W5R3

[PegasisterLen]

I just finished week 5: 20 minutes of non-stop running. It's taken me a long time to get here (started in May but have done a lot of repeats). My legs are like jelly but I feel right now like I've won the Olympics.

Not going to lie, it was a hard run today (in horrible drizzly rain) so I am not sure if I want to repeat week 5 again to get fitness up or try going on to week 6 and seeing how it goes - me of the times make me wither inside, but then again I wasn't able to imagine running more than 5 minutes earlier on this year, so slowly getting there. Pace is something that I find tricky to maintain - I do try to keep it slow but there are some times it does feel like if I go any slower I might be walking backwards.

I feel like I am doing a lot of repeats of weeks but I was (am?) very unfit and don't want to discourage myself by having too many failed attempts.

I haven't posted before (hello everyone) but I just wanted to share my sense of accomplishment after today's run C:

[Sara_Wales Graduate]

Awesome, awesome, awesome! 👏🏃‍♀️🤗

Repeat? No - go for week 6, I say! You did it.... keep moving on..... you can do it!

Well done!

[PegasisterLen in reply to Sara_Wales]

Thank you, I went ahead and did all week 6 runs - completed it yesterday

[Sara_Wales Graduate in reply to PegasisterLen]

Fantastic! I have Wk6 R3 tomorrow 🙂.... just chasing your tail!

[MontyMooDog Graduate]

Great news about your achievements. Very well done. To be honest I believe that anyone who can do W5R3 can finish the program if they avoid serious injury. The program is geared up to take you from week to week almost by magic. The key is to take your time and keep it nice and slow. It's life and not a race. So onward and upward and good luck in your journey😀👍

[PegasisterLen in reply to MontyMooDog]

Thank you, powered on through week 6 and successfully completed. On to week 7 now C:

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to PegasisterLen]

Great work👍💪

[Plattszo Graduate]

Absolutely well done on you w5r3!! It truly is a big achievement and the place where you start to feel like this thing can be done.

With respect to week 6, you are going back to interval running and to me it depends on how confident you feel- it is really all up to you. I would urge you to think about taking them as they come and if you don't fully complete that run, repeat that run next time. That has been my mindset throughout. But really believe tou can and you will.

You CAN do this!!

[PegasisterLen in reply to Plattszo]

Thank you so much for your encouragement I suppose I was afraid of failing, and I wasn’t sure at which point I was meant to be able to complete runs without it hurting somewhere, so I was falling back on to earlier runs. Really pleased to say I made it through week 6 without going back! C:

[Plattszo Graduate in reply to PegasisterLen]

Bloody amazing ... this is where the confidence comes that you can do it and the PMA that if you don't complete a run m, its ok. Keep going!! You are officially a runner now!! Proud of you 👏 💛

[TortoiseRegretsHare Graduate]

Hello. Amazing - that's such an achievement. Like MontyMooDog the programme is a bit like magic. If you've got this far, it's in the bag, at the pace that makes sense to you and that you enjoy (if not during, then at least afterwards!)

[PegasisterLen in reply to TortoiseRegretsHare]

Thank you for encouraging me (love your user name) I’m happy to say that I managed to do week 6 so onwards and upwards now C:

[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.

It is possible to run on the spot, so running is not about the speed at which you cover the ground.

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

Stay slow for W6R1, it catches out more people than any other run in the programme.

Enjoy your journey.

[PegasisterLen in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks so much- took your advice and was able to get through w6r1 in one piece so yay!

[Dmc33 Graduate]

Congratulations. I think it takes such determination to repeat runs and keep progressing. You can do this - I vote move on to week 6 and see how you go!

[PegasisterLen in reply to Dmc33]

I did it all! Thank you so much for encouraging me. Week 7 beckons

[Dmc33 Graduate in reply to PegasisterLen]

Hooray well done 👏👏👏

[Tendance]

I reckon crack on with week 6 you did amazing to get through week 5 💪🏻

[PegasisterLen in reply to Tendance]

Thanks so much! I managed to do it so week 7 here I come!