W5R3 done ... and feeling strangely deflated...anyone else??

[Kelh76]

After 5 rest days, I was completely unsure if I could complete this 20 minute run today but motivated myself to just have a go and see how it goes and it went ok - great in fact. Like others, I was feeling the fear but the reality was that I could do it ... although during the last five minutes I was desperate to hear Laura's voice!!

Anyway, I should be on cloud 9... but I feel a bit deflated about it for some reason. Anyone else experienced the same feeling??

I wonder if I am putting myself under too much pressure - I am following the programme religiously and enjoying the challenge, but I still don't feel like a runner (and I'm not entirely sure I ENJOY the actual running...!) Is this normal? Maybe I thought that I would have had the Eureka moment today - but unfortunately it didn't happen.

Any words of wisdom gratefully received.

BTW This is my first post, but I love this forum and think the support, advice and contributions are fantastic. Thanks everyone

[Hidden]

hi there, i must admit i have not felt this before im week 4 r2, whats more important is to look around at everyone else smoking, and stinking the place down, getting drunk ,the tv and papers sometimes make me sick and disgusted to be british, you like me and all the others on here are trying to make a difference thats the thing to hold onto!!!

[MaryAB Graduate]

I felt a bit of an anti-climax when I did the 20 mins, it was the end of week 6 that I felt dead chuffed!

Enjoying running is a tricky one! I'm not sure I like it all that much when I'm actually out there getting going. I often think 'I can't wait to go for a run!' but then when I start i think im gonna die and do not enjoy it. Once you get past that it is worth it, don't forget were still beginners so it will be hard. Once i get past 10 mins I start to relax and do enjoy it.

I love knowing that I've ran further than normal or a bit faster

You should be proud, you've run 20 mins when a few weeks ago you couldn't even run 5 mins! Don't put so much pressure on yourself and remember why you started it in the first place

Mary x

[JayLou]

Hi

Well done for getting this far! Like you, I enjoy the challenge more than the running, however I know that this programme is really working and benefiting my health a great deal, I can't believe the progress I have made and you should feel pretty proud also at how far you have come.

My run today (w6 r1) felt like hard work, I'm putting it down to the over indulgence of the weekend and bad weather, however I did cover more distance today and am looking forward to the next run.

Keep up the hard work!

[Ausencia]

As a beginner runner, I'm learning that you'll have some good days and you'll have some not so good days. But today you went out and ran for 20 minutes, thats 20 minutes that you probably couldn't of done a few months ago.

Turn the deflation into an inflation - a positive

[bonnie68 Graduate]

It got better for me when I started the longer runs after week 6, I really felt like a runner then! (and Laura told me so!) and felt the benefit of all the previous weeks. There will always be challenges ahead and that eureka moment will come...

[AliB1 Graduate]

whilst i was mega chuffed when i completed w5r3 (took 2 goes) looking back on my blogs my real eureka moment was w9r2!!! Yours will come just remember you ran a whole 20 mins and that is a mega achievement. Be proud!!

[Kelh76]

Thanks everybody for your feedback. I'm encouraged to know that it might still happen - just maybe a little later on!

I was speaking to my husband about it last night and explaining how I felt ... but then I realised that I was still really looking forward to my next run and was disappointed that I have to have a rest day today (haha was even talking about Laura's highly anticipated B210K)!

I HAVE really noticed my progress in terms of fitness and stamina and I am quietly very chuffed with myself. So thanks.... I won't try to anticipate "the feeling" anymore - I'll just bask in it when it happens!

Bring on Week 6!