Hi everyone
Just wondering how you are all doing. I’m about to start week 8, amazed I am nearly there. But goodness me I’m having to dig deep. My head is all over the place when I’m running. First 5 mins is the hardest, then I get into it, but then my mind starts to wander and I panic that I can’t do it. Invariably I always do. I’d welcome any advice and would love to hear from others at my stage xx
Don’t over worry... you’re doing great. The first 5-10 minutes of a run is almost always the hardest as the brain needs oxygen deficit to crank up all of our systems. Run the first 10 deliberately slower than the rest for an easier time.
Self doubt is something we all have... yeah the voices in our heads want us to quit and curl up on the sofa... but you’ve proven those voices wrong 21 times so far... they’re always wrong... tell them that. Coach yourself in your head to counter them... remind yourself to slow down... think about your journey to date and how amazing you are for reaching week 8... and then smile! Smiling actually makes it easier. You got this, have a wonderful week.
I am in week 9, so I have been to week 8, already.
If you can, please don't panic. Anxiety slows you down.
With the runs getting longer, it gets harder. But that's okay, isn't it?
If you struggle at a certain speed, just slow down. Or you can repeat any run. But that is probably not necessary.
I found the weeks of the longer runs longer (no surprise).
The easier you can take it, the more you will enjoy the runs.
First... Just WOW! On losing 5 stone... Congratulations, that is awesome.
OK, when you're running it's not just about the physical, this is a mental battle as well as physical. You learn from experience, you draw on past experiences.. "I've been here before and I came through it" All this comes through practice and building confidence. You're discovering what you're capable of, and I can tell you right now, you're about to find out how amazing you are.
I do have a few tips though, it's all about staying positive. So when I go out for a run.. i set myself targets..
1 What's acceptable?.. 15-20 mins
2 What's good?... 20 + mins
3 what's amazing? 28 mins
When I hit 15 mins, i'm not thinking "😫 I have another 13 minutes to go" I'm thinking "Right, that's done, this is going well let's get to 20 mins" When i get to 20 mins "Right, this is awesome... I've already won, but can I get to 28 mins" This keeps you positive.
Mountain climbers don't look up or down, they concentrate on where they're placing their feet.
Love the last sentence. ❤️
As everyone said, this is a mental battle as well as a physical one. As many of us know, because we've been through it, is that you CAN do it. You have been training for nearly 2 months from that horrible w1r1 (for me anyway) and now you're running 28 mins...which is amazing when you think about it. I remember 1 minute being really hard and then you get to week 7, 8 and 9 and sometimes they're hard too, but you've already improved from 1 minute to 28 minutes !!! Just think about that a bit. Look how far you've come and celebrate it. Those gremlins on your shoulder telling you to stop, or not to start, aren't allowed to win. They are the ones that like the couch, that like you out of shape. They are like that ex-boyfriend who always wanted to do what he wanted to do and didn't want to listen to what you wanted (did you have one of those ? I did, lol...it gets old really quickly). They are your niggling voices of self doubt trying to surface, but as already said, they've been wrong so many times before and they're still wrong because you CAN do it.
Slow it down... relax and let the newly forming legs begin to find their own happy pace
Relax...look around, take everything in..land lightly, take it all in... breathe gently....think how far you have come...Read the advice folk have given you and enjoy
Hi, well done 👍 W8! I finish the runs but feel tested. Sometimes I think “Oh no I’m going to stop! Someone will see me fail!” Then I try to trick my mind into thinking about other things. Shoes works well for me- or anything my butterfly mind can latch onto!
But- wow it feels good to stop! Good luck; so close to graduation now 😃
Shoes 👠! 🤣🤣🤣
I know! 👠
In week 8 I changed to use my own music and the app, instead of the podcast, just to distract myself with music I knew rather than the usual assortment - and I think I went out each time knowing I could just redo it if my body gave up and I slowed down a fair bit from week 7 runs. It was probably my toughest week, but every time I got to 20 mins, I knew I could get to 25, and from 25 I just thought "see how far I get" - I'm also all over the place in the first 10 mins though!
Hi Tnr, I’m on week 8 as well and I know what you mean. I find the first 5 minutes really hard going - legs like tree trunks, extra weight carrying those gremlins around as they shout at me to stop etc. Don’t know that I can particularly help with motivation (see Clubberlang’s post for that!) - but I sing to my music (well perhaps not sing exactly 😂), I look for something to aim for ahead, I look at the view, I talk to myself. Every so often I remember to relax my shoulders, extra deep breath, shoulders back and grin like a lunatic - because I can and I am doing this!! We can finish this, good luck!
Oh my goodness you are all so lovely thank you! Amazing advice, and yes I remember the first time it said I had to run for 5 minutes and I was like seriously! Rest day for me today but I’ll get back on the horse tomorrow (I’ve got one of those and all) xx
I have the same issue. I am in week 9. What i do it is to cheat myself. I think, in my case, i get scared at what it seems too much so i tell myself i am only going for 20 min and we will see after. No pressure. Then min 15 comes and i think, alright, not so bad, i can go to 25 and so on until I complete. But, if for any reason I wouldnt be able to run the 28 or 30 min now, i wouldnt be pissed of with myself.
I am doing W7R3 tomorrow and was thinking much the same as you yesterday as I did my 25 minute run! But I did it, and so did you! I too find the first 5 minutes really tough but then can usually think at the end, oh is that it and feel like I could do a bit more. So I am using that experience to tell myself it will get easier and my first milestone is always the first 5 minute 'bell', after that I kind of try to relax. I am sort of finding my pace I think. Best of luck tomorrow.
W8R1 went ok. Just done W8R2 that was tougher but the same run? Think it's just how it goes sometimes. Keep going well.
That’s amazing that you’re doing so well. I’ve only just started but it is inspirational to read your successes. Keep going!
I remember reading that, as adults, we sometimes need to learn how to daydream again, to let your mind float away on tangents and just think about nothing important.
I see my children always on their phones and tablets, they don't have the reflex to read and to lose themselves in imaginary worlds built on words. This is the mindset I try to find when I'm running, tripping over memories and getting carried away with them, imagining what would happen "if x happens", rainbows, lottery wins, unicorns 
It's nice to find that again, to have the time to find that again
Think I’ve done a bit of daydreaming myself - I suddenly come to and wonder where the last few minutes went!
Week 8 run 2 - feeling tired
Week 8 - Run 2. Feeling Great
Week 8 done - Feeling nervous about a race
Week 8 Run 1 What a feeling! 
Week 8 - distance falling short - any advice on how to reach 5k?
