Trust the training programme...and a lot of this IS in the mind!

[Lesaspie]

Thank you for all of your encouraging comments and likes. I am amazed at myself - can this continue?

A brief summary: I decided to try week five. If it is all in the mind, all I have to do is keep going and believe that I can. Run 1, three bursts of five minutes? How can I do that after only doing bursts of three and five? Then I did.

But I can't possibly run for eight minutes, not yet. Then I did. Two bursts of eight minutes in which the biggest problem was breathing - and distracting thoughts about how to change the music in the podcasts. I havent figured that out yet, but maybe it isn't a big deal.

So I have got to where I could not have imagined - Week Five, Run no2, a total of 16 minutes running. So far, no injuries but the shoes must take credit for that too, and a sort of emerging rhythm or technique: trust your legs, maintain pace, and relax, relax, relax...

Tomorrow is Week 5 run 3. 20 minutes continuously. I don't think I can do it unless the air warms a little, but I have thought that every time so far. There must be an upper limit to this.

I told a friend that I don't like being in competition with other people, and he said, the only competition that is worth having is competing with yourself. There may be some truth in that.

Tomorrow then. Already I am bracing myself not to be sad if I fail. Let's see.

20 minutes is four more than I have run so far, but with no breaks. It is the break that I will miss perhaps. Its a huge thing to contemplate.

[Hidden]

You can do it Lesapie, you already know it’s your brain playing tricks on you, mine tries it all the time! Go out there and enjoy 😊

[Roxy71 Graduate]

I felt exactly the same but I did it I am now running for 25 minutes with no break something I never thought I would ever achieve, just keep to a steady pace and you will be fine.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

Good to hear from you. 👍

You're so right about it being a mental challenge, but you will get there - and you will start to find that it gets easier mentally too.

And if you don't complete your run tomorrow, it's not a failure - it's a practice run.

Good luck.

[Alast]

Well done you. It really is mind over matter. I'm (finally) coming to the conclusion that if you're struggling with the physical side of C25K (running out of breath or aching muscles) you simply have to slow down (some more). The mental side of things is far more difficult to control. W5 R3 is my next one, and I've now postponed it twice (first because of the weather and now because I am full of cold with a chest cough) and I'm repeatedly telling myself that I can do it, It's only slightly longer than I've run so far etc. etc. I listen to comedy podcasts when I'm running, I find that a great distraction and am hoping to shake this bug off soon, before I start to lose the fitness I've built up, so I can get back out and nail W5 R3 (or at least, practice it!) Good luck with your next run.

[MartinKH Graduate]

You are doing brilliantly Lesaspie, well done.

A few weeks ago I felt exactly the same as you do now, thinking how could I possibly make that big step up to running for 20 mins with no break!!

Well I can tell you that so long as you have done the programme so far ( which you have ) then your body is ready for this next run.

You just have to get your head ready for it, which you already know.

Great advice above from other posters, set off slowly and keep it steady.

You can do it, and I really hope you enjoy it too. Just imagine that feeling when you finish.

Let us know how you get on.

Happy running 🏃‍♂️ 👍

[Nilsam Graduate]

Well done Lesaspie. We are all with you. There is no fail...there is only " Not yet achieved". FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning. We are all learning together. Take care. 🤞🏃‍♂️👍

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

This is definitely a mind game as well as physical. You’ve done all the others that you didn’t think you could, so there’s no reason you can’t do this. Be positive, take it very slowly, and you CAN do this! 👍😁

[Comfortnotspeed]

Its going to happen. The work's done. Just go nice and steady 👍