Stepping up

[Archieliam]

I’ve been doing couch to 5k for about 4 months now. I’ve made it to week 5 but have hit a brick wall I’ve had to repeat run 2 of week 5, 6 times , I did try doing run 3 of week 5 but found the step up really hard. Any advice would be appreciated .

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate]

Welcome to the forum! Well done on getting to week 5-that’s great progress, even if you’re feeling a bit stuck.

What happens when you do week 5 run 2? Are you getting out of breath and having to stop? Is it aches and pains? I wonder if after doing it so many times, you might have a bit of a psychological barrier going on. That happens to lots of us!

Many, many new runners go a bit fast and as the run sections get longer, that gets harder to sustain. It’s counter intuitive but you’ll grow your aerobic capacity best at a slower pace where you can speak out loud in full sentences. That is likely to be a fair bit slower than you’re running now. It might seem like a strange change to make but I’d really encourage you to try it. It totally changed the way I ran and over time, it’s actually allowed me to get faster. Rest is really important too so make sure you’re still taking recovery days after all your runs. The other thing I’d do is choose a different run to try next time. Pick one from an earlier week that you enjoyed. Choose music you enjoy. Pick a nice route. Think about hydrating well and eating at a time you know suits your runs. Then you’ll be able to finish the run feeling confident and you’ll be in a far better position to take on a run you’ve been struggling with.

There’s a really helpful guide to the program here…

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

It would be great to know how you get on. Loads of us have been where you are and with a bit of practice and encouragement have managed to find our way through. Really good luck to you. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Archieliam in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks for getting back to me . I have been getting slightly out of breath when doing run 2 of week 5 but I haven’t had to stop I’ve been completing the run. It’s run 3 of week 5 that I’m really struggling with the step from running for 8 minutes non stop to 20 minutes non stop is tough & I don’t feel ready to make the step up yet. I’ll try running slower but I do run really slow at the minute . I’ll take your advice on board

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Archieliam]

There is always slower than slow... You will do this... just think , slow snail on a go slow on a slow day

Trust the plan and believe you can do this

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate in reply to Archieliam]

Sorry, I was confused when you said you’d been repeating run 2 a lot and assumed that was the one that had caused you problems.

Run 3 is a mental step up but your body is ready for it. It might be helpful to think of it like that. When you’ve stopped during that run, what’s caused it? Is it your brain saying you can’t go any further or your body? Our minds are funny things. Mine often tells me that I can’t possible run another step…as I’m running another step. Or that I’m too unfit and I can’t finish my run…as I am fit enough to finish my run! Having strategies to challenge that thinking or distract ourselves is really important. There are some great replies already with suggestions. I chunk up my runs much like  Cmoi does. The first ten minutes I’m always thinking “this is warming up time, slow and patient, it might feel rotten but it will get better”. Then after that, it’s a bit of “middle of the run” tine where I try and enjoy feeling more in my stride. As the end approaches, I like to think things like “only eight minutes to go and you’ve done that loads of times before-you’ve got this”. You’ll be surprised that over time, the “it’s only xxx minutes to go” will grow over time! If I’m still struggling, I slow right down and challenge myself to just get to a landmark in the distance, or keep going for thirty seconds more, or twenty more strides. When I hit that, I’m often feeling a bit better or I challenge myself to do it again,

One thing that might really help to remember that hasn’t been said yet- it isn’t really a step up from 8 minutes to 20 minutes. You ran for 16 minutes during run 2, and you’ve done that many more times than most of us. It’s only four minutes more and you’ve trained your body to be ready for that. You can do it!

[Kirst13 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Also, the first 10 minutes of a run is the hardest. I still struggle at the start of a run, but now (2years on) I know that once I get through that 10 minutes, my body has settled and I can keep plodding on. Slowly. And I just keep reminding myself of that. And also (again!) I repeated a lot of the weeks when I did couch to 5k - not necessarily the best way, but it worked for me and what I did on the repeated weeks was stretch the final run into the cool down walk a little and then keep walking til I'd walked 5 minutes. It worked for my brain, I'm sure my body didn't need it, as the plan is well set out, but I could tell my brain that I'd run a bit longer on the final section, so I was ready to move on.

[Archieliam in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Hi I’m delighted to say I’ve just completed run 3 of week 5 without stopping & it felt fantastic. I did a slow steady pace & broke the run up into 3 sections before I knew it I’d done 15 mins & there was only 5 mins left . Thanks for all your help & advice onto week 6 I go 👍🏻.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate in reply to Archieliam]

That’s such a great update. Congratulations to you on completing the best week of the programme!

Sometimes people unexpectedly struggle with week 6 when it’s back to intervals again. It’s easy to go off a bit fast and run out of puff! I did… Forewarned is forewarned so hopefully you can keep it under control and avoid a wheezy end to your next runs. For now? Celebrate that milestone week 5 run! 🏃‍♀️💪❤️

[Cmoi Graduate]

Hi  Archieliam , in addition to the helpful advice already given by  MissUnderstanding , you might find it useful to read this post about W5R3: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

As you'll see, W5R3 isn't actually the step-up that pretty much all C25Kers initially take it to be. If 20 minutes seems intimidating, maybe try breaking it down mentally into smaller chunks. Each chunk should be do-able and no longer than the previous one. For example, 10 + 6 + 3 + 1 . It's a technique I still use on longer runs - I find it's always easier to get through the immediate chunk then decide to continue, rather than getting concerned about my ability to complete the whole thing.

Three more things: it's perfectly normal for the first few minutes of every run to feel tough. It's called the Toxic Ten: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

As already mentioned, slowing down is absolutely fine. It's better to be jogging comfortably than forcing yourself to go faster and ending up breathless. In any case, we all run at diferent speeds and there's every chance your "slow" is someone else's "fast."

Finally, you're clearly determined, otherwise you wouldn't have continued to repeat runs. So believe in your ability to succeed with the programme, because you can!

[GrumpyOldJogger in reply to Cmoi]

Cmoi, I love your idea of breaking 20 minutes into smaller chunks. So simple, yet it feels a lot more doable. Thanks!

[nowster Graduate]

If you've been doing W5R2 multiple times you are already ready to tackle the next one in the programme. You have to believe in your own abilities and forget the scary numbers.

Just remember not to start off like a March hare, otherwise you'll not have enough energy left at the end.

People talk of a slower easy pace where they feel they "could have run all day". That's the feeling you're aiming for.

[hamit Graduate]

Well done for sticking at it. From me just an amplification of the advice so far.

1. Slow up so you can finish, its not a race, speed comes much later.

2. Can you talk to yourself, a sentence without drawing breath easily while running.

3. Set targets to reach along the run but do not set yourself times.

Slowly go for it and have an Excellent run.

[MatthewR Graduate]

well done getting this far. I e been doing C25K about 3 months. I found I couldn’t shift from rum 3 week 3 - and did it for a whole month! But…. I didn’t want to have an injury and I knew my weight and stamina needed lots of work ( haven’t run for 40 odd years!) I’m through into week 6 now. It was a bit of a psychological barrier to get out of the rut, but you will! My thinking is every 30 minutes out running/walking is building health, strength, stamina and happiness! Slow is fine.

[LottieMW Graduate]

Well done on reaching week 5…please trust the plan. If you’re a little puffed at the end of the run, you’re going too fast. Have you looked at the Japanese Slow Jogging link..

youtu.be/9L2b2khySLE(Not working as expected?)

Embrace your inner snail…you’ll get there! 🐌🐌🐌😊

[Archieliam]

Hi I’ve just completed week 6 & achieved a new pb which I’m delighted about. I felt fine stamina wise but my left foot & calf’s were aching . Any advice to help these aches and pains would be appreciated or is it just part & parcel of running.