Can’t move past week 7 run 3!

[hannahnotorange]

I’ve repeated week 7 three times now, so I’ve done the 25 minute run 9 times in total but I’m just not finding it any easier - I can’t bring myself to move on to 28 minutes until the 25 start to feel a tad better. Any advice/words of encouragement? ❤️

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Ok... you’ve done 10 25 minute runs now? How amazing is that? You’re completing them... so they’re challenging but doable. If you hit a 28 next time out and run 26 what have you lost? It’s a minute longer... that’s progress... progress cannot be failure! Don’t build yourself a mental wall... relax before you go out and tell yourself both “I can do this” and “nothing depends on this run” as you warm up... try to set off deliberately slower than normal run at least the first 10 minutes at that pace. You can do this... you’ve gone from 1 minute being hard to 25 being a challenge in a couple of months... think about that for a minute... you’re awesome huh? Dial up a 28 and don’t worry if you run 26... or 27... or 27:55... but celebrate wildly when you hit 28.

[Laurzmum Graduate]

Try week 8 - whats the worst that can happen. Maybe this is a mental block now. Remember back to week 5 when 20 mins was tough but we did it ! Keep going you’ll get there 🏃🏻‍♀️ You can do it !!!

[Hidden]

This is a head issue not a legs issue. The programme works and you really don’t need to repeat. You can do 8, you are ready and there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

👍🏃‍♂️🏃🏾‍♀️👍

[RunRunRun13 Graduate]

Get rid of those gremlins and tell yourself “You can do this” lots of water the day before you run and positive thoughts. I had doubts but your ready to do Week 8 trust me it’s not as hard as you may think.

Take it slow and off you go !! 🏃‍♀️

[RunSamRun Graduate]

I can totally relate to how you feel but you CAN do this!! I found the prog so hard after the 20 min run but just trusted in it & stuck to it rigidly. Just take it nice & steady & slow down if you're struggling. At this stage I really think it's a mental barrier & not physical. Lots of positive thoughts & you'll achieve it. You'll feel a massive sense of achievement too. Just do it......& come back & tell us how you did.

[NetballKitty Graduate]

I did W7 R3 yesterday and was hard - I'd not run for just over 2 weeks (easter holidays and stuff), so was really apprehensive as wasn't sure whether I'd make it. In the warm up walk, I was thinking all negatives - not run for 2 weeks +, it's too warm, probably not hydrated enough after a few vinos over the weekend etc. etc. It was hard, and was slower than R1 and R2 but I did it. And who ever said this was easy anyway?!?!

I was thinking of redoing W7, but worked on the basis that I've just done R3, and can do 25 minutes, so I should take a shot at 28 minutes. If I (only!) manage 25 minutes on W8, then fine, but actually I've learned that these longer runs are really mind over matter, so am planning on giving W8 R1 a go tomorrow. Give it a go!

[SammyToucan Graduate]

I nearly did exactly the same and didn't move on to week 8 as I thought I wouldn't make it. But like someone else said, I thought I would give it a go, and stop early if I needed to. It turned out I didn't need to! Just slow down, steady does it, you really can do it! Good luck!

[Whatsapp Graduate]

As helen say the longer runs provide a psychological barrier. After 25 mins another 3 mins is not really much more but you have hit a mental wall.

One thing I did ,and still do find hard, was running to time. How about you do your 25mins and then see if you can run to the next junction/lampost/post box, etc. and when you get there pick another spot and keep running. Little targets, little wins, but that 3mins will go by without you thinking about it.

[smeeagain Graduate]

Go for it!!!!!

[Yogaandrun Graduate]

Go ahead and start week 8, if you don't get to 28 but 26, 27 that's great. Keep going🤗

[DONNAPIPER Graduate]

I've found changing your route helps. If you do the same route every time you mentally start slowing up when you reach 25 mins, by changing it up it helps keep the mind gremlins at bay. This worked for me as I tended to focus on where I could change up the route whilst running to get me as near to home for the warm down walk.

[madmother Graduate]

I changed my route, listened to podcasts instead of my playlist and argued with myself mentally for the last half of both runs. I refuse to stop, I’ve not had to stop any of the runs through the program and I’m not stopping now. It is mind over matter at this point. Go for it, you can do it and you are so nearly there. Go go goooooo!!!

[Hidden in reply to madmother]

I think you are right. I had a little mantra; 'stopping is not an option', which I chanted to myself as needed

[The-Mole Graduate]

I hate to say it, but Nike are right on this.... just do it. Set the podcast/app going, keep the pace down and go for a 28 minute jolly, I finished week 8 today, it's quite hard work, but so was wk 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, less so 2 and 1

[Beckyt7 Graduate]

It's not about time, or speed, it's about getting the distances you've accumulated to date built up. So if you've done week 7, like, LOADS, you're muscle memory and stamina are there. It's psychological, even if you have to do another run at wk 6, run 3, don't do 7 again until you have tackled 8. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!