I have not enjoyed week 6 at all - it really hasn't 'floated my boat' so to speak.
I loved week 5, felt I was making real progress with my running, mental attitude, everything...
W6 seems to have blown that out of the water. I have found it SO hard.
I'm sure this mornings shuffle along wasn't helped by having fish & chips last night (but I'll put that down to experience...) and the podcast music has been positively awful this week. The irony of the song 'So Easy Now' has been lost on me this week as it hasn't been easy in the slightest. It seemed to take forever to hear Laura say the 1st 5 mins were done too.
I did manage to speed up (by 0.2mph - WOW!) for 30 of the last 60 seconds but after this week I'm having doubts about whether this running lark suits me.
Oh well, I will have to see how week 7 pans out.... I can't quit now, I spent over £100 on trainers 2 weeks ago!! Besides, I'm a Kenyan on the inside aren't I?
And I know Laura can't see me, as she said I was a runner now.... At the minute it's definately a shuffler!!
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doggymum
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Do not worry, I am with you on this week. I was really upbeat after week 5 and the massive achievement of running 20 minutes. (I too shuffle) So I was surprised when week 6 run 1 felt so hard. I mean, I ran for 20 minutes straight and 5 minutes kicked my butt. I have run 2 tonight and im freaking out. I will persevere but like you say it is difficult when it hits you like that. I have a 5k race for life next week. Hope I manage it x
HI jennstron. Thank you for commenting. I hope your run has gone/goes ok tonight. Will have my fingers crossed for you!! Good luck with RFL next week, I'm sure you will smash it
Almost everyone finds week 6 tougher than week 5, so positive thoughts for week7! Another week down and another week closer to completing the programme!
That made me chuckle - although if I had to shuffle everyday......!
The thought that I only have 3 weeks of the programme left is quite daunting, hopefully I'll be back into the swing of things in the next run/shuffle or 2
I have just completed w6 run3 and like lots of other people have found this week hard. Had to really push myself to complete the 25 minutes (I'm a shuffler too!). But so glad I did it. The trouble is I find upward slopes really hard and tend to turn around and stick to the downward ones. The question is will forcing myself to go up the slope more mean I don't finish the 25 minutes?
By the end of week 6 you are definitely a runner! Getting out for a 25+ minute run means you have beome hard core! Now there will be runs which are tough and others which go well; just chalk the bad ones down to experience and embrace the enjoyable ones. I don't think the actual process of running will ever feel smooth and easy to me but there are elements of the individual runs which I love, (the great feeling which I get before I start sweating and panting and which lasts about 5 minutes in particular!) so by focusing on those and trying to capture and hold on to them each time, I continue to go out of the door in hope!
There is a saying ' When the going gets tough, the tough get going' you are a runner just believe it and your next run will be fine. Just give yourself an extra rest day to get your mojo back. Let us know how you get on.
Thank you - I won't be able to start week 7 until at least Sunday due to other exercise commitments so hopefully by then I will be itching to crack on with week 7
I went through a really rough spot right around there...and, like you, I had serious doubts about whether this was such a good idea after all. Everything is piling down on you...you're tired...stressed mentally...and just not having a good time.
This is when you have to dig deep and bring up that "runner" that inside you. If nothing is hurting it's just your mind trying to have its way with you. Maybe take an extra rest day...or pick up an inspirational book about running...right in there is when I read Dean Karnazes book, "Run". His site here... ultramarathonman.com/web/ CaroleC is reading "Zen and the Art of Running" which I'm looking forward to reading when I can get to the lending library. Of course (shameless self promotion here) there's always Grammagoesrunning.com, my online blog, but there are many others also- Run.Dog.Cat.Me, RebuildingHolly, Middle Aged Woman on the Run, and Inspiring and Healthy Running in London are all great reads. Blogs are instant "reads" right at your fingertips.
And you know, it may just be the weather. Lots of NON-runners are struggling with feeling tired, depressed and just about ready to chuck it all in.
I hope you get through this rough spot. Like training your body to run, sometimes you have to train your mind to run also.
Thank you - I shall have a look out for the books. And I'm about to go and have a nosey at your blog too Maybe some of it is down to the weather, it's been quite airless of late and draining my energy levels I think!
I will be doing W6R3 tomorrow, but unlike you I found week 5 harder... but I haven't completed R3 yet. I have to say I have had those same nagging questions... is this for me??... I'd rather short runs.... etc... But I think it's just the transition happening. It certainly seems like we all can expertience the weeks/runs differently.
Good luck on Week 7... it seems a little daunting that we don't get walking breaks anymore..
Thank you - I have to say I'm a little worried about the next few weeks as today I felt like I could have done with a walk rather than 25mins non stop! Lets see what week 7 has in store......!
I actually gave up after the so easy song the first time that I tried to run the week 6 run 3 but the second time I knew where it was and that the last 5 minutes were not so far away and went to the end!! I have not done much running after that one though!! the weather is awful and I do not like running under the rain!
Remember how difficult the first 60 seonds were? Remember how three minutes seemed like an eternity and as for five minutes - ouch! I'm doing week 6 R3 tomorrow and I keep repeating this to myself. Just do it is my motto for this run. Not expecting to like it but has to be done ...
Thank you for that Rhona - I think sometimes we can forget exactly how far we have come, and especially in such a short space of time too. I needed that reminder!
Well done for 'shuffling' on through. I don't just mean the run, I mean the awful music too! I really do think that it serves in driving you onto the next week, just to get away from it, lol. I'm finding week 2's music better than the first, although the irony of the lyrics often makes me laugh and spoils my breathing. Just think... when you reach the end of the programme, not only will you have challenged your body, you will have exhibited incredible mental perseverance too!
Thanks Legion! By the end of the programme I will have a playlist of my own music as long as my arm I think.... That will be my treat for finishing LOL
The music this week is pants! I'm doing run 3 tomorrow, thinking of switching to my own playlist after the intro, but feeling sort of like it's cheating if I don't do every podcast from start to finish. Anyway, glad you made it.
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you are a runner just believe it and your next run will be fine. Just give yourself an extra rest day to get your mojo back. Let us know how you get on.
W6R3!!!! 🎉🤓🏃♂️
W6R3
W6R3: this time it’s personal
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W6R3 ✅✅✅
