Week 5 seems a huge step up, or is it me?

[BossPotato]

Is it just me or does the Week 5 runs suddenly take a leap? From run 1 doing 3 lots of 5 minutes to 8 minute runs. So proud of myself for managing it even though I’d never run before 5 weeks ago.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Week one was an infinite step up from the week before... you did that. Week 3 asks you to run double what week 2 asked you to do... and you managed that... a 100% increase! Week 5 asks you, in run 1, to add 60% to the interval you just did... so in that respect it’s a smaller jump that what you’re doing now. Also, week 4 adds 2 minutes... W5R1 adds 3... even looking at it that way, it’s not much different. You’re ready... believe in yourself... trust the plan... keep the pace down... and keep those three things going all week, and you’ll likely be with me in thinking that week 5 is the best week of the plan. You can do it.

[Luvlollyboo]

Also worried about it. Just completed W4R3 today - barely. So not, in all honesty, relishing such a step

Up. Let’s just give it a wee go, eh?

[BossPotato in reply to Luvlollyboo]

I’ve successfully managed W5 R1 and 2. If I can do it you definitely can. I might do R2 again so you might catch me up.

[Deejay53 Graduate]

I found wk5r1 tough and I think I had a bit of doubt on whether to continue. I had a lot of help from this forum, mainly about slowing my pace.

Just finished wk5r2 and a slower pace, almost a minute/km slower. Not as difficult as wk5r1 even though moved from 5 minute runs to 8.

You have done so well to reach this far, think about the tortoise and the hare. Give yourself more time to run and you will increase ypu enjoyment and you will succeed.

[JTS225]

I felt like that. I didn't look ahead and thought all the runs would continue getting longer so felt unable to move onto week 6 until I'd conquered w5r3 better. So I added a "week 5a" which was two 10s, then 5 and 20, then 2 and 18. Then I did the 20 better. I was so surprised when I saw what w6r1 was! However I'm glad I did that as it seems to have improved my stamina a lot and last night I did w6r3 at the first attempt.

[Running_Giraffe Graduate]

You're not the only one. W5 is probably the most posted about run on here. Even I made a post about it but mine was on the more positive side. I was almost in tears after W5 R2 because I genuinely couldn't believe I'd run for 8 minutes without a rest. I was thinking back to W1 and how hard I found running for 1 minute. I remember doing my first 3 minute run and thinking my lungs were going to catch fire. So when I finished an 8 minute run I was so incredibly proud of myself and at that moment it clicked how this plan really does work. I was so excited to run W5 R3 because each week was proof of how this plan works. I hope by sharing this you can look back at everything you've achieved so far and get that same feeling. I've never taken drugs but I imagine that's the high that people chase and I got it from running.

[Rainn1 Graduate in reply to Running_Giraffe]

This resonates so much with me, at some point during week 5 run 3 I had this surge of emotion and I just felt so proud of myself (before I’d even finished lol) and it really was like a switch had flicked in my brain, I did get a ‘high’ off it. When I finished I had tears in my eyes because I was elated that I’d done it (plus my body was crying out for a rest haha). That feeling carried me through a difficult start to week 6 and on Friday I completed the 25 minutes of week 6 run 3 and cant wait to start week 7 tonight.

Hope this doesn’t sound smug, I very rarely feel proud of myself, I’m very overweight and have often felt very ashamed of that and have quite low self esteem so feeling good about my body and what it has achieved was an enlightening moment for me and I hope if I can do it anyone can! 😊

[Running_Giraffe Graduate in reply to Rainn1]

Hey! We're all allowed to feel smug! I was laughed at when I said I was doing this because apparently a 5k is nothing and people just do them without training.

I'm proof that being slim doesn't mean being healthy but people look at you and expect you to be 😒 I think my heart was holding on for dear life those first few runs 😂 almost came right out my chest.

[BossPotato in reply to Rainn1]

That’s awesome and you have every right to be proud-not smug at all. Well done you and I shall continue to give it my best shot

[Tartanspice77]

It isn't just you. I've just repeated week 3 because I didn't feel ready for the next step up and it isn't as big...

I have asthma so I'm taking it slow and even if I have to repeat every week from now on, I will though hopefully by the time I get to your level my body will have got used to it 😂

[Suestudy Graduate]

It does seem like a big jump, but it is very doable, I go out every morning with the thought I have to give it a go, have a plan for when I can’t do it by going back and doing previous runs, but up until now I’ve never used the backup plan 🙂

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Breakdown of W5 healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

You can do this.

[John_W Graduate]

BossPotato Luvlollyboo Deejay53 .... it more a huge step mentally than physically. Trust me. Week 4 was the bigger jump and I´ll prove that to you if you don´t believe me.

It´s perfectly normal to look at it and go "OMG ... are you SERIOUS?" But that´s your mental gremlins talking. What initially looks a huge step is actually a perfectly natural progression in a 9 week program to get you to 30 minutes of continuous running.

Bottom line is this: your body has been prepared for it in the preceding 14 runs - that´s 157 minutes of running, which has steadily built your fitness with each and every run you´ve done. It´s just that it´s not obvious. All that time on your feet, including the 5 min brisk warmúp and cool down walks has given you more than enough stamina to run continuously for 20 minutes. How did you achieve Week 2? By doing Week 1. And Week 3 - by doing Week 1 and 2. And so on.

Don´t forget that in Week 4 (the most important week IMO) you ran 3 times for a total of 16 minutes, then 15 minutes in W5R1 and 16 minutes again in W5R2. And that TOTAL time is very important. It was getting your ready for W5R3. And it works.

2 mantras for you:

- every run you´ve done prepares you for the next one

- the body is ready but the mind less so.

I´ll end by pointing you to 2 posts re: the ´myth of W5R3´ and how Week 4 is the bigger leap, physically:

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and this:

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

There you have it. You don´t need luck, just belief. It´s a mindset thing.

DO IT

[Luvlollyboo in reply to John_W]

Just reading this as last thing before I head out the door to do W5R1. Thank you! 👏🏻👏🏻

Eek !!

[Belushi Graduate]

It is not just you! Most of us thought that running for 20 minutes would not be possible, way more than before, most of us have since written "trust the program" on here since. The program has prepared you for it and if you stay positive and do not try to run too fast you will be writing "trust the program next week.

[Ivymaria]

It feels like a big jump in time but honestly when you start running you will surprise yourself

[Dolphin-Girl]

I'm up to run 3. Run 2 was surprisingly okay, the first 8 minutes I was fine, the second was harder. Just try run 3 and see that's what I'll be doing.

[ruby-camellia]

I totally understand your feelings, and even as I was doing my 5 minute warm-up walk yesterday, I wasn't expecting that I'd be able to complete the 20 minutes run of W5 R3, but I did- and there's no-one more amazed than me! I must be the world's slowest jogger, but I did it and the podcast's encouragement to keep going really helped. I'm sure if you give a go, you'll be fine.