I completed week 8 two weeks ago and my motivation, enthusiasm for the programme has completely disappeared and I am unable to continue. Of course physically I am but psychologically I have shut down. I know I just need to do it, but I literally cannot get out of bed. I put my running gear on, I even bought new trainers. It’s not the cold as it’s not cold, it’s not the light as it’s light,
I did find week 8 long (time wise and I was wishing the minutes away) but not a struggle. I am thinking maybe return to week 6 and build up again.
Any suggestions, stories of how you overcame similar psychological blocks would be appreciated.
Thanks
Maddy
Written by
Helein
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
18 Replies
•
Maddy you know you can do this, it's within you 👍,
All I'd say is believe in yourself, it takes time to beat and banish those demons that try and scupper our plans... But you will and can.
Get that kit laid out and take it one step at a time..... Good luck
Only one person will make you complete the plan. Only one person will stop you.
If you are happy running W6 then that is great exercise and better than lying in bed.
You may find distraction helpful, so that the last things you think about are time and the physicality of running. If music doesn't do it, try podcasts or audiobooks. I used to give myself a running commentary on everything that I could see, hear, feel and smell as I ran, in full florid sentences.
Slowing down to the recommended easy conversational pace makes it more achievable and for most, more enjoyable.
Counterintuitively, it is easy conversational pace running that builds your stamina and endurance, not fast running.
You've done so well and it sounds as though you want to continue, or you wouldn't be posting.I wonder if, now you're at the stage of the longer runs, whether than rather thinking about it as a run, thinking of it as an opportunity to get sone fresh air outside might help? So concentrating on it as an 'outing' and choosing a new route might help.? Remember how good some of those runs made you feel. No one ever regrets a run!
Hi Helein , we all get gremlins from time to time, that's normal, and they can be overcome. How you vanquish them isn't necessarily the same for everyone, though!
For me, I'd need to change things so that the final few runs didn't feel like such a chore. You say you were wishing the minutes away - if that was down to boredom, or simply having that little voice in your head going "I'm not enjoying this, why am I doing it" then it might help to break the run down mentally into smaller blocks. Or focus on something outside the run, whether that's people spotting, reading street names or counting cows! (I live in a very rural area so only the third would ever be feasible.) You could also try changing where to run, what to listen to (music, audio book, podcasts, nothing) what to look at, or when to run.
I can certainly relate to your sentence "I know I just need to do it, but I literally cannot get out of bed." In my case that's down to paralysis by analysis - I build something up into such a huge issue that it feels impossible, when in reality it's actually do-able.
By the time I'd completed Week 8 I was pretty confident I'd complete Week 9, but the keennness had worn off. It was beginning to dawn on me that there was life beyond C25K, and that it was up to me what happened then. That was something I found really quite scary. The thought of running 30 minutes three times a week did not appeal. There again, neither did thinking I'd done all the programme for nothing.
18 months on from starting C25K, I still don't run 30 minutes three times a week. I mostly - though not always - run a lot more! Turned out that I like muddy trails, and hills, and long distances, and personal challenges. Routine, speed and competing against others do nothing for me. Nor does training - I run for fun, not to perform, nor as a duty. That's only my experience though; yours will be different, and your running is your choice.
Whatever you choose to do, though, don't leave it too long. You will start to lose fitness after a couple of weeks' break, so you'll make it easier on yourself if you get back into it sooner rather than later. Good luck!
Thank you. What you’ve said makes sense and interestingly my new worry is my fitness level and my internal critic has started berating me for losing fitness. It’s never ending ☹️. Thank you! I appreciate your reply.
I absolutely understand and I'm having similar issues myself. I graduated c25k in 2018 and then ran more and more confidently for longer and longer times settling on an unchallenging but happy 45 mins 3 times s week. I then tried to increase my speed, big mistake, which led to a series of falls. In Feb 2020 I hurt a tendon by trying to run too far after a break to recover from a fall, and l couldn't start again until Dec 2020. I did the c25k again from Dec 2020 until July 21 hating every minute and struggling to motivate myself, now I'm over weight fed up and haven't run since September.. every day I tell myself I'll do it in the morning, but every morning I'm just too tired and shattered from the day before. Annoyingly I'm sure if I could get going again I would feel better.. it's that first step I can't do . 🥺
Having completely lost motivation after injury and having a whole 6 month break, I just woke up one morning and decided to run! Remembering the highs I got from running and the advdntures I had did it for me.Each run is an adventure. Framing it like this keeps it going! Maybe that's one way to think about it?
You are almost there !I bet you can see the finish line from there!
25 days ago you posted that anothe runner waived to you and you waived back and this encouraged you to run to the end !
Well, guess what ! There are 121000 + members on this forum and all the ones that have seen your post will also be waiving you on 😁👋👋👋
So let's see you wave back by running to the end and completing the program !
As already mentioned , remember why you started this !
I notice from your profile that you joined the forum 6 years ago !
Well, something has kept you coming back ! 😁
You also have a Graduate badge and I notice you also ran your first 5K six years ago so we all know you can do this, so you can do it again and we are all here cheering you on !
I also really miss listening to Michael Johnson. His voice was just what I needed in the morning. Denise is ok, but I miss my handsome male co-runner, if I wavered in my motivation, my inner voice would whisper ...Michael's waiting!!
Lots of really great advice in response your post, thanks for asking it I've learnt some great tips for myself reading the responses. Here's my little bit of input hope it helps in some way. When I started c25k I was chatting to a friend of mine that started running a few years ago and is now great runner, he also swims and has recently bought a bike as well! He's really fit, but he says that from time to time he doesn't want to go out and run, on those occasions he gets his gear on and tells himself that he's just going to go for a walk and only run if he feels like it. If he doesn't decide to run, then no biggie because he's still got some fresh air. He doesn't say if this process ends up in a run more often then not because he does it fit himself only, in other words you don't have to tell anyone if you end up going for a breath of fresh air and don't end up running, it's still good for you to go for the little walk. Hopefully that makes sense. Good luck with it, most of us, if not all face these internal battles. Your not the only one and we are all supporting you 🙌
Come on Helein you can do this, we all have dips and gremlins - mine sit on my shoulder telling me all sorts of negative nasties but they’re not real it’s just in my head but I know that when I’ve run I defeat them.The same as everyone has said you need to mix it up listen to a podcast, the radio or something you enjoy. Some days just marvel at the World around you and know that you are doing the best thing for your body and mind just being outdoors and moving. Good luck just do it
Hi John,Well I wasn’t, and hadn’t even realised. I think I fell into a bit of a low mood/mild depression and hadn’t realised. I ran yesterday, Week 9 Run 1 (which was great) and I have just returned from an hours walk along the beach. I am hoping to run/walk every day as it makes a huge difference to my mental health.
A follow up to my original post:Thank you for all your replies and encouragement. I hadn’t realised, but I think I fell into a period of low mood/mild depression. Yesterday morning I got up early and went for a run. I was going to start at week 6 again but decided to see what happened and hit Week 9 Run 1 and off I went… and I completed it!
Thank you once again and see you all at the finish line very shortly.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Need to push myself 😭
1st Park Run - teetering on the brink - I think I need a push!
Help! What's happening? Need a kick push or something to find my motivation.
The final push! Who's with me?
Don’t push too hard!!
