Run FAIL and loss of motivation

[Mcallime]

So 10 days ago I did w6r1 and found it surprisingly hard (I thought it be plain sailing after the 20 minute run before). The day I was meant to do w6r2 I rolled my ankle and decided I’d take a week off to rest it and avoid injuring properly then start week 6 again.

It did that today and it was the hardest ever both physically and mentally. I actually didn’t complete it (I thought Jo was popping up to tell me I’d finished my 8 minutes but it was actually saying I only had 60s left but by that point I’d stopped and there was no starting again). Usually after a run I feel so proud of myself and the disappointment of stopping today was just as strong.

I really don’t want to quit when I’m already so far in but i really feel like I’ve lost so much fitness in 10 days and pretty much all motivation.

Has anyone else hit any mental walls and how did you managed to get past them and stay on track?

[AlysP Graduate]

I found week 6 run 1 - and 2 - much harder than week 5- it was the first runs I didn’t love. Week 6 is weird and a lot of people struggle a bit with it, but just get through the next one to run 3 and you will be right back on track!! Dont give up - go out next time much more slowly so you keep lots in the tank, and you will get through this. Maybe even go mad and enjoy the scenery!! 😂

[Catchat21 Graduate]

I found wk6 run 2 awful! Harder than week 5 run 3 for some reason. Just done run 3 today and can’t believe I ran for 25 minutes after the week I’ve had. Don’t overthink it, just go for it.

[Nola23 Graduate]

Week 6 and 7 were my nemesis! I just kept repeating each run until I was happier - a bit like at the start when you can see really small improvements. Probably took me just over a month to get through them! Don’t give up you can do it!

[Honor32]

hi, please don’t lose hope. Reading all of the comments, it seems we’re all keen to speed up by week 6/7...maybe we’re expecting too much by then. I’ve just completed wk 7 run2 and I am trotting. I’m not sprinting until the final 60 seconds , and I’m concentrating on running technique as I want all my muscles to be working. MJ continues to say don’t go too fast, so maybe that’s the key....... slow down and you’re 10 days rest will not be an issue. Be kind to yourself and you WILL do this. 👍🏼😀

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Week 6 catches many a new runner out... run one is considerably tougher than the 20 minutes straight, but doesn’t look it on paper! Nice slow pacing with some self coaching to get to the finish line are the order of the day with both sets on intervals.

As for that F word... think about that for a minute... a few short weeks ago running 60 second intervals was a huge achievement... so how can today be a failure? There’s no such thing as a failed run, apart from the ones we fail to start. This run, despite not being 100% completed will make you fitter for the next time. Look at the run you did in the right way and you’ll see many victories, which more than counter the one little defeat where you didn’t quite finish... and it sounds like you were going to finish if Jo hadn’t delivered a message that you mistook for the end. A week after rolling an ankle too... good comeback session.

Next time out, relax, set off deliberately slowly and ease into your happy pace. I’ve had many runs that weren’t 100% complete... the secret to getting over them is to not think about them and get ready for the next one. We all get setbacks... just don’t step back... you can do it.