Week 6 run 3 in the bag!

[Nenenene]

It feels like I'm spamming the forum with my updates, but I was a lurker for so long and learnt so much from other peoples posts that I feel like if someone, anyone, can benefit from my rambles then I'll be happy.

I completed the third run och week 6 today. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't sure at all that I would be able to finish it, especially since the second run went poorly, but I went super slow and steady and finished it. I actually ran for 25 minutes without stopping. That's a little impressive. I'm a little impressed by my own achievement, this program really does work. It wasn't easy and I got a stitch in my side and after 20 minutes in my right leg got a little numb, but overall it went okay.

It was a little bit weird that it got harder and harder up until ten minutes into the run and then it sort of plateaued into a steady "my calves are working and the muscles are tensing up and I'm huffing like a steam engine, but I'm running and moving forwards" that didn't get worse than that. Is that how it feels like for you?

Hope you're all doing well and happy running!

[Flaraflarkin Graduate]

Great description! Well done you 🙌

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Thank you! =)

[Hidden]

I did week 9 run 1 today and it felt pretty much as you’ve described! The second 5 minutes seemed the worst. Once I’d got half way it seemed a lot easier. I was very hot and sweaty by the time I finished but apart from that it was ok

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Well done you! Yes, we've had a few days with fairly high temperatures here as well, but today it was cooler, so that felt amazing on my super flushed face.

Hrm, so maybe it's a thing with the first ten minutes feeling not so great? I guess I'll find out in the coming weeks =)

Thanks for sharing your experiences and happy running!

[Lorijay Graduate]

That is impressive Nenenene, well done. Enjoy reading your posts and progress. You are ahead of me in the programme so it's good to read about your runs. Happy running

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to Lorijay]

Thank you so much! I hope your future runs goes well, and happy running to you too!

[slow-farah Graduate]

Well done 😊 The first 10 minutes of a run are sometimes referred to as the 'toxic 10' because it takes your body about 10 minutes to respond to the fact that you're running and then supply oxygen to the organs that need it (you can probably google it if you're interested/ want a better explanation)

[LoonyLoo in reply to slow-farah]

That is so true. I did a 34 mile bike ride for charity once. The first 10 miles were awful, then your body gets in to a rhythm and flow. It's weird, but it's true.

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to slow-farah]

Thanks! Hrm, so it works for biking as well you say LoonyLoo? I'll read up on that further, even though your explanation was quite good _Kirstyb.

Thank you both for sharing and happy running!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Sounds to me that you might have been running harder than the recommended easy conversational pace.

For a brief outline of the toxic ten healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Well done.

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Hrm. You might be right. I get discouraged and irritated and just loose the happiness of running if I feel like I'm not moving forwards enough. I'm an impatient person when it comes to my own progress.

That said, I don't think I can slow down enough that I can carry on a conversation while running, (my slowest is still hard work for me), but I guess I can drag the spouse out with me for a run and test it out. My huffing and puffing maybe isn't as huffy and puffy as I think? I'll try it out when I can, to see how it goes.

Oh, and thanks for the link about the toxic 10, I've already read up on it a little, but reading about it some more, from a different source is always a good thing.

Thank you for your input and happy running!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Nenenene]

You might find this guide to post C25K running healthunlocked.com/couchto5... which explains, through links, why running hard is not the best way to train.

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out a little later.

I ran today again and the pace I held then seemed to work alright for having a conversation (I spoke with some of the birds I saw like a nutter just for science :D). Well, I was a little breathless, but overall, I think it could be considered conversational.

Thanks again for the links and taking the time to post them here!

[Nictwit Graduate]

You should be proud! Every time I complete a run I'm proud, it's all so alien from the me of a few months ago!

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to Nictwit]

Awwe, thank you!

Yes! I actually tried to run for a bit before I started following the program and I kid you not, I could run for 2-3 minutes straight and after that I felt like I would die. I almost chucked up my stomach content and was so sore afterwards that I couldn't move at all without being in absolute agony.

So, a lot has happened in a short amount of time one could say

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and happy running!

[Anitacstrong Graduate]

Well done. I also struggle at first and then it plateaus a bit (I wouldn't say it gets easy after 10 mins but more bearable). I keep reminding myself of the toxic 10 while I'm starting off. I've only done 1 longer run so far in week 5 run 3 and that was how I felt. Tonight it's week 6 run 2 so not sure how that will go with 2 lots of 10 but we'll see. I too am not sure I could hold a conversation whilst running even though I'm going as slow as feels comfortable.

[Nenenene Graduate in reply to Anitacstrong]

Thank you!

Yes, I kinda have to keep reminding myself that "I've already felt this way before and managed it anyways" while I'm running or else I'll convince myself that there's something wrong and that I should stop. It really is more of a mind exercise now, than it was in the beginning of the program.

Maybe we are both wrong about the conversation part of our pace? I run by myself and that's how I like it (I get stressed/irritated if I have to run faster or slower than I want to, just to keep pace with someone else, I'm a terrible running partner) so I haven't tested it out yet. But I'm thinking of testing it someday, just to see how it goes. I did have my small dog with me during the first couple of weeks, but she'll be 14 this year, so she wanted to sit the runs out as we got further along.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but I'm sure you'll do great, just don't go too fast on the first 10 minute block, you can always run like the wind the last couple of minutes if you have energy left =).

Thanks for your reply and happy running!

[siwhite Graduate]

Well done. I've just done W6R1 so we're almost in the same place. It's great to hear your experience. Like you I've been a lurker too.