Struggling with week 8

[WytchHazel74]

Hi everyone!

I’ve only just discovered this group but you all seem so friendly and supportive. If you’re just starting out on your C25K adventure then take heart - I’m basically a hobbit (short, chubby and thinking about food all the time) but I’ve made it all the way to week 8, which is incredible!

The first couple of weeks nearly killed me as my body learnt to do something it’s never done before (I hate sports, hated PE lessons at school and yes, I was one of those girls who used my periods as an excuse to get out of stuff), but by week 3 my body started to get the hang of this jogging malarkey and I started to feel I was making progress.

Which brings me to today. I coped with week 7, 25 minutes of running, though it was a struggle. I find that my hips and knees are killing me, and I dropped to two runs a week to give my joints time to recover.

After 4 or 5 of these sessions, I went for week 8. Boy do those extra 3 minutes make a difference! I’ve done that run twice now, but a week apart, and now this week I’ve not even gone out. I really don’t want to lose my motivation but I don’t want to damage my body by pushing it, so I’m thinking don’t beat myself up, just get back on it next week and face the challenge with fresher legs. For those of you with more experience, what would you do - push through or be patient?

[Weddingrunner]

Hello!! I chuckled at your post as I see myself as as a bit of a hobbit too 🤣

I finished week 7 on Sunday.... I’m yet to do W8 R1. I found the 25 mins of W7 a struggle and like you, I was taking an extra few days inbetween the runs.... I think I find the long runs a mental struggle as I’ve still got the ‘you can’t do this’ gremlins on my shoulders’. At the end of the day, this is your journey and no one else’s, I think take as long as you need, if you need a week inbetween the runs then do it! I’m doing the same and it’s working better for me. Listen to your body 👍🏻

[WytchHazel74 in reply to Weddingrunner]

You’ve got those gremlins too? How lucky are we? 😂 The week I really struggled with was week 5; I repeated that week so many times it’s embarrassing, but psychologically I just couldn’t run for 20 minutes without needing a rest in the middle. Then I gave up trying and just moved on to week 6, and repeated that a few times with the same problem. I moved on to week 7 out of stubbornness, and blow me down I ran for 25 mins without a break and I actually cried with relief, lol.

[Weddingrunner in reply to WytchHazel74]

Those gremlins are a total pain in the bum and pop up constantly through my runs and say ‘how about a little walk now, your legs are so tired, you can’t do this’ 😆 I actually occasionally tell them where to go out loud!! God knows what passers by think when they hear me! Haha. Well I loved week 5 and was on a high for 48 hours after I ran the 20mins.... I then ran too fast for R1W6 and struggled and lost total motivation and that continued and I really didn’t love week 7. I’ve think my stamina still isn’t quite up there ready for 30 minute runs, I‘m taking about 3-4 days inbetween the longer runs and on one of those days I’m going out and doing an earlier run.... this is a big motivation booster as they are much easier 2nd time around and I figure that repeating the odd run is still boosting my stamina. Yesterday I ran for 18mins solidly and then had a 5 min walk and then repeated R1W1..... I felt good after it and in total had run for 26mins. This is your own challenge so do it however you like... that’s what I’m doing. Anything to keep the motivation going and I’m so determined to finish this programme!! We can do this!!!!! 😊

[Weddingrunner in reply to Weddingrunner]

Sorry. I meant W2R1

[WytchHazel74 in reply to Weddingrunner]

You’ve some good tips there, I might have to have a go at mixing things up a bit just to build my endurance. Thanks! 😊

[Blossom- Graduate]

Slow down, then slow some more. Have you read all the stuff on here about how to do this? Hydration, stretches, rest etc etc.... Happy running, you CAN do this! 🏃‍♀️💥

[WytchHazel74 in reply to Blossom-]

This made me chuckle because I always feel like I’m so slow little old ladies are overtaking me (though in my defence we seem to have some very sprightly grannies in my town, hehehe) but I guess slowing it down further might make a huge difference. I’ll give it a go, thanks.

Oh and dehydration was a problem on my last run; despite going out before 9am it was already pretty hot and by the end I was headachey and a bit lightheaded, but I knew I literally only had another minute or so to go so I pushed through and made it to the end. It’s finding that balance between drinking enough and drinking it early enough that I don’t feel it sloshing around 😳

[Blossom- Graduate in reply to WytchHazel74]

It's a good idea to make sure you're hydrated even on rest days.

Haha, I'm one of those 'sprightly grannies' - 65, 2 grandsons ...

Good luck!😊

[nowster Graduate]

"Thorin sits down and starts singing about gold."

(I never got anywhere with that game.)