Hi. I have just finished w2 and had a peek at w3. I really struggled to run 90secs and wondering how I can be expected to suddenly run for 3 minutes. I figured i would just try and to make it for 3 minutes and keep repeating w3r1 until I can run the full 3 minutes before moving on to w3r2. Any tips and advice would be appreciated please.
Thanks
you can either be scared of this week and every week that follows or embrace a tried and tested programme that has taken many thousands of people from non runners to running for 30 minutes.
Just slow down if you need to, and if you don’t make it, put it down as a practice. Have you read the guide to the plan? It’s under pinned posts. Lots of good advice there.
Thank you, I will have a read. I am determined to do it but it will definitely not take me 9 weeks to complete.
Bigmoma123 It took me 12 weeks to graduate C25K. There's no shame in repeating part or all of each week if you don't feel confident to move on to the next phase.
Slow and steadywins the "race" as they say. I am and always will be a committed Niko Niko runner - it works for me and so what if other people outpace me, I'm not running for them, I'm running for me 🏃♀️ (BTW, this emoji in no way represents my shuffling style!)
You have got this. Don't put yourself under any undue pressure, just do it at your pace and on your terms 💪
It took me 27 weeks!
"I really struggled to run 90secs ... "
You only ran for 90 seconds? Didn't you do that 6 (SIX!) times? So you actually 'ran' for 9 minutes in total?
(In fact, you ran 90 seconds, 6 times, on 3 separate occasions: W2R1, W2R2 and W2R3 - so that's a total of 27 minutes in Week 2 - well done!)
Do you consider yourself to be 'running' or 'jogging' ?
In what way did you struggle?
Thats a good way to look at it, thank you. I would definitely say more of a jog. I am a larger lady and this is waaaaay out of my comfort zone. jogging for 60 seconds is hard but doable. jogging for 90 seconds required more recovery time. jogging fir 3 minutes seems unachievable and such a big leap from 90 seconds.
OK - but you still haven't told me in what way you're struggling. Are you out of breath at the end of the 60 or 90 sec segments?
As for the 3 minute segments ...
Week 1 sessions consist of a TOTAL of 8 minutes jogging (8 times 1 minute) - with 1 minute recoveries in-between
Week 2 sessions consist of a TOTAL of 9 minutes jogging (6 times 90 seconds) - with 2 minute (double!) recoveries in-between
Week 3 sessions consist of a TOTAL of 9 (yes 9 again) minutes (3 times 3 minutes) and... here's the GOOD news.... the total length of the Week 3 sessions (including all the walking breaks) are the shortest in the whole program - a bit odd, but actually true.
- the Week 3 walking break recoveries are 90 seconds after the 90 second jogs, and 3 minutes after the 3 minute jogs - so you should be ok provided that ...
... you go SLOW AND EASY! Just make sure that when you are JOGGING, you going slow enough that you can easily chat if you had to. If this means slower than your brisk walk, that is fine - don't worry.
NOTHING to fear or be scared of - what's the worst that can happen!
ENJOY!!
🍏Welcome to our Forum Bigmoma123 Well done on getting to Week 3. Every run you do has a wee challenge but you are well prepared by completing the previous runs. Remember your goal is to become a runner. You can never ever fail a run! If you don’t finish it you put it down as a practice run & you repeat it. There is no race or time frame! Relax, smile & know we are here to support you all the way. There are some keys things that will build your confidence.
Do you have proper trainers from a good sports shop? It pays to get a gait analysis.
Are you running slowly, very slowly so you can breathe normally and hold a conversation?
Drinking water every day and keeping yourself hydrated is vital.
Read the FAQ
Let us know how you get on! ☺️
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Thank you for thr advice. I probably do need to invest in some good trainers.
Hello and welcome... Annieapple has given you some great advice... slow and steady, trust the plan, have confidence, in yourself and enjoy ! x
Thank you. I will keep going.
I would just say go for it, you’re capable than more than you think! You can take it as slow as you like!
Also, if you did really struggle with week 2, there’s no harm going back over week 2 again until you feel a bit better!
I believe in you, give week 3 a go!
So right... slow and steady ?
Slow and steady
I didn't think to repeat the weeks. I guess I thought that I had to follow the weekly plan exactly. I will repeat week 2 and see if it becomes easier before moving on. Thank you
This slow and steady advice is massive. I did W4R2 yesterday. I do really feel it!! But, I am very consciously keeping a slow pace - otherwise I wouldn't complete it - and whereas once I'd have felt a bit embarrassed by it, now I embrace it as the tool that'll get me to the end. I say a long sentence to myself several times throughout the run parts, without taking a breath during that sentence, to make sure my pace is right. You're building stamina and doing great. Well done. 😊
Thank you, stamina is a big issue for me. I have started listening to a podcast whilst doing it to try to distract me and to focus on my breathing too. Slow and steady, no need to rush the process.
Yeah, I find the podcast really helpful. 😘
You are doing well too. No need to be embarrassed! Marathon runners embrace slow running as part of their training and part of their race plan! Slow is good.. it gets you to the end, as you so rightly said! Well done! ☺️
Hi Bigmoma123. I went through these feelings when I started out almost 6 years ago. I wasn’t fit, I hadn’t run for years, I was 66 ….and so on. I ran all of the initial runs as slowly as I could…and it just worked. It was a while, probably the end of week 6, before I felt a bit of confidence at the start of each run. You are where lots of us were. So just lace up and give it your slowest. It is, in the end, really worth it.🙂
Wow. Thank you, it really helps to remember that every started on the same place. Its a journey and I will keep moving forward.
🙂
I had the same feeling trust me. I was thinking to myself there is no way I will be able to do. I got myself into such a negative mindset and thinking it's too much of a push. I repeated week one twice and week two twice aswell and then I braved myself going for week three and I did it. It was such an achievement for me afterwards. During the run I count down my runs, so I will go right you finish one and now you have so many left. You are doing brilliantly and will continue to do brilliantly aswell!
I think I know just how you are feeling. I started this two years ago at the age of 60 having avoided running all my life and now it is part of my life. Here are some things that might help or not:
The proper shoes things is worth it. Go to a running proper shop if you can find one and try plenty on. DONT FEEL embarrassed hopefully they will just want to help.
Clothes - this was huge for me - find stuff you feel comfortable in and not self conscious - I still can't wear shorts. Also a sports bra go and get one fitted so it fits not off the internet like I did.
I didn't look at the week ahead on C2K5 as I knew it would throw me. Also I took along time to graduate ( 2 years but lots of stuff happened in between). So take your time and repeat the run until you feel comfortable to move on. The first bit is always the worst.
Finally, here is my son's advice for times of crisis or when I think I am rubbish or everyone is looking at me
" Yeah Mum but you are lapping all the people still sat on their sofas" just repeat and stick with the programme - you can do it.
You could repeat the week you have just done if you don’t feel ready, that is totally fine.
You could also add in an extra week of your own devising at this point (or any point) and eg run a few 90 sec runs with a few 3min runs ( more 3 mins on run3 than on run1 ) to gradually increase your stamina to the point where you feel you can take on the next stage.
You don’t have to complete it all in 9 weeks and you can figure out what works for you. Having said that, if you do feel you can do the 3 mins and are ready to continue with the programme, then trust it and see. You may surprise yourself.
As has been pointed out to me here before , there is a certain impetus and enthusiasm with the programme as you progress, that you want to maintain. Tweak it as necessary but come back to it when you are ready so that you don’t lose that joyous feeling of achievement.
Keep us posted and best wishes.
you really can do this. I was you 3 years ago and my first 60 sec “run” I truly thought I would die. My heart felt like it was trying to escape from my mouth and my head pounded and I thought I would have a stroke. I kept my phone in my hand so I could ring 999. Fortunately none of those things happened and 3 years later 👋 can shuffle round a 5k Parkrun and am 4 stone lighter!
Slowly is the key - try your 3 minutes but if you can only manage 2 or 90 seconds that’s ok; that’s a whole lot better than 0. Just keep repeating runs until you can do a bit more. It took me more like 14 weeks to graduate because I had so many repeats and now some days are easier than others. Go your own way and you will do it
Sounds like you’re doing really well! I’ve started my wk2 and was dreading it but first run was ok. You might find that wk3 is more mind over matter and you’ll smash it but if not I would stick with your plan of repeating the first run until you can complete it. Just take it slow and at a pace you can manage 😊 it doesn’t matter if it takes your longer, think of it that your doing more exercise than you were a few weeks ago.
Hi Bigmoma
My cousin competes in triathlons and Ironman and he gave me the best advice.
If you struggle or don’t feel comfortable with your completed week then just do it again and again if necessary until it feels comfortable. It worked for me.
The fact that you are out there is amazing. I can’t tell you the amount of times I have started this and not ever finished the 9 weeks. In fact I have just started Wk 1 all over again …….
Hello Bigmoma,
I know exactly the feeling, I remember it well. I will tell you my experience and hope that it helps you.
Couch25k does jump suddenly to longer runs and I remember thinking “that’s not gradual at all, how can I manage that?”.
All I can tell you is to try. You will find you can, don’t be intimidated. The alternative is to stop and none of us wants to do that. I did surprise myself that I could actually do it. I went much slower though. I actually went slower than my brisk walk! But it did enable me to get through it. Other people on here advised me of the slow run and it’s importance and not to try to run fast at first.
Don’t be intimidated, your idea of repeating the run you can do until it becomes easier is a good one, that’s what I would suggest.
I have graduated now but I am doing the run’s again after a long break.
Keep going, you are feeling the normal feelings and thinking the normal thoughts that we all have. Good luck 😀
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