is NOT me saying "be an outdoor runner", this is Plan B if Plan A continues to be stuck!
Good luck! Hope the gremlins conquer themselves!
Hit a brick wall 
Wk5.3 - doubts EDIT- I DID IT!!! 😀😀😀
Week 7 - really struggling to do it! Big jump from week 6...
Just completed week 5 run 3
W5R3 done 😄 happy 
