These week 4 runs have felt so tough! My brain is saying to me stop! Give up! I hate running! However I continued to run very slowly.
How I convince myself to continue?
I say do you want to repeat this run?
Nope!
Even the last minute of the last 5 min run I wanted to stop. But I didn't.
I know I should feel happy when completing the runs but the honeymoon phase has worn off. I feel like I'm glad to just have gotten it done and have no feelings towards completing it even though I really want to be happy. I'm just glad it's over! That was so hard! Although I feel better afterwards so that's something positive!
I know it's not going to be easy so onwards and upwards. I am so grateful that I can run and that I can work towards my health.
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Fitness2025
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Well done on completing your run despite not enjoying it!
Here's some good news - you've now completed the week with the greatest week-on-week increase in activity time. What's more, next week your activity time will actually be less than this week.
Also, I assume that you've read the How to run C25k guide, and know that you don't have to run every other day? Two days between runs is absolutely fine. For me personally taking an additional recovery day always works better than pushing myself to do more.
Thank you! I'm glad about the good news. I have just read the positive thinking FAQ. Thanks for sharing it was a great read. I liked how they said not to fear anything and that its ok to repeat runs. And spoke that anything is possible! It's true before couch to 5k I thought I can't even run for 1 min it's impossible but I'm slowly doing it which is a triumph! Thank you!
Hi you’re my target buddy where you go I’m following… one thing I know having started stopped and started again is that there are some runs that are just yucky. And at this time of year it doesn’t help the motivation either.
Honeymoon periods vary between us all and you could just have hit the tough patch for you. The best bit is that you gritted your teeth and carried on and that’s such a fab quality to have.
you’ve already highlighted it is a help to your health and maybe that’s all you need to focus on for now.
I’m with you on this one I’ve taken five years out but those pesky trainers kept on whispering and whilst not every run gives you feelings of elation, you are 4 weeks of running fitter than you were in January. What an achievement…
Hi Jan! Yes we are close! Thank you for your kind words! Yes I will keep thinking when running that it's for my health. Thank you so much! And you've been out for 5 years but you're back and that's amazing! We got this!❤️
p.s if we hide the fact that sometimes it’s rubbish and pretend it’s fine when it’s not this great community can’t rally round, so second well done to you for being honest.
You have done the hard bit on deciding to start this journey, so well done. The first time I did c25k I got stuck on week 4. I repeated it about three times before I felt ready to move on to week 5. I just because it's a 9 week programme doesn't mean you need to do it in 9 weeks. Just keep it up and it will get better.
First of all: well done! And an extra awesome “well done” for running when it feels like a slog. So hopefully you are mightily proud of yourself and that you have an immense boost if feel-good endorphins keeping you smiling for the rest of the day.
I don’t know if there is anything I can say that helps. I somehow was lucky. I started running (unfit, health challenged, overweight) and never stopped running.
But the few sloggy runs taught me what helps me get motivated. So I’ll list some helpers here, and some might help others as well.
Music: I love music and I run to music and this gets me out there. I go so far to create playlists for every type of weather and then it feels the music is a commentary on the condition I have to run through. Here is a post with links to some of my playlists: healthunlocked.com/active10...
Planning: I also love a good plan. C25k is one of the best, but I had plans of routes to tick off, plans for cross training, plans to ‘run the town’, etc etc Once I had a plan, I couldn’t wait to run through it and see if it works. See my post for planning for more slow: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
Reflecting and sharing your experience: you are doing it here, and this also really helped me. Posting and commiting to the next run. I have a fitness diary, and just leafing through my past years of running gives me a great feel-good vibe. So keep posting.
Exploring your neighbourhood through running: I reconnected with my towns forgotten trails, the neighbouring fields wildlife, the little patches of forest like cops. And running through nature is extra nice.
Not sure any of this helps, but finding some joy in the act of running is -I believe - one of the most powerful things to keep going.
And of course many people stay fit without running, so who knows, you might find a sport that gives you just as much fitness but so much more joy. But I’m sure the running will have contributed to that.
Sending you lots of wishes for you to fall in love with running again on your next outings!
Stubbornness, I think, is a characteristic to hang onto when running the plan. Looking back at how tough running for a minute was in week 1 I use as perspective a year later. If your brain says it wants to stop stop realise that you are in charge of your brain, same about those legs, if it's hard to catch your breath ease the pace a bit. Then you just pick up your feet and keep doing that. I refused to abandon my running plan. Harder runs help with pace and attitude. It's just running.
Well done for carrying on. I think it’s all very normal. I’m dragging myself out there today for no particular reason - just not looking forward to it. When I have days like that I liken it to cleaning the oven - horrible but I bask in a glow of satisfaction for the next day or so
Onwards and upwards and 🤞we both feel more positive tomorrow
These are the kinds of runs that we chalk up to 'experience' and look to see if we can identify areas to try to make it better?
New stretches before/after? Are you trying to go too fast? Slow down, it's not a race. The weather definitely doesn't help.
How about a nice reward for getting through Week 4? A new pair of running socks? And a nice reward in the works for getting through Week 5 or a repeat of Week 4.
After week four, week five will feel great. I've completed the programme 3 times and struggled on week 4 every time, so very well done for getting through it 😁 and feeling better after is a huge positive
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Week 4 run 1 done 🏃♂️🏃♂️💦💦
Week 3 - Run 3 - 
Week 9 run 3 finished!!!☺️
Week 5 run 3 done!
Week 3 run 1!!!
