Oh my....

[WatcherF]

Well that was a nightmare! I've just done 'week' 8 over two weeks due to travel and illness. 4 days since my last run and my body seems to have forgotten what to do?!?

It took about 20 mins just to get into the right rhythm, my breathing was all over the place and there was literally nothing left in the tank by the time I hit 28 minutes. It felt like i was back in week 4. This is the first time I have wanted to stop half way thru a run since week 1(I didn't).

Back from travel, illness has cleared up and my schedule is back on track so hopefully week 9 will be better... I really want to graduate next week.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Just put that down to "that was one of those runs I want to forget about", take a extra day off running, drink plenty of water the day before you run the first run of week 9, run it a little slower than you did the last run of week 8. Good luck with week 9 and especially run 3, your graduation run.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

FWIW my week 8 took a fortnight as well and included my only incomplete run of the programme. That for health reasons, and week 9 was extended for travel reasons because the extra time for week 8 meant I had to do week 9 while touring Italy. But I got there and a year later I still bore people with the tale of running my graduation run in Florence

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done.

Maybe you are not fully recovered. It takes longer to recuperate enough to manage strenuous exercise than it does to manage day to day life.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

So... let’s get this right... a couple of months ago, that first run was tough... and now you’ve been ill and travelling, not 100% on the start line, and you finish the run on empty? That’s what I’m reading there... nightmare? I don’t think I’d lose any sleep over that... that’s a huge victory. A tough run tests the mental toughness... coming back from illness tests fitness and mental toughness and 28 minutes at least tests the fitness... so, I think it’s apt that this is exam season for the young ones... I reckon you’ve got straight A’s there.

Go easy on yourself... remember where you were 2 months ago. There’s nothing wrong with finishing on empty... this plan is all about finishing... there’s several victories in your run, and the finish is the biggest. You’ll be fine in week 9... enjoy your victory lap.