Why is W5R3 such a 'big' jump, you may ask ...

[John_W]

It's a frequently asked question.

A big clue as to how W5R3 works, can be found in this slightly-similar-to-C25K 9-week 'return-to-run' protocol (Week 10 is 3x 30 minutes), for anyone who's maybe coming back from injury and lost a lot of conditioning. Like me

See if you can spot that big clue. Answers not on a postcard, but via reply below

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Hi John, I think after 9 hours with no reply to your question "can you spot that big clue"? I think you should tell us, no one seems to know, maybe someone may know later this evening, it seems to be something to do with run 3 of week 5.???

[John_W Graduate]

OK ... AlMorr seeing as you asked and no-one else has replied.

At first glance, a C25K beginner may look at this table and wonder 'why such a massive jump in Week9 of 4m:30 to then running 30 minutes in Week 10. A bit like the infamous, but actually non-existent jump to 20 minutes in W5R3.

But closer at the table. It's 6 sets of the specified running time. So Week 9 runs are actually 6x 4:30 ... which is 27 minutes of running, with some short 30 second breaks.

From a purely physical fitness point of view, the difference between running 6x 4m:30 and 30 minutes continuous is negligible. The physio who's put it together has the utmost confidence and experience to know that after running 6x 4:30, 3 times in week, then you are more than ready to transition to 30 minutes with no breaks the following week.

Now then .... W5R3

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thanks for that information John_W.

[Chillipeppers1]

My next run is wk5 r3 so this is perfect timing, I think it’s the psychological stretch of running for 8 mins then a walk in the middle before you’re off again for another 8 in r2 whereas I know for r3 I have no wee walk in the middle to look forward to, atm I’m excited for r3 and not dreading it all, this may well be false optimism we shall see how I get on on Friday morning 😀

[nowster Graduate in reply to Chillipeppers1]

The psychological trick is to put this weird run progression in week 5 to distract you from the slog that is week 4.