Struggling on week 6

[Tortoise_not_hare]

Hi, so I’ve been doing ok with C25K so far and was feeling pretty pleased with myself. I was over the moon when I completed the 20 minute run in week 5! But now I’ve got to the end of week 6 and I’m really struggling with the 25 minute run. I can’t even get to 20 minutes anymore. I don’t know why I’ve regressed and it’s really getting me down. Anyone got any tips?

[RUNN3R Graduate]

I really struggled with week 6, more-so run 1 and run 2, but even run 3. I think for me it was a motivational struggle as I sort of felt like "well I've ran 20 minutes non-stop so it doesn't matter now if I don't finish the programme". Just focus on how good you'll feel once you finish week 6 and more importantly how good you'll feel when you finish week 9. Keep it slow and try not to clock watch. Good luck!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

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.

You don't say why you stopped.

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

Perhaps you need more than one day's rest between these longer runs.

Are you drinking a minimum of 2.5 -3 litres of fluid each and every day, running or not, as mentioned in the guide.

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.

Enjoy your journey.

[Tortoise_not_hare in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you for the advice, the articles were really helpful. I’ve completed week 6 now and am halfway through week 7, so glad I’ve got people to help me!

[HelsyM Graduate]

Hi. I struggled with week 6 too - I think after the long run at the end of week 5 I expected week 6 to be a doddle. Week 7 was quite a challenge for me too and I have just this morning done week 8 run 1. It was much "easier".

After receiving and reading lots of great advice on here I left two days in between runs (I had been leaving only 1) and yesterday I made sure I drank just over 2 litres of water, logging it all religiously to be sure.

The 28 minute run this morning felt much more manageable, although still a challenge! I drank about 500ml of water before I left home and ate a banana and my energy levels post run feel a lot better than they did last week, when honestly I thought I must have some kind of fatigue issue.

This programme is just amazing, it's clearly so well designed. I never imagined a few weeks ago that I'd be able to come this far, but if you follow it and have faith, you can do it! But you also need to make sure you are taking care of the hydration and rest in between.

Good luck and keep going!

[Tortoise_not_hare in reply to HelsyM]

Thank you! I drank more water and had half a banana before I left and it seemed to help. I’ve ran for 25 minutes twice now and feeling so much better ☺️

[dolcie06]

I had the same thing for 3 weeks I was stuck on week 6 it was terrible then just went in to week 7 changed my route and my music and it was ok finished the run