Feeling down in the dumps. Tried week 6 run 1 last week and completed it with bad leg pain and then had to have a rest week to recover. Ran it again on Saturday successfully, and felt amazing!
Tried run 2 today and felt like I hit a wall - I ran the first 10 mins, but the second 10 mins I ran about 2 mins, then a walk, then 30 secs run, then a walk... you get the gist.
Anyone got any tips for getting through this week? It feels proper HARD now, and there was a little voice in my head telling me that I couldn't do it the whole time. Help!
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kifkaf
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Everything going on in our lives can impact on our performance as a runner. Restedness, hydration and nutrition are at the top of my list of variables that need to be optimised to enable enjoyable running.
Every run is training for the next one so keep plugging away.
Don't beat yourself up. Those interval runs on week 6 are tough.
I am on week 7 run 2 now but really struggled in week 6. But believe me - you have done the training to prepare your body if you have finished week 5. The real challenge is in your head.
My philosophy - Take it slowly. Pace yourself. You can always pick up the pace a little at the end if you feel good.
Dynamic stretching pre-run and taking the time to do some static stretches post run is also vital for me.
I had the same, did loads of stretches and just had to rest for more than a day sometimes. Completed today!! I realised there was no point to run with pain, I repeated every run that didn’t go well . So good when you finally complete . Good luck x
- Are you properly hydrating before going for your run? I have noticed that as the temperature and the length of the runs increases I need more hydration. I am drinking a lot of water before I go out as I don’t have a water bottle that I feel comfortable taking with me on the run.
- are you sleeping well the night before they run? As many people have mentioned above, everything adds up to prepare you for going out and running. Try to go to bed early or not too late the night before you have to run.
- At what time are you running? With the flexibility of running from home I have been changing the hours at which I run throughout the past seven weeks.I have run in the morning, at midday and lately at the end of the day. I find that even at 7 am the Sun is out out and it is already too hot and I find it harder to run. So, I have been running at seven or 8 pm when the temperature is lower and I feel more comfortable and less tired.
- have you been eating well? Make sure you have have a banana, some fruit, a toast and cottage cheese, something that gives you energy for your run.
I am no expert but I feel like maybe it could be better to repeat week five then to stop running for an entire week. I have found that it is more of a mental pressure Than a physical one ( for men). Although I have never formally trained and I am overweight, I realise that I am able to do the Runs...But it is difficult to believe that I can.therefore, when I’m in the middle of the run I start to get anxious about it and discourage. It makes it difficult to complete the road that that’s why I make sure I have either good music or a good podcast that takes my mind away from the time.
It is exactly like meditation. You get Anxious of being with yourself in a position that you’re not comfortable with. So starting with a guy that one is easier than going solo. A good podcast can help.
I absolutely agree with all of the comments above - you are more than capable of this run at this stage. It is only your mind that thinks otherwise- your body is completely ready. I found, when my mind was telling me to stop or that I couldn’t go on, that choosing a spot in the distance and telling myself that I’d consider walking when I got there broke the run down into small manageable chunks and didn’t seem as daunting. If I felt ok when I got to the spot, I’d choose another and carry on........Once I’d run the duration once I could then tell myself I was capable and had already done it should any further doubt creep in....
You need to clear your mind of all thoughts, I’ve put this in other posts and what I do is if a thought comes into my head I visualise an eraser rubbing it out and blowing it away, try it, and just keep going.
Also I heard this in one of those motivational videos on You Tube ‘Don’t quit when your tired, quit when your done’ use that as your new mantra ....best of luck 👍
Hey there ... I too am at week 6 run 2 tomorrow ... I too am struggling with sore legs and knees .... DOMS and a very sore knee ... Sunday was a rest day and I put ice pack on my knee and took painkillers because I really didn’t want to miss yesterday’s run. I’ve tried C25k 6 times before but never got past week 2 so this means so much to me and I don’t want it to beat me ... so resting lots today, plenty of water and trying not to put too much pressure on myself
Agree with everything that’s already been said. In weeks 5 and 6 I extended the area where I would run and have found that it suits me really well. I walk for just over 10 mins to reach my new preferred starting point and somehow it feels refreshing! I have just completed week 6 and I cannot agree more about it being as much about your mind as everything else. I did week 6 over a couple of weeks But I think my worry about being able to run has been beaten. Best of luck 😊
You already k ow you can run it... you have done it once already.
You answered your own question... stop listening to the negative voice in your head..... start talking to it and tell it that that’s a load of rubbish and That you can do it. .... turn it round ... you got this 😊
I found week 6 the worst! After finishing wk 5 on a high and running for 20 minutes, I went into week 6 and couldn’t do the r1, I tried 3 times and couldn’t do it, it felt like I’d hit a brick wall. I took a couple of days extra rest and gave it another go - and did it! I’m now on wk7 r3 so don’t give up!
Everything you’ve done so far has prepared you for this stage. It’s easy to get disheartened when we feel aches and pains. Unless it’s unbearable I just always tell myself it’s my body adjusting to the new run. You can do this 😊
I've just struggled through week 6 Run 1 and found it really hard.
Very disheartened as I felt I'd being doing well with the other weeks and was delighted with doing 20mins at the end of week 5.
I have calf and hamstring aches usually despite doing the dynamic stretches and post stretches and today the aches were really bad which was disappointing. I completed the run but was thinking I should repeat it!
I have to say I find this forum so helpful when I'm having a wobble, it's nice to know others have often felt the same.
It is a mental block but also physically it takes a few minutes to settle back into a jog after walking. I found mins 6-10 of the second block more comfortable than minutes 1-5.
You are doing so well. This isn't a competition, it's you running. And you are! I find trying to stick to a routine of when I run helps. I've redone runs and I've learnt to go slowly but surely. Take your time and it will come.
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