Week Five 1st 20 minute Continuous... - Couch to 5K

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Week Five 1st 20 minute Continuous...

MJToker profile image
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Last run of week five tonight and the 1st time running more than 8 minutes. 20 is a bit of a jump and I'm both nervous and excited by it! fingers crossed!

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MJToker
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Annieapple profile image
AnnieappleAdministratorGraduate

🍏Well done for getting thus far!! You are ready for this … each previous run has scientifically prepared you to run this next one… don’t overthink it… my mantra at the time was.. This is what I am here to do, RUN.. I think out of all the runs it’s very special because the penny drops that you are really a runner! Enjoy it! Nail it .. start at snail pace and find a rhythm that feels comfortable… let us know!!

Congratulations MJ - keep up the great work! I'm just one run ahead of you, as I did the 20 minutes on Wednesday. I tossed and turned the night before...and woke up in a right old state of nerves. But I took it very gently and slowly with some great music and a podcast to listen to...with Denise Lewis encouraging me all the way. Oddly, it wasn't anything like the insurmountable barrier I had built up in my mind. In fact, I've just done the next run, which appears to be taking a step backwards but is, in fact, a consolidation....and that run was harder than the 20 minutes one, because of a sense of anticlimax. You're doing brilliantly - let us know how the 20 minutes goes.

John_W profile image
John_WGraduate

Here's the point ... You are PHYSICALLY prepared and ready for it. But the brain doesn't quite realise it.

You've built up over 2.5 hours of running in your legs across 14 runs

In the last 5 outings you've run:

W4R1 - 16 mins in total

W4R2 - 16 mins in total

W4R3 - 16 mins in total

W5R1 - 15 mins in total

W5R2 - 16 mins in total

so 20 continuous minutes should (and will ) be perfectly doable.

- and yes, it's that TOTAL running time that builds your fitness and it accumulates with every outing.

So while your brain may look at 20 mins and think "eek!" , actually, your body is more than ready.

Just take it nice and easy (JOG!) and you'll be absolutely fine and probably, pleasantly surprised.

Crack on! 😎

Runafterbabies profile image
Runafterbabies

fantastic getting to this stage. I had been dreading that run from the very start of the journey. I only did this 2 runs ago. I ran it very slowly but still felt like a huge accomplishment.

Keep going!

MJToker profile image
MJToker

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement! Had a bumpy weekend trying to fit it in but managed to get out early doors on Sunday morning and found it much easier than I thought I would. Nice little rhythm, consistent pace. Happy days :) Really looking forward to the longer ruins now,

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