W4R1 when do the endorphins kick in?

[Pippayoungart]

Just finished W4R1. I did it - but it wasn’t pretty. I found it really hard and didn’t enjoy it one bit. Isn’t there alot of talk about ‘runner’s high’? I need to find a slice of that because motivation levels are scraping bottom....

[misswobble Graduate]

It’s week four! Four weeks in. I think you have to be patient and realistic.

Runners high I would say comes when you hit your stride. That takes time to achieve but you can do it in the nine weeks. Just keep going steady and you’ll get there

I don’t see how you can expect to be batting along at a fair lick at this stage, from a standing start. You get fitter, stronger, faster just by doing the work, but by week four you’ve not got there yet

There’s no shortcut to getting fit! 💪

[Hidden]

My runners high kicked in after W5R3. The 20 minute run!!!

[RainbowC Graduate]

I have moments where I enjoy the running (having just completed week 9, some 13-14 weeks after starting week 1!) - I know that mostly it's still a slog, but somehow I do enjoy it anyway and find it calming. Definitely keep at it. I think week 4 is the hardest week in some ways - it's such a step up from week 3 - but YOU DID IT! Only a few weeks ago it would have been impossible, but look back and see how far you've already come! You just ran for 16 minutes in total!

[Late-Starter Graduate]

The reason you're not getting runners high yet is that the plan, at week four, keeps stopping you running and gets you to recover with walking. To release endorphins by running, most people need to elevate their heart rate for at least 20 minutes. So as Biguft has found, that should be w5r3. W6r3 and on is when you should be feeling good, but not until after the run. The run will still be hard work.

But watch out - it's addictive. But it is legal and free.

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to Late-Starter]

Thanks for that - i shall continue to grit my teeth in hope...

[Hidden]

It’s just a bit soon for that, unfortunately you are still at the ‘all pain and it feels like no gain’ stage. But Week 4 is I believe one of the milestone weeks, were your hard work now starts paying off. It can take up to a year to establish ‘running legs’ , but seriously the W5 R3 is the one when most people don’t stop grinning for ages. It’s only 5 runs away and you’ve already banked 10 to get here, so you’re 2/3 the way towards that high.

Stick at it, you won’t regret it - in fact take a peek at the W5 posts and see for yourself.

Good luck with the rest of W4, your working hard and it will pay back we promise

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - i’ll try to stick at it - it is only an hour and a half each week - i keep telling myself! I’m sure i waste more time than that on social media!

[Dan32]

I have just finished w4 and I know what you mean, it feels like a bigger jump from w3 than previous weeks, but you’ve done it once so you know you can do it again.

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to Dan32]

It certainly does feel like a big jump! Really don’t know how i’m going to manage longer. But then i see others on this forum have done it so i’m trying to convince myself i can....

[MutleyShuffle Graduate]

I had a snippet of runners high today! I'm on week 7 run 1. It's been up and down for me, on week 4 my legs felt like they were made of lead and I thought it was getting harder instead of easier, but today I actually enjoyed the run. Hope you get some highs soon!

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to MutleyShuffle]

Thank you! Good to know there is a glimmer of hope!

[Jay66UK Graduate]

Blimey! I got high after W1R1 and it’s just got stronger and stronger! Must be a sign of how unfit I am!!

[DorsetDiva]

It sounds to me like you might need to slow your pace a bit. Go easy on yourself and find a less punishing pace and it’ll be a bit less traumatic, then you’ll at least enjoy it more until you get your runners’ high. Keep going.