W6R3 approaching.

[Fatbutfit]

Hi, I'm a newbie here, aged 50, obese, new to running but doing ok so far, not 'failed' on any of the runs, anyway.

I'd worked myself right up about W5R3, was struggling with running 5 mins how the heck could I do 20?! Well, by some miracle I did, and it felt amazing. In my glow I looked at what week 6 held and on paper it looked simple, I was almost laughing at it! Ok, so run 1 this morning was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I Googled it and now feel better knowing I'm not the only one.

Looking ahead to W6R3 - 25 minutes, I'm starting to worry again as W5R3 almost killed me.

How has everyone else found it? Do the 2 previous runs help? I'm desperate for some optimism, please.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

The two previous runs are harder than that 25 minutes in many ways. Tricky intervals need dedication to keeping a slow and steady pace, even though they look easy. Completing them does indeed set you up nicely for the 25.

Now, you ran 20, and you know to take it nice and slowly into the 25... what’s the worst that can happen? How upsetting can it be to, say, run 22 minutes before having to stop? That would be progress, and strengthen you more and then you’d go again.

Self belief can help a lot... don’t look forwards... look back... remember W1R1? Not easy that one... how much progress did you make between there and that 20 minute run? Damn impressive isn’t it? Your legs are ready for 25... the body is ready... relax, believe and go run it.

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

Take it slow and steady, and if it starts to hurt, slow down again, and again, and again. Ignore the Voices: they’ll tell you you can’t do it because that’s their job. They told you you couldn’t do week 1: they were lying then and they’re still lying. You so can do this, and we’re all right here with you. My main help on long runs is to sing the C25k version of the 12 Days of Christmas in my head, because at the pace I sing it takes more than 5 minutes, and that’s a useful chunk to knock off any run ! All the best with it x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Come on, you did glorious W5R3 and tricksy W6R1...........trust the plan and believe in yourself...........look how far you have come.

Just go at a steady easy conversational pace, as described in the guide to the plan, and you will be fine.

Enjoy your journey.

[Jessom]

When I did the first 25 minutes, I counted down two tens and a five. So I’d done ten minutes plenty of times, when it got to the second lot I kept that in my mind. Then when it got the 20 minutes my mind switched to how many times I’d ran five minutes before - loads!!

I did my second 25 min run yesterday and it was much easier than the first I was quite surprised! Keep going - it’s so daunting but very much achievable!!

[Fatbutfit]

Thanks all. My pace has always been very slow and steady as I've never had faith I'll finish the run, otherwise. It feels as if I'm almost walking, am going 7.5km/h, not sure how slow that is.

I'd read that W5R3 was a case of mind over matter, on that run I actually chanted to myself that I could do it, got angry with myself, so i guess I'll do that again. Thanks for the tips and support.

[ktsok Graduate in reply to Fatbutfit]

Pace is different for everyone, it’s more a how do you feel when running? Can you breathe easily and hold a conversation? In my first few weeks in my ignorance I was running a 5’30” pace and feeling like I was dying every time. I was still pushing it at 6’15” on the longer runs and ran a sub 6’ km on a long run. I finally saw the light in week 8 and my last two runs were at 7’40” on grass and hills - but it was so easy I felt I could have run for an hour. I’m planning to pick up the pace for the odd run here and there, but for the majority of my runs I want to keep slow running, breathe easy, enjoy, stay injury free and slowly build endurance. So to recap - I am running over 2 minutes per km slower than I did when I started, but I am now running with a big smile 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Fatbutfit]

While paces differ for us all... very few run 5k or close to it in 30 minutes... so 7.5kph isn’t slow for us newbies.

[LadyWineGum]

I was the same, I didn't think I could jump to 20 mins solid so I waited until a day I had slept well, eaten well and was feeling mentally strong. It was still a struggle but I punched the air when I made it =] I went back and repeated it a few times before I moved up to the 25 minutes. But by then I'd settled in my pace so when I came to do the 25 mins I felt like I could have kept going for longer.