Why 20 mins on Couch to 5K on week 5 run 3

[Walthair]

I can’t undestand why there is such a jump from 8 mins run on Week 5 run 2 to 20 min run on week 5 run 3 Any ideas?

[misswobble Graduate]

Yes it’s deliberate. You can do it. Just believe it 💪👍

You’ll see 😎

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

W5R1 you run/brisk walk for 21 minutes.

W5R2 you run/brisk walk for 21 minutes.

W5R3 you run for 20 minutes..........

There is no big jump.

Trust the plan, you can do it........... slowly.

[JimmyLucy2 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Doing this run today at lunchtime. Who would have thought? Me, the person who always poured scorn on people who ran. And I know I will be able to do it, which is all the better!

[MarkyD Graduate]

There is a common misunderstanding about the C25K program. Often, the walking sections are regarded as a rest, or some kind of break. But the walking is expected to be brisk, and the walking sections are intended only to allow your heart-rate to recover whilst you are building stamina and endurance.

So in W5r2 you will run/walk/run for 8/5/8 and a total of 21 minutes exercise. During the first run, your heart-rate will climb to it's peak for running. As you start the walking section, your heart-rate will fall back, but take 3-4 minutes to drop, and then after 5 minutes you start running again. Quickly your heart-rate will climb, and then it will gradually increase during the 8 minute run. At the end of the 8 minute run your heart rate will probably be the highest that it has been during C25K so far.

Sure, W5r3 is 20 minutes of running, but from a heart rate (effort) perspective it is not so different from W5r2. And you are only active for 20 minutes, not 21. So no, it is not impossible: you have nothing to worry about. Simply start off slower than you've run before.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

It’s a lot less scary than it looks, maybe easier than the last as others have stated... you can do it!

[Equi-geek Graduate]

As others have said - it’s all in your head this one - you can do it! Start slower than before, find a nice rhythm you can easily breathe to as quickly as you can, and just let your mind wander while your legs take care of the run. You’ll be pleased to leave the intervals behind 👍

[FormulaRun]

If does work -honestly. Trust the app - its magic!!

[Flyingred Graduate]

Just do it – it's no big deal because the programme has prepared you for the challenge. You'll enjoy the feeling of achievement on finishing.

[Jay66UK Graduate]

Your legs and lungs are ready for it. Your head isn’t. Just do it slowly and keep going and prepare to amaze yourself.

[Walthair]

Ok I have done it today Thanks everybody for your support But it is a jump up

[Scarlettbunnykins Graduate in reply to Walthair]

I did Week 5 Run 1 this morning... Dreading 20 mins on Friday and wondering when/how I will blow my snotty nose as usually do this in the walks!!!

Well done for getting through it. Did you feel it was a massive push?

[Walthair in reply to Scarlettbunnykins]

Can be done just by going slow Half way I thought well at least I can do 15 mins and then stop Got to 15 mins and said to myself I may as well try and do the 20 So I did but slowly

[hallamfatty Graduate]

I thought it was impossible - lots of people say it isn't a jump but it really was huge for me. Perhaps they were all young, slim and very fit people but I really didn't find it at all good for me - and my brisk walking was 6km/hr so I wasn't being lazy during the walks.

[Rozi123]

I can’t agree with all the commentary about it being in your head. When I got to that run at 14 mins I pulled my calf muscle and now I’ve gone from three runs a week to none. I’m frustrated and wished it hadn’t pushed me. Any tips on recovering gratefully received. I suspect it assumes an underlying level of fitness I didn’t have.

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to Rozi123]

Hi Rozi - sorry to hear that you got an injury but it could be for lots of reasons ( including sheer bad luck ) that someone more expert than I will no doubt explain. What I do know is that if you follow the programme to the letter including rest days and staying hydrated, doing stretches etc, it DOES work and each run prepares you for the next. No one was more surprised than me when I conquered that run. I believe it is mind over matter, as your body is ready. The programme is designed to get non runners off the couch and build stamina and strength so that by the end you can run for 30 mins. Speaking as one such person who is about to graduate I think it’s pretty amazing.

I hope you have a speedy recovery from your injury and are back to fitness soon

[Rozi123 in reply to SweatyHettie]

I had been very committed, doing everything by the book. I was in a good mindset, and I believed in the app, and I wanted to follow the programme, but clearly my body wasn't ready. I did the fullest regime of stretching I had ever done before doing the run. It's a shame as I really wanted to conquer this during lockdown and now I feel I'm going backwards. It's very hard to believe that if I had done say two 10 minute runs with a walk in the middle that my calf wouldn't have reacted in this way. Is there not a level of unfitness that can't go that fast? What would the warning signs be? I don't want to be here again, so very happy for any experts to give me tips! As it stands today I'm very disappointed.

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to Rozi123]

Ah that’s such a shame and I’m no expert so I can’t give you any advice. I can feel your frustration. 🙁

[Rozi123 in reply to SweatyHettie]

Thanks! I will recover and persevere! 😊

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to Rozi123]

👏🏼👏🏼go you!

[Funnymum in reply to Rozi123]

Hiya

I’ve done couch 2 5k twice now and I was someone who had never run before, I’m 6ft 1 and size 16, but I managed it and I was enjoying it, but 1 and a half years ago I tore my ankle badly and I I’ve just started again now. About to do week 5 run 3 tomorrow so I was looking for inspiration again.

What I will say is that this programme isn’t design for people that have dieted a lot in there lives or who don’t do any strength training, new runners will always get injuries I’m afraid. I suggest strength train as well and wait for your injury to heal properly before you start again. My ankle is a mess but I’m determined to no my let it stop me, I’m just very careful and I strap it up every time. Good luck with it all Laura

[Lolatronic in reply to Rozi123]

Ah that's a real bummer and can be so discouraging! I know it's been some time since you posted and hope you haven't been discouraged in the meantime.

You have already done 20 minutes of running so your muscles are capable! Sometimes it's just bad luck when one leg stretches a bit too far or at an odd angle.

I'm not an expert but I wonder if you've checked your running form? Trying to keep a solid, tight form (lightly engaging the core, not bouncing up and down) to keep you balanced, and maintaining a steady, even and not too intense pace can help to get you through the 20 minute stretch and beyond. Make sure you're landing under your centre of mass and not 'leaping' forward which might have caused the overstretch.

If you don't do this already, interspersing runs with weight training and flexibility exercises (pilates / yoga) is great for strengthening muscles and reducing the risk of overstretching. And of course it's good to balance out cardio workouts anyway.

You could start doing these while you're recovering (obviously avoiding exercises that involve stretching the calves) but mat work and side lie work can build your core and help to stabilise you when you get back to running again. Added bonus of keeping your fitness level up and keeping you motivated to work out.

Hope your injury is nearly healed if it hasn't already!

[FreedomToRun Graduate]

Funnily enough still my favourite run!

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to FreedomToRun]

I agree Bluesky- it was a game changer for me!

[Flattttt Graduate]

Well I think it is a jump. And I actually overstressed my abdomen for some reason doing that run. So I wasn’t happy about it.

I do think that some of theJump (I say it is one) can be mediated.

First, to take a page out of the book theAll Pro workout on bodybuilding.com, one could make this longer harder run after a two day gap instead of just one day of rest and re-build. By this I mean, during this week, you could run for example run the shorter/increments on Monday and Wednesday, take Thursday and Friday off, and do the 20 minute run on Saturday. That way you are as rested and energetic and healed up as possible to take on the 20.

The other thing is of course to stay in zone two the whole time much more relaxing.

Flattttt

[liz163]

I thought the same it felt like a big jump but the whole process does work as I’m starting week 7 tomorrow and found 25 mins yesterday comfortable.. longest run ever done considering I struggled running a minute at first. Good luck with your journey and enjoy 😁

[TheManchesterMan]

I’m with you on this 100% Walthair.

I dont believe running for 8mins then walking for 3 or 5 or whatever it is then running for 8 mins is anything like running a solid 20mins - it’s a completely different strain on the calf and Achilles and will leave many susceptible to injury, exhaustion and battered morale : I’m all about trusting processes but surely a 16min (still double) would of made a lot more sense and not be so daunting.

[LauraW070]

That's slow way to prepare you to bigger distances. I'm new in running, so i read a lot about it. As for me, it's better to run 5 - 1 - 5 - 1 - 5 - 1 - 5 (5min - run, 1min - walk) with weight vest (i use Tone Fitness - third one bestadvisor.com/weight-vests ). I startet from bare 3 - 1 - 3 - 1 - 3 and in two month i realized that i can do more. Try different ways and choose most suitable for you

[Treborche]

Like you I reacted in disbelief to going from 8 mins contiuous running to 20.

I also did not realise the supportive natural logic followed up to Week 4 would morph into different runs in a single week. My partner does the app and I just bluetooth into Laura.

Why this reaction? Because it is the right one.

Suddenly we are being challenged where before we were being guided.

And when you find out the following week you return to the more familiar routine you question why again.

And all this talk of adding walking and running totals to equal 20+?

Please - it does not feel like that when you come to the end of a run.

Yes it gets better, but you are still psychologically vulnerable to what feels like an upping of the game.

[Belannagh Graduate]

My question is less about the jump to 20 mins and more about the fact that week 6 reverts to a walk/run/walk format again. I trust that I can run for 20 minutes from a physical perspective, but as everyone has acknowledged, it's the mental barrier that stops this happening. If all I have to do is trust I can do it, then I'd just be able to run 5k straight off...but there's a reason I'm doing Couch to 5k. I would just like to understand the mentality behind it so I can help my brain come to terms with it.

[nowster Graduate in reply to Belannagh]

The idea of returning to run/walk intervals is to ease you into the longer duration of running.

W6R1 is 24 minutes of activity between warm up and cool down, R2 is 23 minutes, then R3 is 25 minutes. Then Week 7 is all 25 minute runs to consolidate that increase.

It's actually quite a big up step going from 20 to 25 minutes, 25% in fact. The usually recommended increment is 10% per week.

By going back to intervals it eases you into that increase by softening it with walk breaks.

[Belannagh Graduate in reply to nowster]

Ah that makes sense! Thanks so much for explaining 🤗 I'm doing W5R3 tomorrow and wanted some purpose and understanding instead of just 'trusting the app', so cheers 👍

[APCo]

I fully agree. I tried this run a failed for the first time in the schedule. It’s knocked me phycoclogically and I don’t think I want to continue.