Week 5 run 2 - not good :(: I did the first run... - Couch to 5K

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Week 5 run 2 - not good :(

svenena profile image
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I did the first run of week 5 on Monday, and despite the heat (I went out at 2pm; it was scorching!) I had no trouble with that one - I knew I could do five minutes, and managed it 3 times with no difficulty. I was feeling positive about the second run.

Well. Misplaced optimism. It was a nightmare. I went out after work last night, and it was sooo hard. And not just mentally hard, but physically hard. I really had to push myself to get through each of the two runs. At the end of the first 8 minutes, my chest felt really tight, which is something I haven't experienced before, and I needed the full 5 minutes walk to recover. The second 8 minutes was even more of a struggle, and I really didn't think I was going to make it, my heart sank when she told me I was only at 4 minutes (but I'm very stubborn). When Laura told me to do the warm-down (cool-down?) walk, all I wanted to do was collapse on the floor. Usually I take about 30 seconds to get my breath back, and then power-walk the rest. Yesterday it was a struggle to even get back home at a plod.

Boo. Really disappointed. I didn't feel good at all afterwards. I'm definitely not ready to run for 20 minutes non-stop. I know a lot of people worry about run 3 of week 5, but I just know I am not physically ready. I could make excuses for yesterday being so hard - it was hot, I had been swimming the day before so might have been more tired - but in reality, I just wasn't really ready, my base fitness isn't quite up to it yet.

I really don't want to set myself up for failure - if I go out and can't make it, I'll probably end up running less than I did yesterday, as I don't have a watch and won't be able to push myself further knowing there's a break soon, so I'd prefer to either repeat yesterday's session a couple of times until it becomes more bearable, or to do an in-between session to my own music (eg running for 9 or 10 minutes twice with a 3 minute walk in the middle), to prepare for the third session.

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svenena profile image
svenena
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notbad profile image
notbadGraduate

Sorry to read you had a hard run Svenena, who knows why some runs are harder than others... the swimming/heat (don't underestimate that one, it's the reason I'm running earlier in the morning after frying on Monday), tired after work etc it can all add up.

Sounds like a good idea to adapt the programme as you describe, I'm giving the 20 minutes a go on Friday but after previewing the music have decided to make my own play-list as I just knew in my heart of hearts I disliked some of the tracks so much it wouldn't help me achieve my best. It's a good programme, but I think the most important thing is too listen to what our bodies are telling us.

Best of luck to you, hope you'll keep blogging & let us know how you get on. :-)

peggy-jean profile image
peggy-jeanGraduate

week 6 part 2 might be a good one to do, its a 10 min run 3 min walk then a 10 min run again, then maybe go back to week 5 part 3 and carry on from there?

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