Scared about week 3

[Litten654]

Has anyone any tips for going from week 2 to week 3? I’ve managed all the 1.5 min runs this week really well (out of breath but not dying) but don’t feel I’m ready to try 3 mins !!

[backintime Graduate]

Slow and steady and you'll be surprised. The programme is very well thought out. I think I was convinced every week that I couldn't do it and yet here I am.

Take it slow.

Good luck and well done so far

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5... and includes advice on pacing..........slow down until you can speak aloud clear ungasping sentences as you run.

I would recommend following the link to the post about mental approach too.

In W3 you run for exactly the same duration as you did in W2 and overall it has the shortest workouts in the entire plan.

Trust the plan, believe in yourself, slow down and enjoy the journey.

You can do this.

[Litten654 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you! Is there a help section on posture as you run, as I find I am really tense?

[Zippy17726 in reply to Litten654]

Hi , I too suffer from being really tense in my upper back. I find a couple of things that help a little is imagining a string holding my head up tall and straight, shoulders gently back , and I picture holding something fragile in my hands like baby birds so I don’t run with my fists clenched!

I also always have to be aware of not leaning my head / upper body forwards when either tired or going uphill .

[Litten654 in reply to Zippy17726]

That’s great advice, thank you

[philevans68 Graduate]

Trust the program and believe in yourself. I have felt like that right up to this week; W4. I've just done R2 and although it was hard I knew I could do it as after R1 on Monday I realised that it all works! You know you can do it too as you have completed the first two weeks. Read the link that Iannodatruffe has posted, it really helped me. There is lot of info but it is really worth the time.

Good luck for W3, you've got this!

[Dowat Graduate]

I’m sure you’ll be fine as you’re following the program. I know what you mean about being tense as I had/have same thing. If I find myself tensing up, I say to myself. ‘And relax’ then just give the fingers a dangle and wiggle, tell the legs to relax as I run and that usually works. Enjoy your next run. Smile as you go, that’ll help. 🙂

[jmd104 Graduate]

Trust the program and you will surprise yourself. I struggled with the 60 seconds in week run but I’ve just been out and run for 25 minutes solid. Just take it slow and steady, have a look at the Japanese slow jogging videos that a few people have shared on here.

[NewRunner4 Graduate]

If you’ve managed the last 2 weeks, you’re ready for week 3. Listen to some good music, follow the instructions and don’t think about it too much. Slow and steady definitely works.

Enjoy! And you can do this.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Litten654 It's very easy and natural to focus on the length of the individual running portions of any particular session- everyone does it!

However, it's much better to look at the TOTAL length of time that you'll be running (or run/walking) for ... and Week 3 see you on your feet for a SHORTER amount of time than in Week 2 - wierd huh?

EXCLUDING the 5 min warm-up and cool-down walks ...

Week 2 - each session saw you run for a total of 9 mins (6x 1.5 mins) and walk for 10 (5x 2 mins) - a TOTAL of 19 minutes

Week 3 -each session saw you run for a total of 9 mins (2x 1.5 mins, 2x 3 mins) and walk for 6 mins (2x 1.5, 1x 3 mins) - a TOTAL of 15 minutes

So your Week 3 'runs' are 4 minutes shorter than Week 2

What's the problem?

John

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Litten654 apart from that... remember that (and this is one of my C25K mantras) - eeach & every run you do prepares for the next one . SO scared about Week 3? Don't be ... Week 1 prepared you for Week 2. Weeks 1 & 2 prepare you for Week 3 , etc etc.

Keep that in your head and you'll be fine!

Good luck

John

[Litten654 in reply to John_W]

Thank you John, I’m going to reread all these messages before I go out to do the run tomorrow