I’m off to do W5R3 later today and I’m very nervous. It seems like a huge step from 8 mins running to 20!! Please someone reassure me it’s not as bad as I imagine!! 😳😳
W5R3......help!!! : I’m off to do W5R3 later... - Couch to 5K
W5R3......help!!!
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Honestly it's not as bad as you imagine 👍 if you've done the other runs you can do this.
Will look for log later 🏃♀️🏃♀️
Just saw your rock photo ... my grandkids are always painting and hiding 😁 #notts rocks
![ACHG profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/cc6cfcd066d747309f3dc14136bd6475_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
I managed to do this one yesterday afternoon, just take it slowly, keep breathing and don’t look at your feet! You’ll smash it! I found it gets easier the nearer you get to finishing it!
![IannodaTruffe profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/3f4bb9be0d77359f644e07c022a99698_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
Your last five workouts have been longer duration than this one, so what are you worrying about.
Go slowly and believe in yourself.
![Jay66UK profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/286aa732b721f1867bc4f0641f8b3d05_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
It is all about staying slow and not letting the doubt beat you. They would not put this run in the programme at this point if you weren’t ready for it.
Smash it, but take W6R1 and R2 steadily - they sneak up and bite if you go too fast “because I can run 20 mins”!
Enjoy it - it’s a real milestone.
![MarkyD profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/2f86f0795fce40daa8c9ab47069b8f99_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
This is an answer that I wrote to @CariCanRun last night 😎
You have to think about your heart-rate and the exertion for Week 5.
Everyone says “what an enormous jump from 8 minutes to 20 minutes”. But that chooses to ignore the reality. W5R2 if I remember correctly is 8r5w8r. That is a total of 16 minutes running and 5 minutes walking. The ‘walking’ isn’t a rest: it is brisk walking and allows your heart rate to recover from a running peak of (roughly) 150-180 bpm back down to (roughly) 120-150 bpm. It will take about 3 minutes to recover.
Compare this to 20 minutes running: your heart rate will be at your ‘running’ bpm for 20 minutes. That is not very much more exertion than 8r5w8r.
Set off on W5r3 at a slower pace than normal. Deliberately slower for the first 5 minutes. After a while your body will naturally fall into your natural running rhythm and your heart rate will be a little off your peak running bpm. You should manage 20 minutes with no problems, and a massive grin!!
![das_vikas profile image](https://images.hu-production.be/avatars/534bd9e411cd456d9bea9204b7f1458f_small@2x_100x100.jpg)
You know it, you can do it! Don’t let those self doubts beat you. Keep it slow and steady and don’t forget to stretch before and after runs
I completed W5R3 and I beat my pb 1m!! 😁 I came home, watched the royal wedding with a cooked brunch, then took my kids out for a 5k walk! 🤣 happy days!!