W5R2- Half way

[MadzScientist]

I just did week 5 run 2, so I guess I'm past the half way point.

I found this one hard, 8 minutes felt like a big jump from 5. I handled it ok in the first 8 mins, but the second was a real struggle. I found myself desperately awaiting Sarah telling me there was only 60s left despite the fact she hadn't even told me I'd reached 4 mins yet. I didn't stop, but I reeeally wanted to.

Now I feel there's a mental block there for the next run. If I struggled that much with 2x8 mins with a 5 min walk in the middle how can I possibly do 20 mins straight? That's a huge jump! I don't understand why you have that big of an increase and then at the start of week 6 drop down again. Why is that?

[SnailRunner71 Graduate]

I'm doing this one tomorrow.

You didn't stop though! That's great, you did it.

[MadzScientist in reply to SnailRunner71]

It was doable (evidently) but I think it was the run I enjoyed least so far! Best of luck with it though, I'm sure you'll get through it too

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

See my reply on the other thread.

This is a mental game... you didn’t need to stop, or you would have had to stop... you thought you needed to stop and refused to do so... great job!

Don’t look too far ahead here... W6R1 is notorious, it catches a lot of people out, I went in prepared for that and it still nearly knocked me down... it’s a tricky set of intervals, you can do them. You’ll do lots of interval sessions in the future and believe me 4x400m sprints with 2 minute rests are much harder than a mile fast yet they’re almost exactly the same distance. This is the same... you don’t have to battle to keep the walk brisk when you need a rest, your leg muscles won’t start to cool down, you’ll just run... nice and slowly.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

C25K is not a breeze MadzScientist, it has been thoroughly scientifically thought over about 15 years ago or more by some American, I believe the British version is a bit more recent. By the time all runners get to week 5 run 3 they should be ready for that 20-minute non-stop run as long as they don't go too fast, they should manage it OK and most do and so will you once you have ran it. Perhaps you struggled with run 2 of week 5 because you ran too fast, or were not properly hydrated-not taken enough liquids or were just a bit too tired, we all have some bad days, I am sure you can continue with the program, best of luck for run 3 of week 5.

[MadzScientist in reply to AlMorr]

I do trust the program, and I know it has been put together logically, and that's really why I'm asking. I don't understand the logic of doing one big block and then dropping down to several smaller ones again. I literally just want to know why it is done that way.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to MadzScientist]

Afraid you will have to ask the experts that one MadzScientist, but as long as you keep exactly to the program you will be able to complete all the runs and graduate at the end of the course

[Katnap Graduate]

You're doing great!

Stick to the programme and you'll be graduating next month 😸

Happy running 🏃