week 2 vs week 1: having just run w2r1 i am... - Couch to 5K

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week 2 vs week 1

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate
38 Replies

having just run w2r1 i am surprised. in all honesty i found it slightly less exhausting than week 1 (totally stamina stretching and generally knackering, but still...) ... any thoughts anyone? or is it just me? my recovery was faster, my boyfriend told me, too. ps. apologies for my endless posts!

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changing-woman profile image
changing-woman
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38 Replies
John_W profile image
John_WGraduate

how fast are you actually going? are you jogging or running?

The reason you found it easier than you expected is because your fitness increases a bit with every run you do. So Week 1 prepared your body for Week 2, yeah?

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toJohn_W

a slowwwwww jog john, a slowwwwww jog john, call me snail !

John_W profile image
John_WGraduate in reply tochanging-woman

ok - how old you are you btw?

Remember - every run you do prepares you for the next one. That is VERY important for you to think about - will help you mentally. Have you watched the Japanese Slow Jogging video?

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toJohn_W

50. and yes i have watched it many times and aim to be doing it.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toJohn_W

'Remember - every run you do prepares you for the next one.' that's so neat. how cool is that!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toJohn_W

you are responsible for making me very happy. thank you for posting to me today. :-)

John_W profile image
John_WGraduate in reply tochanging-woman

I'm not responsible for that - YOU ARE. YOU did it, not me.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toJohn_W

but you reminded me how good this programme really is. i had never seen it in motion before.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply tochanging-woman

and actually, just reading back to this comment, 'i had never seen it in motion before' it's a really important thing.

Rennur profile image
RennurGraduate

See. The programme does work.

Only if you put in the effort though.

That's why it is working.

This is a good day.

Bear it in mind when you find it difficult to remind you that you can still do this.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toRennur

yes it does. OMG i am suddenly very happy :-)

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toRennur

'Bear it in mind when you find it difficult to remind you that you can still do this.' yes i must !

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

As well as fitness and recovery developing quickly, you are also learning to pace yourself.

By W3 you will notice further improvement.

Well done, keep it up.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toIannodaTruffe

i could jump for joy after reading that!

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate

At each stage along, your fitness will improve. The hard runs make the next ones easier. They'll still be hard, but without the ones you've already done they'd be impossible.

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply tonowster

thanks nowster... yes, that makes beautiful sense !

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply tochanging-woman

this programme looks like it's nothing short of genius...

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate

i am still in a weird but happy place cos i just can't believe i did week 2 run 1... it's really shocked me, honestly!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate

just been for a walk - seem lighter on my feet (and can feel my calves, but not in a bad way)

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate

i can't actually believe that on a running day i went for a walk as well! the world's gone mad. or i have...

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate

and i am writing to myself... yup... madness is afoot !!! :-D

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate

Well done, i think you've well and truly caught the running bug, keep it slow, and you so will be running for 30 mins in week 9, i'm almost there, 2 runs to go, and feel so good, both physicaly, and mentaly! Oh, and i'm 56, prob carrying too much weight, and never been a runner, before now!!! 😀

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toPeter44

You’re brilliant x

RamblingMe profile image
RamblingMeGraduate

No you're not alone. I found it easier too. Fewer runs but longer just seem easier on the body. And a good incentive to carry on!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate

Thanks!

Mands50 profile image
Mands50Graduate

Well done, amazing job - if you hit a tough run in the future just look back to how far you’ve come in 2 weeks. You’ve got this 👍

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toMands50

Bless you x

Mikew84 profile image
Mikew84Graduate

I just found exactly the same thing last night - I did W2R1 and definitely found it easier than the W1 runs. On the last 90s run I was actually able to increase my pace, whereas last week I was out of breath by the time I got to the end. Recovery was better too. I did the stretches in the video linked from the app and they helped - I have no stiffness in my legs this morning, unlike last week.

I do think all this is partly a state of mind - I definitely had an 'I can do this' feeling about starting week 2, whereas I was quite nervous last week!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toMikew84

I know what you mean!

Reggit profile image
ReggitGraduate

I did this back in May, got better weather!

I found exactly the same, week 2 seemed easier than week 1.

I was adamant that I could never run having tried and failed in my 20s (I’m 52), however 2 months after starting the program I finished it and shortly after was running 5k, although I still can’t manage that in 30 minutes and unlikely never will!

It’s amazing just how well the program works and how quickly you progress.

Happy running 👍

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toReggit

lovely reply!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toReggit

stay there don't move i have something to show you!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate

i am jelly scared! tomorrow i do W2R2, and W2R1 was a bit easier and i am scared i have jinxed it by saying so on here... lol. i really want these two last week 2 runs to be ok. i passionately want it. i am going to continue with my mental positive self talk of course...it's so worked for me so far... :-D

Mikew84 profile image
Mikew84Graduate in reply tochanging-woman

Hi, how did W2R2 go?! I did mine yesterday having found W2R1 easier than the first week. In fact I even (very naughtily) put an extra couple of minutes on the end of the last 90s run so I could see how 3 mins feels, and it was fine.

Can't believe, at 53 and never having run before, that I'm now really looking forward to tomorrow's run. What's happening to me??!!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toMikew84

w2r2 went well, but it was more or less as exhausting as all the others have been..

Mikew84 profile image
Mikew84Graduate in reply tochanging-woman

That's ok - you DID IT and that's all that counts. Well done!

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toMikew84

thanks so much x

changing-woman profile image
changing-womanGraduate in reply toMikew84

you're becoming a runner! like everyone else on here... it's a gift. enjoy!!!

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