Help!

[Jilldiamond]

Wk7, not even sure which run cos I don’t seem to be able to make it to 25 minutes. I managed 23 on Sunday but this morning was rubbish. Even wondering how I managed 20 mins on week 5. I do know that as soon as I started thinking I won’t make it it got even harder. And here I am the person who said ‘I won’t be limited by my habit thinking'.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

It sounds purely a psychological issue........you don't mention any physical ones.

This post about mental approach may help healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Can you speak aloud, clear, ungasping sentences as you run?.........if not, you are going too fast. Slowing down to the recommended easy conversational pace makes it more achievable and for most, more enjoyable.

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Hiya and thanks. I do run really slowly (thinking that at least if both feet are off the ground it’s not just walking!) I was so pleased with myself in weeks 5 and 6, just need an attitude transplant? Will check out the post thanks

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Jilldiamond]

You may feel you are slow but if you cannot hold a conversation you are going too fast for your current fitness level.

Say this sentence out loud to yourself "Am I going slow enough to enable me to speak this sentence in one out breath?" If you cannot, you are going too fast.

[Devon_straggler Graduate]

Well done for getting this far and for not giving up despite it being tough. Slowing down and finding a flat route might help as the run should be less uncomfortable. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to achieve the 25 mins - it can be easy to think that you're not going to manage that long so you might as well stop at 10 mins etc... but any running is better than none. Try to encourage yourself to some feature on your route, and then can you just keep going to something else etc? (Assuming you're not on a treadmill, if you are, I would highly recommend getting outdoors). I started running to music but switched to audiobook or podcasts towards the end and I find it much more engaging for my brain and it reduces the thought of the discomfort. Don't give up, you'll get over this blip.

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Devon_straggler]

Thank you. I’ll try an audiobook next time x

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Devon_straggler]

Tah dah! I managed 25 minutes. Listened to Eddie Izzard reading his book this morning and I think it helped. Thank you.

[Devon_straggler Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

Excellent! I'm so pleased, well done.

[SassyF Graduate]

Ahhhhh the gremlins! Dreadful little blighters!

We’ve all had them - and still get them. Sometimes they whisper and sometimes they shout... the trick is to shout louder then them.

The next time you go for a run try this....

Start the warm up walk and think about what you are wanting to achieve, tell yourself a few times (out loud if necessary) that you will run for 25 minutes because you’ve already done 23, so it’s completely achievable. I bet you didn’t think you could run for 23 minutes in week 1 - and yet here you are!

When you start to hear the gremlins, take a few deep breaths and think about someone you love. Imagine you have to run for them. I bet you a million quid you’ll do it for a loved one. ♥️

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to SassyF]

Thank you Sassy. You are so encouraging!

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

And Sassy, can I ask? I know you’ve graduated and am curious to know what your running practice is now.

[SassyF Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

Of course you can ask!

At 6 weeks post graduation I still run 3 times a week, I mostly still run on the same days as I did on the CT5K programme.

I try to keep my runs varied, I have done fartlek runs on NRC, and sometimes do some hills during a run depending on my route, but when I do a longer run of the week I keep it as flat as possible and preferably scenic... it’s vital for me to remember why I run... it’s for my enjoyment - not to beast myself for PR’s! (Which can happen if you obsess about the apps and your splits)

I’m now up to 7K in distance and can run for more than 60minutes. I’m following Ju-Ju’s magic plan on the Bridge to 10k forum which works well for me.

When I was in week 7 I found it useful to read about people’s consolidation experiences, I knew I needed a plan before I finished the CT5K otherwise I might drift and dwindle on my progress. So during week 8 I made mine for the 3 weeks of consolidation after graduation and stuck it on the fridge, I crossed off each run after I’d completed it.

The fun doesn’t stop after you graduate - in fact I’ve found it to get even better!

Hope this helps 😎

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to SassyF]

Thanks again! And I have to ask, what on earth is fartlek? I have been trying not to look ahead at upcoming runs but it might help. And how amazing that you are running 7k in such a short extra time! You are my inspiration!

[SassyF Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

Fartlek training is speed work, you do a continuous run but for defined periods during the run you run at different paces. It’s fun to do and I’ve found it useful to find out what my different levels of pace are.

Everyone’s different, some don’t like to look ahead of future runs - I don’t like surprises and I have to know exactly what’s happening all the time, so I was always looking ahead and planning the next weeks runs - I still do!

😎

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to SassyF]

Well thank you for that!

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

Did it! Ran for 25 minutes, thank you!

[SassyF Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

Just seen this! 🤩 that’s great news - well done you! 👍🏼

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to SassyF]

Thanks again! I think I’ll repeat wk7 once more tomorrow and then move on to wk8. Don’t think I’d have got this far without the support of you guys!

[Cmoi Graduate]

Of course you can make it Jilldiamond , if you're running at an appropriate pace and choose to!

As I've mentioned to other posters, when I was doing C25K I used to break the runs down mentally into shorter blocks. (Actually I still do it now on occasion, it's just that the blocks have become much chunkier!)

For 25 minutes you could try reframing the run as 10 + 10 + 5. For the first ten you tell yourself it's way less than you've run before, for the second you decide it's obviously do-able because you just did it, and for the final five it has to be do-able because it's a mere quarter of what you've already run! Or you can use any other breakdown you like - trying to do more complex calculations can also take your mind off the running! The only thing to remember is always make the later blocks shorter than the previous ones.

Also, what SassyF has said is spot on - if you had to run two minutes more to save a life, or to win a fortune, or whatever else you like - you'd do it.

It's not easy, but you can do it - go for it!

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Thank you so much. I’ll try the chunks idea (though not sure how I will know that 10 mins is up?) Laura tells me about 5 mins 12.5, 20 and the last minute I think?

[Dubbs75]

Absolutely get where you are coming from! I had managed 25 mins, then had my covid jab and now I can't get up to 20 mins. Like you said, my mind seems to like telling me I can't do it and then the body agrees! All I can say is keep trying, that's what I'm doing and I'm positive you'll manage to crack it. And once you have, you'll do it over and over again - good luck 👍

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Dubbs75]

Noticing the urge to say 'we'll see' but will turn it round to Yes! Thanks

[Jilldiamond Graduate in reply to Jilldiamond]

How you doing?