week 6 r 3

[Naturebest]

Hi everyone

I’m going out to have another go at this run of 25 mins it’s my 3 rd attempt . First attempt I completed 20 mins then had to stop 2nd attempt managed 12 mins had a break then 5 mins . Not sure what’s going on with me . Im going to go extra slow and make sure I’m hydrated as per advice on here . Has anyone else got stuck on a run before ? I refuse to make it an issues with myself and I am being kind to me holding my hand and saying, it’s okay just enjoy the air and float around the park 😂 wish me luck 😀 Have a great day everyone x

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

I hope you have a great run Naturebest with run 3 of week 6, take it a little slower than you did on the two previous occasions, good luck, once you have completed it running non stop your coach tells you that you are now OFFICIALLY a RUNNER.

[Naturebest in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks AlMoor

[MissUnderstanding Administrator On a break Graduate]

Yes! I’ve psyched myself out with runs before. There’s such a mental side to running that I didn’t expect and it took a while for me to get used to coaching myself through.

The great news is that you’re almost certainly physically ready. You might just need to find some strategies to help when you are tempted to stop. What’s actually happening when you stop?

The first thing to say is that it’s totally ok to listen to your body and cut a run short if you’re not feeling it physically or you just don’t want to continue. There’s no judgement needed-you’re the best coach and doing a systems check to see if it’s better to stop is a good idea. I often do this every quarter of my run. It helps me feel in control.

If you want to continue and you’re fighting doubts, it’s often a good idea to slow right down and keep going for just one more minute, or until you reach a landmark you can see in the distance. Then repeat when you’ve done that! You might find you fall back into a rhythm. I allow myself to have a grump that I’m not enjoying it but I’m stubborn enough to keep running anyway. Breaking up runs helps so for a twenty five minute run, I might be thinking the first ten minutes is always hard so I’ll just take that gently, and then I’m almost halfway so I can get that five minutes sorted, and then once I reach ten minutes to do and I remind myself that I’ve run ten minutes before so I can do it. You can do smaller chunks too-I know many of our runners like that.

If you’re in a bit of a bad run with that run, you could decide to run for fifteen minutes and stop so you are starting from a confident position of having completed a run you set out to do, You may even find you’re feeling so good that you want to carry on for the last ten minutes.

Honestly, this is really common and something we all need to deal with at some point. You’re doing brilliantly and this doesn’t mean you’re not a good runner-you are!

[Naturebest in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks so much for your advice . I didn’t get out today as planned but going to go first thing and follow your advice

[Hidden]

Hi Naturebest - well done so far. MisUnderstanding's advice is brilliant and I warmly recommend it. I actually lost sleep the night before my first 20 minute run but in the morning I look it super-super-slow....just to get over the psychological hurdle of completing it - there's plenty of time later to speed up if you want.

I'm interested by what actually made you stop - were your legs hurting...was your breathing laboured...did you think you were going to have a heart attack? I'm not being facetious - I started C25K a couple of months before my 70th birthday...and completed it last week. In every single run right up until this week, I have been convinced that exercising at this level I'm going to give myself a heart attack or a stroke - and that was a genuine fear.

I did a little audit of all my working parts when I wanted to stop, and I was surprised to find that the feet were ok, the ankles holding up, the knees doing ok, the breathing very deep but not laboured and my heartbeat especially not noticeable. So I concluded that it must be a psychological challenge masquerading as a physical one. Sneaky.

Some of the best advice I received, many times throughout my C25K , was to trust the programme - it's been designed and proven to build us up to what we can achieve - not to drive us over the top. Good luck and keep us posted!

[Naturebest in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for responding maisiesgranny . The reason I stop is I think I can’t take in any more air and my heart is racing . I think it might be a little panic attack . I am going to try the body checks , take it slower and keep reminding myself that I am breathing . I do believe it’s mind over matter for me and I am self doubting . Not giving up . The advice I’ve received on here is so encouraging. Going to re psychologise myself if that’s even a word 😂

[Hidden]

Great word! Bless - I so totally understand....I think I wrote the text book on feeling anxious about running. Having breathing run away with you is a horrible feeling - I would slow everything right right down and concentrate on keeping the breathing as deep and rhythmical as possible. I find that even doing that, I have a bit of a longer gasper every 20 or 30 breaths - but that's OK. My breathing seems to be settling at: breathe in: one foot forward, the other foot forward....breathe out: one foot forward, the other foot forward...and the breaths are quite deep. But I'm sure you'll find your own rhythm. The other trick that helped me every time I convinced myself that my heart was about to give out, was to visualise it getting stronger and stronger. And I now believe it really is!!!