Week 5 done!

[mrqwest]

When I first started C25K, I read over the plan and couldn't quite understand how in week 4, you run for between 3 & 5 minutes, and then on week 5 you're running for twenty minutes. That was such a jump! I wasn't too bothered though, I tend to give these things up after a week or two anyway so I didn't think I'd get to week 5.

Roll forward 5 weeks and last Friday, I was staring week 5 in the face. Run 1 & run 2 were hard work but every minute I was running (and walking, and working — generally every waking minute since) I had been thinking about the third run, the big twenty.

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't optomistic. I kept saying to myself that I'll run for as far as I can, 10 minutes maybe? and then have a little break whilst walking for 2.

But this morning, 5am alarm call. Shoes on, iPod on and out the door I went. First few minutes were tough. Thighs ached, calves felt tight and my feet hurt. But I soon got into the stride.

I run the same route every time so I know where the 3 / 5 & 8 minute marks are from previous runs.

The 3 & 5 minute landmarks passed by, the hill at minute 6 was a killer but I slowed the pace down and completed it. Minute 8 saw me back onto flatter ground whilst 9-13 was on a slight downhill gradient (equally as hard but handy!). Minutes 14-15 where again uphill but only slightly.

By this point, I felt good. Laura told me I had 5 minutes to go. I was in the 'zone', tired but optomistic. Minute 16 was flat but 17 & 18 were again uphill. By this point, I was exhausted. My pace had slowed right down, my thighs ached, I felt knackered.

For a short minute I thought I'd cut the run short at 18 minutes and leave it at that but then I mentally slapped myself and thought 'why run 18 minutes and then not the whole 20'.

I pushed on at a much slower pace (just a bit quicker than walking) but I done it.

I done it, 20 minutes solid running. No breaks, no injuries.

Now, I want to sleep. But instead I'm at my office with at least 8 hours of work to do before it's home time.

So happy, so proud. Week 6, next. I'm the boss round 'ere!

[Anonymous36 Graduate]

Wooo hoo well done you

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to Anonymous36]

Chair dancin' time!

[loufitz]

Well done ! Mine is tommorow!

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to loufitz]

Thank you! Good luck with yours tomorrow, let us know how you get on and remember, you can do it!

[runsusyrun Graduate]

Well done! Great encouragement as I started week 5 on Monday and feel dread, excitement and mixed emotion about THAT run on Friday...

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to runsusyrun]

honestly, the running is the easier part. It's more a mental thing!

I started slowing down and struggling around the 18 minute mark because I *knew* I was approaching the end. I'm pretty confident if I had a 25 minute run to do, It'd be around the 23rd minute I'd start to feel it.

Honestly, it's the negative voice in your head that fills you with dread. Shut it away and enjoy it!

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow Graduate]

Congratulations.

Can I ask how you get up at 5am? Any tips?

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

with a lot of difficulty haha! To be honest, I'm a morning person anyway. The last 3 years has conditioned me into early mornings with our two sons so it's a matter of getting up half hour earlier (5am).

Plus, getting up that early kinda forces me to go for a run. I don't have the time to talk myself out of it (ie: wake up, run, shower, dress, work). If I left my run until after work, I'd spend the whole day putting it off.

[Barney019 Graduate]

Fab - well done!! I cannot imagine running for 20 minutes , i'm on week 2 managing my 90 seconds no problem but always glad when its the last one so I am full of admiration and wonder if that will ever be me? I'm an early morning girl too - I love the fact I get back by 06.45 and its all done for the day - keep going you'll soon be week 9 x

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to Barney019]

Thank you!

I was at your point 3 weeks ago running for 90 seconds thinking 'blimey, 20 minutes is such a long time when I'm struggling with 90 seconds' but it happens, and the plan is great at building you up and pushing you enough each week to increase that stamina and endurance to enable a 20 minute run.

Honestly, keep at it and in 3 weeks time, I'll see you writing on here saying you've completed week 5