Week 5

[Snowpony]

Is anyone else feeling completely out of their depth? I’m about to start week 5 tomorrow and although I have managed to keep up with the programme so far, on the 3rd run of this week I’m supposed to run for 20 mins solid!!!! WTH???!!!! 😱😱😱

[Cloud10 Graduate]

I know exactly how you feel and this morning I did that 20 minute week 5 run! Keep it slow, keep it steady, have a look around and take in the view, keep positive and you can do it !!!

I did it, so can you. The programme works. I know it now!

[Deals1 Graduate]

TRY not too look ahead too much.... You can and will do it 👍

[steviej99 Graduate]

Don't look ahead, trust the programme, embrace the challenge. Remember every run and every week prepares you for the next one. Keep it slow and steady, you can do it!!

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

By the time you get to 5:3 you’ll be ready for it. Make sure you get your rest days, keep your fluids up, and go out determined to enjoy investigating what you can do. It took me nine weeks of repeats to get through week 1, but I didn’t need any to get through week 5. Worrying stiffens your muscles and hampers your breathing, so don’t ! Happy running 😀

[Coolcookingteacher Graduate]

Felt exactly the same but did it...the Lovely Laura offers advice of Go Slow and just keep those legs moving! You won't think you can do it but if you've followed the program exactly and believe you can...you will! Good Luck, week 6, run 2 coming up this end!

[Tizzybell Graduate]

Just remember how far you have come. It seems daunting but you can do it. One foot in front of the other and you will get round. Plus the feeling when you finish is worth it. You've got this xx

[Whatnog]

Hi Snowpony, all of the above plus... if you would like more data check this post by IannodaTruffe : healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Enjoy W5R3, it is awesome!!

[mafee Graduate]

Yes - but if you keep plodding you will do it. Your mind set has to be " I want to stop but I will just see how much further I can get before I do" Eventually, you have come so far, you won't want to stop! Good Luck - you CAN do it - because we all have - some of us are old, some of us are overweight and most of us are very unused to running!

[Couchpotato2 Graduate]

I did run 1 and it’s not much different to week 4 so you can do it! I’m doing run 2 later today

[Couchpotato2 Graduate in reply to Couchpotato2]

Ok I’ve just done run 2 and that is also doable! So far so good!

[Tasha99 Graduate]

I’ve signed up for a marathon so yes I feel

Completely out of my depth 😂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

This might help healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Each week 5 workout is shorter than those in W4.

You can do this.

[Makka62a Graduate]

I did w5r2 yesterday and I was not feeling up for it but I made myself and at the end I even cranked the treadmill up a little as I was feeling good! They are just normal runs so dont be scarred. Last night i was thinking back to week 1 and how hard i found that. I am convinced now that if you follow the programme you really can do it.

Week 5 is scary but if you can get throigh week 1 you can do it!

Good luck

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

You’re not alone... most people see that run on the horizon and worry about it. Most people finish that run though. The depth analogy is spot on... you don’t need the walk breaks, you’ve just always had them, it’s exactly like swimming a width of the pool in the shallow end and then going to the deep end of the pool... you can swim across so that depth doesn’t matter, it’s just a security blanket being removed. So the security blanket of that brisk walk interval is going, you don’t need it... it’s as hard on the body as the conversational pace run... your legs won’t have an issue, your body won’t... it’s all in the mind. Keep the pace down... you can do it.

[Agentmay Graduate]

I did w5r3 yesterday. The first 5 minutes were fine, struggled with the next 10 but slowed down and preserved then the last 5 went really fast. I think my struggle was all in my head, like they said on the run at this point it's more mental than physical. Physically we can do it but our head needs to catch up with our new fitter body.

[John_W Graduate]

Hey Snowpony - you are NOT out of your depth! Otherwise you would not have got this far already.

Some things to consider:

(1) W5R3 is only 4 more minutes of running than your did in W5R2 (it's the total time on your feet that counts).

(2) How else are you to get to 3x 30 mins of continuous running in Week 9? At some stage, the walking breaks have to go

(2) You probably don't realise it but every run you do prepares you for your next run. Week 1 prepared you for Week 2

Weeks 1 & 2 combined prepared you for Week 3

Weeks 1, 2, & 3, prepared you for Week 4.

Can you see where I'm going?

Have confidence in the program and what you've done so far. And if you're still nervous, have a look at the top right of this page for 'Related Posts' or search for W5R3 ... you're NOT alone!

Good luck!

John

[ICLDN Graduate]

I did mine on Friday, having read a lot of encouraging messages on here. I had to go MUCH slower than usual, and it was a bit of a mental battle at times, but I did it and so can you! I have to say though I much prefer the interval running even if I'm doing more overall!