W1R2 was easier than I expected...

[Prince_of_Cats]

The way I was aching this morning, I was not expecting to manage the run. I thought I'd give it my best shot and stop when it got too much for me, but I found myself getting to the end and wondering if I could have done another couple of runs.

It was such a different experience that I wonder if I was just awfully unlucky to have a 'bad run' the first time I tried. I did prepare myself better this time, drinking lots of water during the day and taking a pack of polos with me, and I ran the opposite way to last time so that I had a nice gentle slope for three quarters of the run and a hill only for the remaining quarter.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy and I will ache in the morning, but I am not dreading the last run of the week any more. I feel optimistic about it and have transferred my dread to week two's four extra minutes of running and four fewer minutes of recovery.

I'm not going to jinx myself by downloading the next podcast until after run three, but I have stopped worrying that I will fail in week one...

[Greg_M Graduate]

maybe it was just a bad day, its really easy to try and over analyse things, take it easy; speed doesn't count for anything right now finishing the runs is the important bit.

If you can keep looking forward to the next one and dreading the one after that all the way through you are all set

[B3any_Boy]

I'm so pleased to hear you did it, well done. Keep going and you will find it easier :s.

[Prince_of_Cats Graduate]

This one was much better in terms of pacing; I didn't run any slower over the course of the run (I do laps of a field, so I counted them) and yet it felt easier because I started slower and ended up able to keep up the moderate pace all the way instead of tiring at the end.

I am not sure I dread w2 that much, but the 50% jump in running distance is a little daunting. Once I've got the hand of the w2 runs, I will move on to dreading w3. I can't imagine how I'll ever work up to a full 30 minutes of running without breaks, but I'm looking forward to it when it happens.

[B3any_Boy]

If it helps there are less runs in week 2, they just go on for longer

[Prince_of_Cats Graduate]

I thought it was the same number of runs (8) but with shorter walking periods... Much relieved to see I was wrong...