Week 6 Struggles

So far I’m really proud of myself for how far I’ve come, I’ve gone from not even being able to run for a minute to completing the week 5 run 3 for 20 minutes! I started week 6 last week and I managed the first run last Monday but the last 2 time’s I have been out I’ve just not been able to go any further than about 5 minutes! It’s really disheartening, I feel like I don’t have the energy to run past the 5 minutes. I’ve just signed up to do the race at your pace medals for July to give me motivation and I still plan to go out, but how do I keep pushing to do the longer runs? Has anyone else felt like this?

[MoliJ Graduate]

Well done or getting this far. Are you drinking enough water every day, even on rest days?

[Hidden in reply to MoliJ]

Yes, I drink a lot, I always have done.

[MoliJ Graduate in reply to Hidden]

That’s good, try running at a slower pace. The first 10 minutes of my runs are always the most difficult. After 10 minutes they seem easier. I start off slow and then speed up.

[packersruns Graduate]

Don't be too put out, it's very common for runners to feel pretty defeated in W6, I know I did, especially after feeling that high of 20 minute running, I almost thought "why am I struggling so much, was that a fluke?"

Plenty of things go into a bad run, lack of hydration (which doesn't seem to be your case from the comments), lack of sleep the night before, the weather or even - you might have just had a bad run day - it just happens sometimes! I've had my few in this programme. W5+ is mostly mental - your muscles have been trained to do the longer runs now, but if you've gone out once and were unable to complete a run, psychologically your brain will feed you that you won't be able to complete it again, even though you absolutely can! Maybe take a 2 day rest day rest your body then go back at it with a different mindset and make sure you hydrate like you do, get a good night sleep, keep the speed down (this won't be the run to try and beat any PB's if you've been tracking things like pace and distance) and try and keep a positive mindset!

The admins might have better feedback but that's what I first thought when I read this, so I hope it helps you in any way. Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to packersruns]

Thank you, I was last out Friday so will have a good nights sleep tonight and try and have a good run in the morning.

[HappyNoodle Graduate]

Well done for getting to Week 6! 😍

Your body has gone (if you are anything like me) from zero activity to huge amounts (in comparison) give yourself a break and eat well, sleep well and drink well then try again. You can do this, you probably just need a rest.

I usually have a coffee and a meal replacement shake (as I run to work and would skip breakfast if I didn’t) if I miss either one I notice it in my running.

Really good luck getting back on track but make sure you are listening to your body as frustrating as it might be!

[Hidden in reply to HappyNoodle]

Thank you 😊

[Dtay1978 Graduate]

You’re doing great. Is your mind right? Is anything bothering you? Are you worrying about anything? The mental side of this is often underestimated. Make sure you’re rested, eating well and hydrated.

You ran 20 mins last week and from what I remember 6.2 is two 10 min runs split by a 5 minute walk. If you can do it in one go you can definitely do it in two halves. You’ve got this lady 😊