W5R3 Complete!

I am beyond happy. For the first five minutes, I struggled to find my rhythm and thought I wasn’t going to make it!

I was gutted when Jo told me I had been running for 5 minutes because I was sure I was at least half way.

Then I remembered the advice about it being ‘mind over matter’ and so, when my body was telling me it was a really bad idea to keep going, I just kept telling myself that I could do it and weirdly, it then became much easier.

By the end of the 20 mins, I felt I could have kept going a bit further.

If I feel this happy now, I can’t imagine how I’m going to feel at the end of W9!! 😄😄😄

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Well done !You'll be smiling all day now 😬

It's a great run to get under your belt !

Take your time with week 6 runs 1 and 2 as going back to Intervals can catch people out !

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

What a great run to have done 😀that one really leaves you buzzing

[Liono Graduate]

Such a great feeling isn't it?! My favourite run so far. Well done, sounds like you smashed it 😊

[Hidden in reply to Liono]

It really is a great feeling! 😊

[BrokeyNotSoBusted Graduate]

Congratulations, it's a milestone run and a real test of how far you've come physically and mentally. Happy for you, well done.

[Jjaggii]

I remember Jo's cruel reminders in the early weeks. Push on and she becomes less annoying!

[Hidden in reply to Jjaggii]

🤣

[Brixcos Graduate in reply to Hidden]

You should have chosen Denise 🤣

[Hidden in reply to Brixcos]

Hindsight! 🤣🤣🤣

[Brixcos Graduate]

Well done on getting that run under your belt! It's the most amazing feeling, savour every minute of it 🥰

[Hidden in reply to Brixcos]

It really is an amazing feeling! Still buzzing 💕

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great job on the huge milestone that is W5R3… I found it a very emotional one. Slow and steady through week 6 and you got this.

[wham71 Graduate]

Hi, I have just completed run 1 week 5. I'm so surprised I could actually run for 5 whole minutes, I also feel amazing. I did the same pushed through. We've got this. 🤛

[Hidden in reply to wham71]

Good luck with the rest of W5! We have definitely got this 😊

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Well done. Mind over matter is only part of it of course: the first ten minutes (or thereabouts) of any run is actually physically harder as well so it’s not all in your mind. Have you heard of the ‘Toxic Ten’?

Mind over matter helps though if you remind yourself that the Toxic Ten is an actual physiological thing and if you get past that first ten minutes your body is back in balance again. The problem is we think ‘I can’t face another 20-30 minutes if this’ and stop. But in fact most of the 20-30 minutes will not be ‘like this’, we just have to get past the Toxic Ten (which can be 5 or 15 for different people, 10 is an average) and it won’t be so hard after that.

Strategies for managing the Toxic Ten include warming up well before the run and starting the run at a slower pace. Those things make it easier but it’ll always be there: just have to remember it’ll get better in a few minutes.

[Hidden in reply to ArthurJG]

Thanks! No I hadn’t heard of the Toxic Ten, so this was interesting to read.