week 4 head wreck!: So after finishing week 3 on... - Couch to 5K

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week 4 head wreck!

Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52Graduate
12 Replies

So after finishing week 3 on a high I spent the whole weekend wittering and fretting! Week4 seems such a leap and come Monday morning I had convinced myself I was gonna fail. Even considered redoing w3 just to get some confidence! But I thought, what the hell - go for it, if I can’t complete the 5min blocks It still counts as getting out and off your arse doesn’t it? Took it slowly and managed to get to the half way mark, then considered anything more than that is a win in my book, but amazingly I finished it! When the lovely jo Wiley told me I was half way through the last run there was no way I was giving up, think I finished through sheer stubbornness in the end! I’m not gonna b breaking any speed records but the buzz I got after was amazing. I was proper strutting around like a proud peacock all day 🤣. Week 4 run 2 tomorrow - still nervous but weirdly looking forward to it. Think I’m becoming a convert to this running lark!

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Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52
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12 Replies
Bluemerlegirl profile image
BluemerlegirlGraduate

I hope your Day 2 goes well for you!! Try not to spend too much time in your head fretting over it, you want your run days to be something you look forward to 😊. And if you feel like repeating a week, I say go ahead! I’m on week 3 and I have yet to spend just a week on any of them! 😂. I’m more like Month 2 Week 3 😂

Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52Graduate in reply toBluemerlegirl

thankyou and yes! I am under no illusions as to how long this will take me but quite prepared to repeat weeks if necessary. Good luck to you too x

MissUnderstanding profile image
MissUnderstandingAdministratorOn a breakGraduate

Absolutely brilliant. You deserve to be so pleased of yourself after getting through that run. Strut around with pride!

Running is not just physically challenging. At times, the mental challenge is harder than the physical one. You’ve found some great strategies to talk yourself through it. My key one is the same as yours-just start and it’s totally ok to cut short if I need to. “What’s the worst that can happen?” is a good question to ask. No runs are failures so maybe I’ll start and not finish. Then it’s just a practice run for next time. Just give it a go!

Massive well done to you. Now you know you’ve got that mental toughness in you, you can draw on it if the gremlins strike again. 🏃‍♀️❤️💪

Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52Graduate in reply toMissUnderstanding

thank you for your support - now I’ve done it once the second run doesn’t seem so scary

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Well done you.

Please try not to overthink your runs... I know that can be tricky, but you need to trust the programme.

Plan your route, set out your gear, and then , when you get out, try to relax into the runs. Every run, every week follows on in a structured way, taking your forwards slowly and gently. As you run, your body gets used to this gentle progression.

Trust the plan , have confidence on yourself and KNOW, you can do this:) Slow and steady and enjoy!

Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52Graduate in reply toOldfloss

yes your right - the programme has got me this far already and after my run today I will be officially half way through!

Cmoi profile image
CmoiGraduate

Hi   Lozza52 , welcome, and well done on your progress so far! Week 4 is indeed an increase over week 3.

Do take a look at this How to run C25K post - healthunlocked.com/couchto5... if you haven't already, as there's lots of useful information in it.

Taking all your runs at a comfortable, conversational pace is the way to go. Not just in week 4, but throughout the programme.

You might also like to read this post on mental attitude to running - healthunlocked.com/couchto5... We all get attacks of the gremlins at times, and the more you can believe in yourself, the easier it is to dispel them!

Enjoy C25K!

BahamaMama1 profile image
BahamaMama1Graduate

I am in exactly the same place. This morning I even made it out in the snow ❄️

Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52Graduate in reply toBahamaMama1

that’s brilliant- very hardcore. Nice to know I’m not the only one struggling with doubts ! C’mon - we’ve got this! 💪

Lozza52 profile image
Lozza52Graduate

well I done it, and although it was hard and I was blowing out me arse for the final 5, I’m sure that it wasn’t as hard as Mondays one! Feeling pretty smug at the mo 😇

MissUnderstanding profile image
MissUnderstandingAdministratorOn a breakGraduate in reply toLozza52

Congratulations on another great run! You’re making a bit of a habit of it. 🏃‍♀️💪❤️

I wonder whether your pace might have crept up towards the end? That’s such a common thing to happen. It’s totally fine (good in fact!) to slow down until you’re back at that conversational pace where you can speak in full sentences out loud. That’s just something to think about next time.

Enjoy your well earned recovery day!

anu75 profile image
anu75

I started on week 4 this week and yes it is a big leap. I shall be staying at week 4 with repeat runs for another few weeks until my body can easily do it before moving to week 5. Good luck! I find a good plat list helps too

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