W5 R3 ....Blimey!

[spongecat]

Well that was a surprise, I'm glad I didn't know beforehand but how well crafted of this plan. As Michael says, you should have the fitness to do it, this is the mental side of things.

Have to say that in the last 2 minutes with Do Your Thing by Basement Jaxx playing in the ears I was just so full of joy! I deliberately chose a nice route but was a bit extravagant and ended up having a nearly 15 minute walk back home but it was a nice cool down, especially with a silly grin all over my face.

Just done my post run stretches with the customary pint of electrolytes and here's to Week 6 starting on Monday or Tuesday.

Have a great weekend everyone! 🏃‍♀️💐

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations on completing run 3 of week 5, that is a milestone run with C25K, onwards and upwards to week 6 run 1 but be careful about that run as it catches out some people with the interval walks and runs after the non stop 20 minutes of W5R3 which you have just ran 🏃🏾

[spongecat Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you! I'll do whatever it takes now. Cannot believe I did this, I used to HATE running!

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Well done, that's a milestone run !

You will probably be smiling all day now .

Just be careful with week 6 runs 1 and 2 as going back to intervals catches people out 🙂

[spongecat Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thank you! I'm not going to peep at the "prescription", it's held me in good stead so far. My hubby cannot believe I'm not coming home puffing and blowing and looking like a raspberry! 😂

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to spongecat]

Haha, ok don't peep 😂

I was the opposite, I wanted to know what every run involved right from the start 😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Yay, that’s such a great run and sounds like you really had a great time

Happy weekend

[spongecat Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

It certainly was a special thing and a good weekend to you too!

[TreeZebra]

This my next run, I’ve just done 2 x 8 min for run 2, and tbh it was easy (must have been going slow!), but I still don’t seen how I can do run 3!

[spongecat Graduate in reply to TreeZebra]

Don't worry about going too slow....ever!

I'm thankful to the voice coaching (Michael) who repeatedly reminds you about your speed. I definitely go at a slow lope and it's different to walking because you have a "flight phase" where you have no ground contact, a sort of gliding action compared to walking where there is always part of a foot in contact with the ground and you stride forward and heel-strike more. I also mumble to myself like a mad woman and if I cannot speak in sentences I'm going too fast. It really works!

Slow and very slow is good for us beginner runners to build stamina and endurance. You have already done 2 x 8 and found it comfortable, nothing to stop you now! Michael says you may be feeling tired at some point...slow down.....and just keep head up and projecting forward one foot in front of the other! When he said two minutes to go I almost cried with relief and could almost visualise that winners tape in the distance!

He also says that if you couldn't manage it there is no shame, repeat run 2 and 3 and affirm to yourself that you have got this....because you have!

You really have got this TreeZebra, don't overthink it or doubt yourself. Choose a nice route and go for it, you will do this!!!! Let us all know how you get on. 🍀

[TreeZebra in reply to spongecat]

Thanks, I use Micheal too, he’s great! I think today I really took his advice to heart because I started really slow and then was actually running rather than jogging at the end because I knew I had enough stamina to maintain a faster pace.

Yes I think I might actually have to run to a destination next time, rather than just do laps of a park like I usually do, because then I can feel like I’ve actually got a finish line to get to lol.

[spongecat Graduate in reply to TreeZebra]

I used to do laps of the local rec at the beginning (ignoring the stares of young kids on the skate park :D) but it got so samey as the run times increased. I then revisited all my old distance walks which I had carefully curated to avoid as much road crossing as possible. I'm going to do a walk today that are tracks that divide fields just to see if they are fairly smooth as I don't want to run there and end up turning an ankle. 😲

There is also the forest where I live which has some lovely trails but I'm not sure about solo running those, you hear about such awful stuff in the news about lone females. Maybe I'm just paranoid? I'll have to look and see if there is a local running club with maybe an old plodders division because I'll be the one at the back!

I'll also add that after the 20 minute run I had a 10-15 minute walk home which was a lovely warm down and at one point I almost felt like going off again. Probably good that I didn't give in to temptation, it's things like this that can cause injury!

[Tinytears60 Graduate]

Ohhhh well done! 👏👏👏

You’ve just experienced the heady feeling of achievement getting W5R3 under your belt!

I remember it well! Such a feel good factor.

Felt like such a big jump up didn’t it.. but reality is... it’s not!

This magical little plan takes non runners (like me) and turns them into runners - it’s brilliant!

W5R3 felt like a milestone for me..

Just watch out for W6

I used to love the intervals but they can catch you by surprise in W6

It’s definitely do-able for you and I can’t wait to read your posts...

ps. I had Michael too - I loved him! 👏👏 still occasionally run with him ... just to say hi 👋😀

[spongecat Graduate in reply to Tinytears60]

Thank you! I'm so curious about week 6 now....but I'm not going to peep because I know that if I do I'll just stew about it if it's "not particularly to my liking" or that horrible little gremlin parks itself on my shoulder! 😨