Week 4 (should be on week 6): Hi everyone..well... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Week 4 (should be on week 6)

Srilankafit profile image
22 Replies

Hi everyone..well I think its fair to say I am not a natural at this..I find it incredibly hard.

After 2 weeks repeating week 3 I finally dared to try week 4 today and I did it! Of course my 'running' is slower than most peoples walking but I did it.

Seemed a big jump up from week 3 though..from 3 to 5 mins running..phew!

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Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit
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22 Replies
Redvic97 profile image
Redvic97Graduate

Lovely to see your post. Don’t think about where you think you ‘should’ be celebrate what you’ve achieved...running for 5minutes (whatever the speed). Keep going, you’re doing great 😊

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to Redvic97

Thanks Redvic!

alisonr54 profile image
alisonr54Graduate

Don’t worry about being slow! We all run at different pace, I’m also slow but I can at least say I’m faster than all those still on the couch! Well done on getting to where you are and good luck with carrying on 👍😁

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Steady and slow is the mantra... keep that in your head and you will be fine. Relax, trust the plan and have faith in yourself :)

Each run makes you stronger and you will be ready for each week :)

pete1212 profile image
pete1212Graduate

Don’t worry about how slow you are slow down again if need be make sure you drink plenty off water on your rest days to happy running Srilankafit 👍

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit

Thankyou everyone. Really appreciate the encouragement

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Well done.

If it is tough going, then you are probably still going too fast.

Slow to a pace at which you can still speak clear, ungasping sentences as you run.

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to IannodaTruffe

No. I am just crap at running 🤣..seriously though I run on a treadmill as where I live its too hot and polluted to run outside. I am running at 5km per hour..which is really a walking pace..the lady next to me is walking at 7km an hour!

Thanks for your support..at least I am progressing

in reply to Srilankafit

Go at your own pace and dont worry about the woman next to you, slow is good for strengthening the legs so you are doing good.

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to

Yayyy thanks Mr Jim!

in reply to Srilankafit

Just keep going :)

Moosey60 profile image
Moosey60

Well done on your run 💪 as everyone said, step by step, keep it slow, stick to the programme and you will be surprised at how much you improve. Happy running 😄

Alast profile image
Alast

I'll repeat what everyone else has said, slow is the way to go! That aspect is probably more difficult on a treadmill as you set a specific speed. I know when I do my running and Laura tells me that I can 'slow down now to a walk' there doesn't seem to mech difference to my speed when I do. Well done too for attacking W4, that one has the biggest stem up from the previous week over the whole of C25K. Finally, don't get hung up about where you think you should be in the programme. I think there are two fundamental errors in the otherwise brilliant C25K programme. First of all is that although the whole this focuses on running time, and building us up to running for 30 minutes at the end, we all expect (thanks to what the course is called) to be running 5K by then too, and from what I've read on here, that rarely happens. The other thing I would change is instead of calling them 'weeks', I'd call the sets of 3 runs 'sessions/sessions/stages' or something similar. It's so easy to feel that we're lagging behind and to put ourselves under un-necessary pressure if we've not completed Week 3 after 21 days. Repeating runs to further build stamina and more importantly build belief in ourselves is often necessary, plus sometimes life gats in the way and delays us from running when we would have normally done so. Just carry on as you are, doing this at your own pace, you're doing really well and 100% better than anyone who is still on the couch!

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to Alast

Couldn't agree with you more! They really should call it stage 1,2,3 etc instead of weeks..there is no way I could have done week4 immediately after week 3..I need that extra week..it certainly was a shock when I saw it was 5 min runs but I was so happy when I did it.

Also totally agree that I will probably be reaching about 3k on graduation but then I plan on slowly increasing speed.

Thabks so much for your excellent words of wisdom

mom24uk profile image
mom24ukGraduate

As you said, you did it and that's brilliant! 👏 Slow is good! Someone posted this link the other day and I saved it.

womensrunning.com/culture/s...

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to mom24uk

Very interesting. Thanks

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate

There’s no should be here Srilankafit - we all toddle along at a pace which suits us . That what’s so good about this plan - it’s bonkers but it seems to work! You’ll be fine with week 4 , you’ve been building up to it over the last few weeks - enjoy!

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to Oldgirlruns

Thankyou.

MartinKH profile image
MartinKHGraduate

Pace and speed does not matter one bit.

What matters is you are doing it, well done for that ....keep going 👍👏🏻👏🏻🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to MartinKH

Thanks Martin.

lehcar70 profile image
lehcar70Graduate

I repeated WK1 three times and I am sure there are a few more "practice" runs in my journey. The main thing is we are off the couch and moving.

Srilankafit profile image
Srilankafit in reply to lehcar70

Exactly. Thanks.

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