Week 6 stumbling block?

[BlueMumKat]

This is the second time I have attempted C25K and the furthest I have got. I am pleased with my progress having completed the first 3 weeks in my garden! I just seem to have hit a wall this week. Run 1 was tough when I thought it'd be fine after managing to run for 20mins at the end of week 5. Run 2 was still tough so I decided to repeat it rather than attempt a 25 min run today. I'm glad I did as it was still tough although warmer weather. Now wondering if I should repeat the week again...confidence has taken a dive and I can't envisage completing 25 mins without a break 😏

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

W6R1 looks easier than it is... even without realising we are doing it, there’s a tendency to run it slightly faster than we are used to once the brain has decided it’s easier than the previous run. I feared that run the most, I was ready for it, and it still nearly got to chalk me up as one of its many victims! Congratulations on beating a notorious run that has caught many people out.

Run 2... I found it the second hardest of the plan... I was wary after the previous run, but it still wasn’t smooth... the only thing that got me over the finish line that day was my determination to not have to face it again! You’ve beaten it twice... how cool is that?

So, last three runs, first all run session ✅ most notorious run ✅ tough interval session ✅ ✅. Looks pretty awesome to me... my confidence would be overflowing right now... which would mean I’d need to take extreme caution with my next run!

What happened next for me? 25 minutes felt amazing... I found it so much easier to not stop for the walk break... I’d learned to keep the pace down, start deliberately slowly so I was ready for it to get tough towards the end. You’re probably going into this in better shape than I did too. You know you can do 20... and you know you can add a few minutes to that as you have been successfully doing it all the way to this point. Don’t fear a number... believe in yourself... you can do it... slow and steady as you go, especially to the halfway bell. You can do it... have a wonderful run.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

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

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Follow the link in the guide to the post about mental approach.....it may help.

Enjoy your journey.

[Hidden]

If you think you need to repeat then do it.

Well done so far, keep it up! 😀

[Reliclullaby Graduate]

After doing the 20min run I actually found the stop starts harder than the continuous run (I say run, mine is more of a very steady jog 🐌, snails pace 😊). Everyone is different but I’ve found once I can get into a rhythm and just toddle along I found that easier.

Maybe give the next run ago, nice and steady, you might be surprised that your body is more ready than you know and it’s your mind that’s not sure. If you’re not ready it just means a little more practice, but you never know know maybe your body is ready to leave the intervals behind. Whatever you decide remember how far you’ve already come.

[melly4012 Graduate]

I remember that this was the run that I struggled with too! I find quite often, even four years on from graduating, that good runs often follow bad ones so you could always give W7R1 a go and see. If you can run for 20 minutes you can definitely run for 25 minutes. Keep slow and at 20 minutes you can start counting down minute by minute - the extra 5 will disappear before you know it. However, if you feel it would help your confidence to repeat Week 6 then that is absolutely fine too. This is your running journey and it needs to work for you so (as long as you're not jumping ahead in the programme) repeating runs to consolidate or to help your confidence is absolutely fine. Either way, keep slow, banish those gremlins that are lying to you by telling you that you can't and enjoy your next run.

[BlueMumKat Graduate]

Just wanted to say, I did it!!! I have myself a 2 day break, sorted out some chill music on my phone and went for it (very slowly 😂). Thank you so much for your encouragement. Now I am ready to start week 7 with confidence that I can keep going 😁