Just completed week 6... enjoying it less.

[AgingMetalHead]

Been lurking for a while and have enjoyed reading a lot of useful posts.

Just completed week 6 but it really felt like a struggle. 25 minutes seemed ages and I'm not enjoying it at all like the earlier weeks. Almost stopped after 5 minutes (felt mild knee and back pain) but after doing the "am I really hurting so much I need to stop" check, I carried on.

I dropped my speed this run back to two 12 minute miles so I'm sure I'm not running too fast (my pace was an 11 minute mile for W6R2)

Anyone else hit the "I'm not enjoying this right now" around week 6 / 7? I didn't enjoy the 20 minute week 5 run either (was in Spain for that one!).

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

12 minute miles are what my buddy does on recovery runs, and he’s done a lot of marathons, runs 5k in 24 minutes and he’s turned 50. Hope that gives you a perspective. Fair play to you for being able to go that fast already, it’s very decent. As to wether it’s too fast, only you really know that, and maybe a slower pace is going to be more enjoyable.

I’ve not done this programme, but when I ran in my youth I did hit a stage where the fun stopped, but it came back later (albeit at the finish line)

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Week six wasn’t my favourite week IIRC. Not so much the third run as the first two. Got through them OK but was glad to get them over with. I found my pace dropped a around that point too by a minute and a half per km (two and a half mins per mile) - not deliberately but that’s what happened in weeks seven and eight. It was end of week 9 before I got close to my previous pace again.

[misswobble Graduate]

Slowing everything down makes everything better. We do keep reiterating that point 🙂. Please slow down 🙏It buys you time and saves puff to keep you strong to the finish 💪👍🙂

[Zutter Graduate]

I've had exactly the same feeling towards end of W8/beginning of W9. Just repeated W9R2 and felt great. I gave myself a couple of days off, have stopped worrying about how fast/far I'm going, and just eased the pace back to the days where I was so utterly impressed that I'd run for X amount of time that it felt absolutely amazing. And it still felt absolutely amazing just to do the run. Take it easy on yourself. Just the fact that you're doing it is something to be proud of... allow yourself that

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Zutter]

^^^^

Fabulous comment that, "allow yourself that".

Definately. Be proud of how far you've come. Maybe re-evaluate why you're doing this and what you want from it.

The actual act of "running" isn't always fun. But then "life" isn't always fun. It's about finding the fun for yourself. Being in nature. Fresh air. Using your body instead of just sitting on it. Achieving physical goals. Seeing improvements. For some it can be chasing those PBs or winning a segment on Strava. Others its just plodding along looking at the world around them.

Find your fun 👍😁

[AgingMetalHead Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thank you. Very true. I'm sure the salad I ate the other night was way less fun than fish and chips from the local takeaway but definitely better for me! Puts it in perspective.

[AgingMetalHead Graduate in reply to Zutter]

Thank you. Yes you are right. I ran for 25 minutes! On May 22nd I failed to run 8 x 1 minutes and needed a second attempt 2 weeks later.

[Zutter Graduate in reply to AgingMetalHead]

Exactly... I bailed on my first attempt at W1R1. One of the things that I'm most proud about is that I didn't jack it in

[AgingMetalHead Graduate]

Thanks everyone, appreciate your helpful comments. I will take W7R1 a little slower and stop worrying about pace / distance.

And maybe not listen to the Dead Kennedys next time. Not sure 70s punk was the best choice on a longer run!

[Suse70 Graduate]

Ha ha, maybe not. Perhaps you need some upbeat pop! That might push you right over the edge.....

[AgingMetalHead Graduate in reply to Suse70]

Haha sounds a bit like torture!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to AgingMetalHead]

Naw... that would be my EDM!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[Anneontherun21 Graduate]

I found that playing podcasts of R4 Monday and Friday night comedies had me chortling my way through weeks 7 onwards. Much more engaging for me than music! I paid less attention to the running and whether I was ‘enjoying ‘ it. And instead of being ‘needy’ about Michael Johnson’s praise as before, I started to get annoyed with him cutting in and spoiling a punchline!

[AgingMetalHead Graduate in reply to Anneontherun21]

That's not a bad idea! I'm a massive Red Dwarf fan and can listen without watching. Might give that a go!

[Manxmezzo Graduate]

I think I went through a stage of being a bit 'oh - is this it' round about week six. I wonder whether it's after the high high of W5R3, that nothing quite matches that and it just becomes a bit of a slog. However, that said, I really enjoyed week 9 and reaching the final run and I'm now really enjoying my post-graduation runs (all two of them so far 😄 - listen to me talking like an expert!!!). I'd say keep going and marvel that you're doing something good for body and soul

[AgingMetalHead Graduate]

Well thanks to the good advice here I just completed W7R1 and almost enjoyed it. Didn't actually slow down in the end as I was comfortable at a similar pace, but most importantly I wasn't worrying about the few times I had to slow the pace down to recover. Just enjoyed the minute or so of slower jogging rather than feeling I was moving too slowly as I did on W6R3.