W6R1 - Should be easy after W5R3 right? Wrong!

[RufustheRed]

Overconfidence has been the downfall of many and it was nearly mine today.

After completing the 20 minute non-stop run last week, a 5-8-5 run will be easy right? OMG how wrong I was. I finished it but I knew my mistake after a couple of minutes of the first run. I normally psych myself up for the runs. Think about how to approach it, work out my pace before I start, I did none of that today. Just rocked up without so much of a thought and a couple of minutes in, it felt tough!

I don't know if the weather played it's part as today was by far the hottest I have run in so far, or perhaps I had one too many beers at the weekend. To be honest, I totally underestimated the effort it would take.

After the first run, I was blowing a lot and it took nearly the whole 3-minute walk to get my breath under control. The second run, I could have cried when Laura said I had only been running for 4 minutes, I wanted to stop but kept going. The last run, I ran painfully slow to get to the end. In a hot sweaty mess, I did my warm down walk and I found that tough as well.

I didn't mentally prepare as I have done before. The next run is the last one in the programme with a walking break so I need to get my head back into mentally preparing properly otherwise I am not going to get to the end. Still, lesson learnt and I won't be making that mistake again.....

[Ellieashbeckbeans Graduate]

Been there! I was warned and still it was harder than I imagined. Still got through it but yeah - I totally empathise!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

It´s a run that catches many people out.

Be mindful of your pace as you move one... keep you pace nice and easy such that your breathing is relaxed. Keep it ´conversational´!

[Knightrider_28 Graduate]

Hi...I hear you....I did WK6R1 Today also, and similarly I did my normal routine and started, but the first 2mins into the first stint, I felt sluggish and I realized I was too fast with the confidence after WK5R3,I went into thinking mode.

When all I should do is listen to Laura, saying pace yourself do not rush .so how I have told my brain nice and slow...using the famous saying....Tortoise & the hare method, and it worked...lol good luck 😄💯🏃‍♂️

[Hidden]

I was dreading too because I had read all the posts...and I had a birthday party...so I did the 20 mins Saturday...pat on the back....just "kept running" ...today I did the broken up walk run...I knew it was going to be grim.. but I just keep in my head.."this stage is mental rather rather physical"..like you I did it..but it was hard...I read it's because it's because you aren't getting into a natural rhythm..anyway...only one more stop start to do...and just like I was advised on here..."who would've thought this time 6 weeks ago we would be begging for a 10 run as a minimum 😆😆😆

[liz163]

I was the same although run 2 for week 6 was my block and was dreading the first 25 min run but found that so much better than the split runs. Good luck with the rest of your journey .. slow is deffo key 😁

[Bravenewworld Graduate]

Been there! It was a tough run, loads of people said it catches you out and it does! Then the rest of the runs went a lot better after though( I also thought the weather played a part as it was very warm the day I did it too!) but I’m on week 7 now and have been managing ok(with heat) so it was just a blip I hope 🤔