I have just completed week 8 run 3 which I am super chuffed about and an amazing achievement for me ….but there’s a but…Since week 6 I have been finding it super difficult mentally and I am not in a pickle with myself as to whether I can actually do this.
When I should be feeling like I’m so near the end I can do this, I’m actually feeling it’s out of reach.
I listen to music, I pace myself and go super slow. I get to different milestones and think I have got this, I can do this but, I just find it so hard and just wish it to end.
Is this normal? I want to like running as for one it helps me build up my cardio, keeps my blood sugar levels stable the next day and I have been losing weight too. I also sleep better and feel better mentally overall. I was enjoying getting out during my lunch break with a run to destress…all was going well…until the runs increased significantly (and the hot days appeared which slowed my progress a little) and since all then my mindset has shifted and I just find it so challenging and I don’t understand why.
I want to be able to run for 30 minutes and enjoy it. I feel so close to the finish line but also so far.
Is this a normal part of the mental challenge of running? Any help or support would be super welcome and thank you for reading 🙏
(I attach my MapMyRun stats which I don’t really understand the stats but what I can depict is 10mins of it was walking and I prob did less than 4K as a result)
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Scrambled_Legs
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You literally have 1.5 hours before you graduate !
OF COURSE YOU CAN DO IT !
you have already listed the positives that this has brought you !
"it helps me build up my cardio, keeps my blood sugar levels stable the next day and I have been losing weight too. I also sleep better and feel better mentally overall. I was enjoying getting out during my lunch break with a run to destress"
You know that physically you can do it , this is now a mental challenge
Think back to the challenges along the way !
How was week 5 run 3 ?
That was also a mental challenge and you completed that !
One and a half hours and you have done it!
I'm going to follow you now because I want to read about your Graduation run !
Thank you…you are so right. I didn’t think I could run for 1 minute and here I am panting but completing 28mins. It is a mental challenge more than ever. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives for me too so I do need to keep that in the front of my mind. Thank you for support and kind words of wisdom 😊
Well can we make a deal? I'll do it if you do?! I have just ran week 9 run 1 tonight and I completely resonate with how you're feeling. I don't LOVE running yet. But I love the feeling afterwards after I have accomplished a new target. It's taken me longer than the 9 weeks because of injury but I'm really excited to graduate and know I have stuck to and completed a training plan.
I'd definitely say slow down more if you can as it does really make a difference to how enjoyable it is. I don't find music enough of a distraction I listen to uplifting or funny podcasts and it makes me feel I'm out with a couple of friends chatting but I don't have to join in. My personal favourites are Chris and Rosie Ramsey, Fearne Cotton Happy place and Self Care Club.
What's your "why" for doing C25k? Have you thought about what you might like to do once you have completed it?
Keep going you can do this 💪🏃🏻♀️💥 I'm right there with you. Let's graduate and move onto consolidation club together 😁
Thank you for your words of support. Hehee let’s do it 🙌 Well done with week 9 run 1 too - amazing.
I may change my tact of listening to a podcast or my audiobooks I don’t ever have time to listen to. I find I work out the time re the song at the moment which I think inhibits my mindset too. I like your style that it’s like going out with friends but you don’t have to join in 😃
Good luck with your final 2 runs - I will keep my eyes peeled for your graduation 🏆 hopefully I won’t be too far behind 🤘
Yassssss 🙌🙌 let's do this!! Do try podcasts/audiobooks. I find if I slow my pace down enough that my breathing is steady and the podcasts engaging I can kind of lose myself a little and the time goes by much faster. With music I kinda did the same as you and new after so many songs how long was left etc and music just doesn't keep my brain busy enough so the gremlins start taunting me 🤣
Good luck!! You can do this, week 9 we're coming to get you 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
"I want to like running as for one it helps me build up my cardio, keeps my blood sugar levels stable the next day and I have been losing weight too. I also sleep better and feel better mentally overall."
Can you imagine if there was a pill that did all this for you? Think of the money people would pay to get it, I can guarantee they would also be willing to put up with quite a few negative side effects as well.
You may not ever fall in love with running, but you should definitely keep going for the time being. You are already a runner, I believe that you can persevere and find joy in this hobby. It's at least worth trying for a while longer, as you've already mentioned - the benefits are innumerable!
Thank you for your kind words of support - I have now committed (with Popstess ) to get this done 👊💥 You are so right about a pill and negative side effects. I will put this down to exactly that when overall the long term benefits outweighs the short negative moments we get. Thank you for helping to remind me of this with the total benefits for me both mind and body.
You’ve got this Scrambled_Legs! Instructor57 has said it all, you can do this! Week 9 is only an extra 2 minutes compared to week 8. I’m on week 9 (done 1st run) and I’m not a “natural” runner but I’m going to do this despite being no where near 5k! And think of the sense of achievement you will have WHEN you finish. We can be July graduates together. Also following you now, no pressure but I think you need to have a word with yourself like I did for W5R3 👌🏻👊🏻💪🏻 🏃♀️ 🏃♂️ 🏃🏼
Oh course you can do it! so many of us have felt the same, I took a few days off towards the end, my legs ached and running felt such hard work, after a few extra rest days I ran in fresh legs and graduated with pride. But…. it wasn’t until a couple of weeks after graduation that one day I realised I was actually enjoying the running rather than just getting through it. Good luck with your last week, don’t worry at all about the stats just jog along for the time and be proud, you’ve come so far since that first run 😀
That is totally it...my legs and knees ache although my back aches have gone at last which is one good thing. I think that I too am just trying to get through it and its easy to forget how far we have (all) come. Definitely a mental issue going on for me right now 🙄Thank you for your kind words of support 😚
I feel exactly the same and have done since the start of week 8! I’ve done mine on my treadmill and it broke on Friday and still not mended.
I decided to try to run outside this morning and let’s say it didn’t go according to plan. Well I didn’t really have a plan - maybe that’s why it didn’t go well 🤣 I ended up mostly walking for nearly 5 miles and had a walk round the cemetery in the middle of it 😊Burned lots of calories though 🤣
Well done BS44 with getting outside especially if that's a new venture for you having completed this on a treadmill up until now. Yesterday I defo burnt a calorie or too. I came back proper sweaty like never before 😅You can also join us in the July graduation as and when we get this 30 min run done (whole of July to play with)! Im digging deep right now and with all your fabulous comments it will push me on to get it done 🙌
Running outside and running on a treadmill aren't the same (from my experience). I did all of C25K and Bridge to 10k on the treadmill and then transitioned outside. I found outside so much harder for a while - took me about 2 weeks to adapt, so stick with it! Just keep trying and running and it will click soon
Scrambled_Legs all words of encouragement here and you list why you want to run. It is a mental challenge as well as the physical one and we all have things happen in life that affect our running and the heat (when we get it) does affect our performance.
Don't get too hung up on your stats, if you need to take an extra days rest to chill then that's OK.
Thank you drun its totally mental right now 😂 Having felt like its been harder and harder (rather than better and better) since the longer runs it has created barriers for sure. I have read the link, thank you and it definitely spoke to me...in particular "every run is training for the next one", this is something I need to focus on and to remind myself as others have said, look how far I have come and i felt not too dissimilar with running for 1 minute let alone 28 mins...but here I am 😀
As I said, the stats don't mean a huge amount to me - its nice though to see how far I can get overall and a little proof that I did do it (proof to myself more so) 😊
If you need a running mantra to get you to that finish line Scrambled_Legs how's about.....
I can do this
I will do this
Repeat and so on,
Pick that landmark and run to it, don't look beyond it, and as you reach it hear that mantra, and then look towards that next landmark, be it a lamppost, a tree a street sign 💪
Love this mantra 🙌 thank you and the landmark idea as well....that will also keep my back upright and my eyes taking in things around me too 😊 (i can have a tendency to look down or stoop my back because of feeling tired after about 10/15 mins of the run)...thank you Hidden
You're right in that it is a mental challenge, probably more than the physical challenge.
You've already had several suggestions to make things more interesting. Something I did after week 7 was to vary my routes. I even got lost on one of the runs!
Thank you nowster - its a mental game definitely for me right now....everyone has been fabulous on here with their ideas...I have 3 more runs to try different things including varying my route which I also like the idea of too thank you. Love that...getting lost...I live in a small village so that's not very likely although I do have previous for gong off piste / across country and that can be interesting 😆
I found I enjoyed it a lot more when I gave myself permission to go a lot slower. The Japanese running video really helped me. People get hung up on the stats but it all depends on your age and fitness level, so you can’t really compare,. You could challenge yourself to go slower - might make you more enthusiastic if you can really do one of your next runs without feeling at all tired? You say you go super slow, but 4 k is a lot further than many people run at this stage...
I do wonder whether I can go slower as I feel I am going slow and wonder if I can walk quicker but I will give this a go and like you say give myself permission to go slower. I think I should start slower and this may be why I feel like I am super tired towards the end.
I have seen the Japanese running video and I did learn to run on the ball of my foot from this which helped (I was getting pins and needles in my feet after about 15 minutes and they seem to have stopped).
I am also going to focus on completing the 30mins and not worry about the distance. Its hard as Laura in your ear starts saying to focus on distance not speed which is fine but I have started this off hoping to get to 5k but now realising this isn't actually the factor but to just be able to jog continuously for that period of time. More stamina than anything else.
I'm new to all this - just finished week 4. But I have to tall you that when you say in your post - 'I prob did less than 4K', I just thought what a fantastic achievement, to do that much running! I'm not anywhere near doing 4k. So, maybe try telling yourself what you are doing right, instead of what you are doing wrong??!! Good luck.
Thank you CressidaB 😊 I realise now how that may have sounded too 😬 I looked back at my first run
Weird as I replied in the post above yours that actually distance isn't the factor (despite it being called couchto5k) which maybe I was getting a little hung up about.
You too will get there I promise. I was having a proper negative moment yesterday but it has been ongoing since about week 6. I knew this wonderful forum would help and you all have certainly done that. It still feels like so near yet so far but as others have said, I just need to dig a little deep and get this done as the positives for me are so much more than the negatives.
First of all - Well done! You might not think so but you’re doing great. Some runs are enjoyable, others are just damn hard work and pushing yourself through those is an achievement in itself. DO NOT worry about your pace or the distance you’ve covered. Go as slow as you need to. If you’ve finished wk8 you’ve definitely got this. Those enjoyable runs will come.
Thank you Tig40 such a reassuring post thank you. I am going to slow it down despite thinking I am slow as it is ...this I hope will help me in this next batch...I can almost smell the finish line now 😅
Hey just looked at your stats and you shld be flippin pleased!! You burn over 400 cals! Admittedly I only time my run bits not the walks but I only burn around 150-170 😢.How is this possible 😩.
Hi Hepsibah - I am probably a lot heavier than you? I think this is why its such flipping hard work and the mental barrier has been kicking in for these longer runs. I also have hills that I have to compete against as well which I hate 😅 I try and avoid them but can't. I also get nervous that I will get to the end and I think this contributes to my heart rate 😂
Hey, well respect to you for doing hills! I am totally able to avoid them and do 😆. Plenty of time for that nonsense after graduation. I'm no skinny Lizzie, but am just shuffling along. My HR is off the scale, I'm sure the stats are a bit screwy LOL. Anyway try not to give in, I don't think you quite realise what you are achieving. Good Luck.
Hi there! First off YOU CAN DO IT! You've already done the hardest part, which is starting and then continuing. The last week is the easiest and for the greatest gain which is completing.
I finished c25k three years ago and have kept up the running, although I've had some injuries and days when I really just did not want to go, i try to run three times a week. To be honest with you, there are days I still don't like it, and there haven't been that many times when I absolutely LOVE it, but I do like the feeling when I've finished, when I can come home and tick it off the list.
Thank you Crolla wow 3 years ago and still running as well. Its reassuring to hear what you say too. Its the feeling at the end that keeps you going by the sounds of it. As others have kindly reminded, I need to focus on the why I started and carry on with that.
Yesterday was particularly trying for me and I think I had hoped the positive strands would kick in for me as I have not had the best of runs recently (despite now seeing that I did them, i continued to do them and here I am).
Proud of you for continuing after the initial couchto5k especially with injuries and those niggles of thought that get us all at times and you continue to run 3x a week 🙌No excuses as they say!
Well done you on getting this far, but if you're not enjoying it then don't force it! Maybe give yourself a break for a week or two, and then repeat weeks 5 and 6 (as they shake things up a bit ;)) In the meantime you could try some short brisk walks to maintain your activity level, then you might find that you really want to start running again.
I graduated about 9 months ago and even now I find there are occasions when I'm not really looking forward to going out but once I start running I feel good and when I've finished I do feel a lot better mentally - as well as smugly virtuous that I did it!
I think everyone's given good advice; just don't beat yourself up about how you feel AT THE MOMENT.
Thank you Yellow1965 I certainly did that in earlier runs with repeating a day here and there.
I do walk everywhere and that's how I started to run (often late everywhere rushing about) 😂
I am at just over 11k steps already at 4pm (and I work from home as well) so its not that I will sit back down as it were...I am quite active. I just find running non stop for 30mins a real challenge of the mind at the mo. I know I can do it as I have done it before its just a bit of a mental barrier which I need to sort. As another poster put about having a word with myself which is true too😂
I hear you though about not forcing it and this I will also be mindful of along with listening to my body as I can get quite tired at times (inflammation, diabetes etc). I believe there is a balance of resting and not leaving it toooo long between runs to build up stamina etc.
Thank you for your guidance and support its much appreciated 😊
You have achieved so much already and only have 1 week of the program to graduate. Of course you can do it. Go and get your graduation badge. You deserve it.
As people have said, speed isn't important. Go as slow as you need to. This way you can enjoy it more.
Did I want to get up at 5.30am this morning to run? Nope. Am I glad I did? Yes. The after run sense of achievement is what I am getting addicted to. Plus the weight loss, plus the improved fitness.
Go for it. We are all here to support you to the finish line.
Wow 0530 that I am sure of I won't be doing.....i am not an early bird whatsoever. Well done though and I see the focus is the positive of outweighing the negative works. I need to keep this in my mind when those demons kick in.
I am going to go slower on the next run...I feel I am slow but may be I am not.
Hmm I am now wondering if I am slow from other posts too. I am going to see if I can tone it down more as mentally I guess I feel slow but maybe I can go slower. I will give it a go 🐌
Re symptoms - I don't get out of breath as I do find I get into a breathing rhythm. Sometimes I wonder if I need water to hand all the time (I don't always run with water and when I don't I invariably want it 🙄) as I do get thirsty. My legs can feel heavy and wobbly at the end - my namesake in particular of the scrambled legs variety 😂 I have found I need to stretch more now afterwards and that I am now making sure I do as a matter of routine.
Mentally I feel I argue with myself 😂 One minute I'm saying I've got this, I can do this, then the other niggle pops in saying its a long way to go, have a rest, you can't do this. It goes on for most of the run. Its perhaps the last 5 minutes I can shift the negative and say I am not giving up now I have got this far.
Overall its interesting the mindset and in that regard I am being pushed and learning about myself too.
Ha ha! The demons telling you its a long way etc. You are not alone. I have those demons too. Its just a mental battle to beat them and you have done that to get where you are now.
Just enjoy those last five minutes and the sense of achievement afterwards and stick your fingers up to those demons each time you beat them
Rather than taking water with you, have a small drink (250ml/half a pint) just before setting out. You won't need more than that for a half hour session. Have another drink immediately after getting home.
If your legs are feeling heavy you might not be drinking enough during the rest of the day. An average of about 2.5 litres is a good idea, possibly more if the weather is hot or you've done a long period of exercise.
I will do this. I would rather not run with water if I can help it. I definitely could up my water during the day in any case and with running too have now even more of a reason to do so 💦
me again! When you run do you have music or audiobook to listen to? Only because if you are concentrating on something else then the demons might not disturb you 😉
I know I've said this before in other comments, but when I did C25K Sanj told me to have faith in the programme and faith in myself, and that REALLY helped. I just repeated it a few times in my head as I set off on the warm up walk, then again just before I started running.
Hi Yellow1965 … I do listen to music on my jogs but i have been finding I count down the music rather than enjoying the music or the run. Sometimes the music can be quieter than the comments in my head no matter how loud the playlist is. Also my headphones only have one ear working so I borrow my parters ear phones. They’re rubbish for my ears so I spend most of my run fiddling with the bloomin’ ear pieces. May treat myself when I graduate 🏃🏻♀️🤔🏃🏻♀️🎧 but equally hasn’t helped me with the longer runs on top.
Another poster mentioned about audio books or podcasts so I may give this a go for a change and just see how I go. So I listen to something different. I do have an Ant Middleton book I listen to on the school run so if that doesn’t help I don’t know what will… ‘positivity’ gets mentioned every other minute 😂
And yes…linking positive mindset to have faith in myself and tell myself that too will keep the negative at bay 🙌
thank you again and as the advert goes every little (in this case suggestions and tips) helps 😊
Dear Scrambled legs, can you do it? - Yes! I would back you if you were a horse judging by your form, ie, how far you have come! Sorry to liken you to one of our equine friends, but just trying to draw your attention to what we can all see.It's the anxious demons that we all battle, but they don't have the final say, you do.
Try not to build it up to more than what it is, it's just a walk/run in the park, or wherever it is you run. It's your call, you don't have to do it but you want to do it so go grab it!
I will also be very interested in reading your '' I've done it!" post. I was dubious at first being a Senior runner with arthritic lower back and am currently running 6k+ regularly
Best wishes ☺️
PS anyone with the wit and creativity for coming up with a user name on a running forum of 'Scrambledlegs', has hidden talent in my book😉
My other half last night said this to me too that I am building it up to be something more than it is. A long convo then took place in turn.
To be fair I have done exactly that and childhood horrors of skipping the cross country class came out in what felt like a therapy session 😂 I think there are many of us that are scarred from school days!
Super impressed you run 6k regularly too with arthritis...you may have read in my profile but this time last year I was diagnosed with an autoimmune arthritis type disease which battered my confidence and it was with this I came out the other side and I walked, weight trained and recently started to run so it has been a long journey overall.
Thank you for your kind words and support. Re "scrambled legs" this is how I feel when running 😆 Plus I love eggs too of the scrambled variety 🙌
Forget about stats. Stats really, really, really don't matter.
You are sadly in the throes of the final mental battle. Those of us that have our very own little in-house non cheering non supportive audience. W8 is tough. There's less app support, the runs feel very samey, a little bit drudgey. The crowd knows this and they've seen the opportunity for one final push; ah ha, now's our chance to stop this madness, this new fitness thing, to get back on the couch and retake control! Who does this.... person think they are, thinking THEY are in control, WE are in control here!! And if you let them, they will win and you'll be right back on that couch, attached to the remote control, and back under control.
Keep it up, get through w9 and do this thing, stay the course! Once completed, if it's really not for you, rethink then but do not give up now in the final stretch!! Keep control and kick those whining, whingeing gremlins to the kerb! 💪🏻👍🏻😁
Love this...soooo true and you are so right. I defo need to kick those gremlins to the kerb and I don't ever want to go back to the couch in that regard - thank you for your wise words and thank you 🙌😀
It's because it's new and to finish is to enter a whole new world outside the newly found comfort zone. Trust me, I know! You'll be OK. Once the main battle is over then you can deal with the next steps. 👍🏻😁
Yes you are right about your analogy with medicine with running. The advantages for me on a personal level definitely outweigh the negatives which everyone has said and helped to remind me of this too.
Sometimes its easy to lose our way - thank you for your kind words 😊
Love the name by the way!I know how you feel your mind can talk you out of what you are capable of achieving think about how far you have come you can do this, believe it! Go get it!
Thank you Late2theparty-again I have been reminding myself of this as once upon a time running for 1 minute felt like a huge achievement and challenge plus that run 5 week 3 I was super chuffed with. I think I have forgotten how far I have come and yes just got to dig deep and get it 😅 😊
I keep reading and retreading this 😂 hence late reply. Its puzzled me a little. In part I think I understand what you are saying despite believing this to be my mental battle of my brain overall. I do have medical stuff which can affect me and I will zone in on the next run to see perhaps if that is the case. I think I get so used to ‘pain’ it’s just the norm. Thank you for your guidance 😊
I know I'm coming in a bit late but I was thinking about the water - did you know it can really help if you drink plenty of water the day before a run? Strange but true! Apart from that, you've so got this! 💪
I didn’t know this and all these tips are amazing. think I just need to increase my water overall as I have always been a bit lacking. Thank you and I just have 1 run to go now before I graduate 😅
You absolutely CAN do it :)It just takes time and sticking with it.
It took me about 14 weeks to graduate, I have never cracked 5k in 30 minutes in the five years since - but I've gone from earnestly wishing I could run three tenths of a mile without having to stop to where I'm currently training for my second Full Marathon.
Keep it slow, keep it steady - and keep it fun on at least some level. Thats what gets results imho
Thank you Irish-John - I have just 1 run to go now which is quite an exciting feeling. I hear you slow and steady and I think this has helped me the most.
And wow just wow for marathon number two 🙌🙌. It’s so reassuring to hear others journeys along the way and thank you for your kind words ☺️
But… YOU ARE DOING IT!! You’re doing great don’t give up. I felt this way in week 7 but I slowed down my pace by a lot and found I was enjoying it more and feeling more in control of whether I was going to finish it without being too tired. So by week 8 I was back on track and I could easily run further on each run. So I ended up doing 3 x 30 minute runs that week. So I’m just repeating that for week 9.
I’m guessing those times include your warm up and cool down so you could probably go a little bit slower. I don’t track my warm up and cool down and my pace is around 9.15 per km so in 30 minutes I do 3.26km and I enjoy it much more now and feel more positive about it.
Hi AdrenalDaisy thank you and apologies I’ve just seen this message. I’m pleased to say I’ve just today finished my week 9 run 3 run and what a feeling. I did run a lot slower the last 3 runs than I ever have before and have to say it felt much better, not easy, but better.
Yes the times incl the walking 10mins either end so I prob cover about 1km in that time to be fair. I’m a long way from 5km but that doesn’t matter as I can work on that.
Sounds like you too will be a July graduate if not already…good luck in return and see you in the July graduate class 👩🏻🎓😃
Hey. Well done. That’s amazing. Glad it’s feeling better. That’s exactly what I’d say too. Better but certainly not easy.
Yeah I graduated today but these last three runs I managed 32 minutes and 3.5k but I was going uphill for the last bit or I think I could’ve done longer. I need to look for a better route.
What’re your plans to keep going/progressing?
I’m considering picking up the 10K next. Might not hit 10K but would be good to run for an hour.
I am struggling with week 7, same sort of thing. Totally stuck on it, going so slow my brisk walk is quicker. If I wasn't doing this with a friend I would have jacked this in already. Have you anyone who might run with you to keep you going?
Hi Hidden apologies I’ve just read this. I don’t really have anyone to go with. More of a logistical thing and time factors juggling life etc. I do quite like the solidarity or running and the freedom of being able to take off when I like. I have today just graduated and what I can hopefully pass on is “stuck with it”. It’s such an achievement when u finish and going slow is key. It’s taken me longer than 9 wks and I have not reached 5k but it’s a start and as others have said to remind yourself how far you have come matters. Stick with it and as Sherlock once said “when I say run…run” 😃
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Completed C25K, it didn’t feel like I thought it would...
Every feel like giving up?
I DID IT! Just finished run 3 week 9! 
I can and I will do it!!
W4 R1 completed... and I enjoyed it!!?
