That was rubbish.....

[E27M14]

I know in my head that I should feel incredibly proud that I have made it this far. I just ran for 25 minutes for the third run of week 7.

However, I feel rubbish. I feel really sad, like I could cry! The run was no harder than any of the others this week, but throughout the run I felt like we were running really fast, and that I was going to do proud of having run further, and at a much faster pace than ever before. When we got in I looked at my tracker and found that my fastest km was actually 4 seconds slower than the last run I did. I feel so disappointed and can’t understand how it was so slow when it felt so much faster.

[ktsok Graduate]

Oh E, I’m sorry you are feeling rubbish. That feeling will pass as the fact you have finished week 7 and run 25 minutes x 4 sinks in.

I have had a couple of real downers after runs and felt emotional and negative. There isn’t a simple explanation as to why. Perhaps it felt more difficult, or was slower... or maybe it was hormonal, or something else. I’m not sure. I just know that after some runs you are buzzing, some you feel ok, and some you just slump. I guess with the highs come lows. Maybe we are sweating out some gremlins!

Like you, like a lot of us, I suspect, I look at the stats after a run and it’s difficult not to be influenced by them. The fact is, you just ran for 25 minutes, for the fourth time in about a week, without injury and it wasn’t horrendously difficult. I mean, wow, right?!

The times will come, if you want them to. In time! Ironically, I went my fastest today, but it was on a track. 7:2 I had an absolute shocker and nearly ran backwards at one point. Yet I felt good before that run, and felt pretty pants before this one (have had a horrible headache all day today and some women’s troubles yesterday 😣). My point is, it’s really hard to predict what sort of run you are going to have, and I still can’t tell what pace I’m doing. It can feel good and I’m going fastish; it can feel hard, hard and I’m going slow. We are still beginners at this!

Have a lovely hot bath and be kind to yourself tonight. I think you are fantastic and I am so glad we are doing this together x

[Couchpotato2 Graduate]

Oh, I'm so sorry you are feeling rubbish. That's how I felt for the first of my week 3 runs. I don't think there is any rhyme or reason to it sometimes. Had you not looked at the numbers, you would have felt very happy with your run, wouldn't you? So focus on that and kick them gremlins away. I felt better after a bit of a cry and some nice food and after reading messages of support here, I was back on track. You are doing great and for me 25' is like... wow AMAZING!!! you're fabx

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Look at you completed W7! You’re brilliant! 🤩 Remember W1R1? You’re so close to graduation now, because you’ve done such a brilliant job! Aaaah, a run and rubbish really don’t belong together in the same sentence! Don’t let time take away such an amazing achievement!! With more to come too!! Blow to the time....it seems you were in the zone!! 👌🏽 Bring on W8!! Make room on the podium....Another graduate is on the way!! 😁😁 Enjoy the next few runs to graduation. ❤️

[sarah469 Graduate]

How did you feel after the run itself? You talked of feeling proud so it sounds like you felt good, and like the negative feelings only came from looking at the stats. So maybe remove the extra unnecessary pressure you are putting on yourself and don't look at the stats - it's enough that you are doing the programme, I promise! xxx

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

This is not about getting faster every run........it is purely about completing the workouts.

Well done, you did it.

Any runner will tell you that progress is not a constantly upward curve.

With more experience you will be able to assess your pace more accurately.

I would say this was a great success.........forget the timing.........you felt you were running smoothly and efficiently......... excellent!

[Ethelbert Graduate]

Aww, I'd say don't feel bad, but our emotions aren't always so easily told! Huge achievement finishing W7, and I'm sure that'll sink in before long.

[Jell6 Graduate]

We are not robots 🤖 otherwise we would churn out the same run, time after time, the important thing is that you felt good when you were doing it( and many times you won't).

So many things impact on us, it may have been windier, you may not have slept as well.....

You did it, you did well, you have got all the time in the world to get further and faster.

Tick it off, and enjoy your next run 🤩

[E27M14 Graduate]

Thanks everyone. Feeling much more positive today. I’m having a tough week at work (I know, it was only Tuesday, not even half way through the tough week yet!!) and I think I probably should not have run yesterday, but I did it, and I am massively proud of the fact that I have completed week 7. I am missing those highs though, that came from the earlier runs when each one felt like a massive milestone.

Thanks for all your support x

[limberlou Graduate in reply to E27M14]

My graduation run was like that. I cried when I finished and stated I never wanted to run again and hated running. That was about 7 months ago now and despite several injuries I am still plodding away out there, I’ve run 10ks and then other times only managed 2k. Yesterday I ran my slowest 5k ever ( just started again a week ago after nasty Xmas cough) even slower than my first one back in May 2018. But I don’t care as a week ago I cdn’t run for longer than 18 mins and 2 runs later I’ve doubled that.

Every run is different and Spring is on the way

Keep up the good work