I am struggling to get past Week 6 run 2 - any ideas?

[hippie]

Over the past few weeks I have hit a bit of a wall. I have run week 6 run 2, three times now and I am really struggling to complete the 2nd 10 minute run, I get up to 8 minutes and have to stop as I am exhausted. I have tried running slowly at an even pace but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Has anyone else experienced this? Ironically I did manage to complete the 20 minute run in week 5.

Should I keep repeating the same run until it gets easier or go back to week 5 run 1 and build up gradually?

[ceefin Graduate]

When you say you're exhausted what do you mean?

Legs sore and like jelly? Or you can't breathe?

My advice (if it's your legs causing the problem) would be to break your FIRST 10 minutes into 2 fives with a minute recovery walk in between and keep the pace way, way down. Then a couple of days later try the full 2 x 10 minutes.

[happierswimming Graduate]

make sure the warm up walk and the interval walks are fast enough to be just short of breaking into a trot and then make the runs just a little faster than that. That's easier and more effective than just trying to run more slowly. The walks during week 6 are going to build stamina and it's better to do those with short, fast steps than to stride out. During your rest days try walking at this brisk pace too

[hippie]

Thanks for the advice. I will keep going and try both of your suggestions

Re the reference to exhausted, its jelly legs, I don't have the energy to put 1 leg in front of the other. I know how our athletes feel when they run out of energy coming into the home straight!

[HardleyHare Graduate]

Are you having anything to eat before you run? Maybe your muscles need some fuel? I'm sure I've seen advice on the internet to eat something small just before a run, though I can't remember what the best advice was as to what that should be. Might be worth a Google to find out. Good luck and do let us know how you get on.

[beatasthma]

This isn't scientific, just something that works for me. I've always had odd blood sugary episodes and found I got jelly leg in exercise. Prior to C25k I'd go hill walking and would find the first few miles hard then get into my stride, as if my system gets itself settled.

I've found that walking the 15minutes to the gym where I do C25k on the treadmill helps. I do the podcast including the 5 minute warm up when there...my brisk walk has got considerably brisker I think in part due to the walk to the gym and I'm sure this helps the running. Still find it tiring, especially week 6 but not in a jelly leg way and have been able to complete all the runs. As happierswimmer says walking on your rest days should help too. Good luck.