I’m going backwards

[Scw787]

Right today should have been w8R3....& again I just couldn’t.... all week I’ve been hopeless so I think I’m going to go back to week 6....& go from there. Im 55, overweight and stressed .... 2.6 miles today. Pathetic....so I’ll go back....

[SamanthaM87 Graduate]

2.6 miles more than you were doing 8 weeks ago. You are amazing!! You will get there! Xx

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

That’s a darn good distance, how long did it take you, it would have taken me way more that week 8 which if i remember right is 28 more bytes

[Scw787 Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

35 mins.... but I’m just struggling...

[Hidden in reply to Scw787]

Take great pride that you can run for that long! Think back to week one, 8 x 1 minute runs & how tough that seemed! Your smashing it! 💪

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to Scw787]

But if you are on week 8 you should only be running 28 minutes no wonder you are struggling, forget the 5k part of it and stick to the timed plan, slowdown a bit too, oh did you read the guide? it’s all in there, Your legs aren’t ready for 35 minutes just yet but you are nearly there so that’s amazing well done you

[Scw787 Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

I can’t run for 28 mins.... I again walked for over half of it .... that is not a 28 min run!!!! So I will go back to repeat week 6...then 7...then 8.... I won’t give up but I won’t cheat !!! X

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to Scw787]

Have you looked up Japanese slow running? it’s on youtube and shows you that it can be done, good luck and let us know how you get on,

[Scw787 Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

No but I will. But I only jog anyway!!!

[PurpleCat87 Graduate in reply to Scw787]

Keep persevering and you’ll get there!

[Green_shed_guy]

I had a week seven a bit like that. Took 5 or 6 practices before I managed all 3 runs completely. Graduated yesterday, don’t go back you’ve already done that just keep on at what you need and you will get there.

[RunningMigster Graduate]

Maybe you're just going too fast?

Forget the distance, its not important at all.

Just slow right down and go.

You only need to go a tiny bit faster than a walking pace and you're doing it.

Keep at it though, you've come so far since wk1 r1

Mig

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

What exactly is stopping you........apart from you?

Being stressed does not help, but running, for most of us, is an excellent destresser as long as we don't impose our stress onto our running.

What is wrong with 2.6 miles? Are you possibly creating expectations that you are not yet ready to achieve?

Can you speak aloud, clear, ungasping sentences as you run?.........if not, you are going too fast.

This is all in your control and if you ran for 25 minutes in W7 then the step up to 28 minutes is not a major one, so just ease back your pace, relax and enjoy your run........don't battle with it.

Have you read this post on mental approach? healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Longer runs require a mental adjustment and you are totally forbidden to think about time or the physicality of running.........lose yourself in some music, or a comedy podcast or giving yourself a running commentary on everything you can see, hear, smell and feel as you run and forget about tracking your distance......it is not helpful.

[Roxdog Graduate]

Your run is neither pathetic or hopeless. Running 2.6 miles in week 8 is quite an achievement. Can I suggest that you stop tracking your distance altogether and just run for the allotted time? That's what the programme is designed to do - there will be plenty of time to run further and maybe faster once you've graduated. For now, just run and enjoy it!

[Scw787 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Sadly I can’t and do t run for 28 mins .... hence the need to take a step back and work on runs to build up again .....

[Roxdog Graduate in reply to Scw787]

Ah, I had misunderstood. I would slow down then, quite a lot. It is common to speed up without realising it. Slow down and it will be fine.

[Scw787 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

I only jog as it is ...

[Roxdog Graduate in reply to Scw787]

You say you're stressed. That may be impacting. If you're stressed your body might be tense and it may impact on your breathing. Maybe try some real deep belly breaths, relax your shoulders back and down, go even slower.

[Roxdog Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

To add, I remember week 7 and 8 being quite tough. You have come this far, the programme is very clever, so the right speed will help.

[Peawee Graduate]

You seem to be a bit hard on yourself? Can you look at this in a different way? Like look I did 2.6 miles today and just stop and feel in your body have that feels to be nice to it?

[Fionamags Graduate]

Like everyone else says forget distance! I wanted to hit 5k by the end of the programme then I revised that down to 4k but managed 3.6k by the end. Its good to have targets, but in my case it really messed with my pace and without realising it, I was setting off way too fast then struggling through half the run.

Just slow down to the point where it feels ridiculous - and focus on just getting the 28 mins done. Like IT says - its only 3 mins more - you CAN do it!!!

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate]

I know its hard, but I think you have to focus on how far you have got, all the way to week 8! That is amazing. I know you are struggling right now, but there doesn't seem to be much point to going back to weeks you have already completed. You just need to keep repeating the run you are on until you complete that one.

Have you been fully completing each run before moving on to the next one? I know there were some I struggled with too, and just some days are harder than others. But there is absolutely no problem in repeating runs you have not completed, before moving on to the next one. I think people get to caught up in the idea that it is four, five or six weeks since they started the programme so they should be on W4 run X, W5 or W6 of the programme, etc. But that is not really how it works. We all have our own rate of improving, some weeks harder than others, given what is going on in our lives and our fitness going in to this, etc. For instance, I really struggle with hayfever, sinuses and asthma, so some days are a lot harder for me than others. Today was an absolute no-go due to pollen, I just can't breathe today. So sometimes I have to take more rest days than others. So, although I am improving, and due my W6R3 and pleased with my progress, it is going to take me more than 9 weeks to complete this programme. Does that make sense?

So stop beating yourself up. You are doing great! Have a warm bath, a nice glass of wine, take a day or two to rest. What was the last run you fully completed? Just start again with the next run after that, and keep attempting it until you fully complete it, then move on to the next run. And, like everyone else has said, completely forget about distance. This is about getting you comfortable running for a certain amount of time, at a speed that you are comfortable with. When you can run for that full period of time, at whatever speed that is, then you can think about picking up the pace, which in turn will increase your distance. Just focus on the time and being comfortable right now. x