I've just failed my first W9 run for the third time - first time, flat battery on MP3; second time really strong head wind and aching shins, so rested for a few days, and this evening managed about 24 minutes. I did manage 30 minutes at the end of W8.
Has Laura's magic left me? Any ideas would be really welcome! I am so keen to finish, and order my tee-shirt, and get my green badge - I've never graduated in anything before!
I think you've just had a bad run...we all have them and it's not nice when they come together but draw a line under it and try again. W8 was my nemsis and I didn't achieve any of the runs!
Also, please don't think of it as a fail as you did 24 mins...yeah that's right 24 mins...think back 9 weeks and 60 seconds was hard so you've done really well! I think we all forget about the acheivements we have made and we shouldn't.
You will get there!! Good luck for your next run!!! Let us know how you get on 
You're right - chalk it up to experience! Thank you for support - roll on tomorrow!
Maybe if you slow down a tiny bit you will make the 30 minutes, once you've done the 30 you could try to speed up again on the next two runs? Not long til you graduate. Keep at it and you'll get the lovely shiny badge.
That's a good idea - and I'm going to try with my own listening, not Laura's - that might help! Thank you for support - roll on tomorrow!
I am in just about the same place as you, stuck on W8R3 after getting through all previous runs. Don't know what to say, except I sympathise with you, we are strong and will get through this! When I started this I never in a million years expected to get this far, I could Brel run for 60 seconds, and Rome wasn't built in a day!
Hope you soon get it nailed and can move on towards the badge, t-shirt and glory! Good luck. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
All sympathy gratefully received, Soozz - thank you, and good luck to you too!
Other than what has already been said my only advice would be new scenery and new music. Look out a new route you haven't done to take your mind off the time and some up tempo music that you like. Good luck you will get there 
I'm going to do both of these - thank you, Phil72, for your support! I am determined to crack it!
It's taken me three attempts to hit 30 mins this week. I finally did it by running on the treadmill so I could control incline and pace. It was a struggle with my demons all the way, but I finally got there. Have you managed 30 mins on this route before or is there somewhere else where you can do those 30 mins on nice, level going? Take it slow (it's so easy to go faster than we realise) and just keep telling yourself you're 1/4 way there, halfway, ten mins to go, etc. You WILL get there, and every run (whether 24 minutes or otherwise) will get you a bit closer.
Thank you, Legion - I shall keep on keeping on! I am really impressed by treadmill running, as I've never tried it and it sounds harder to me! New route, new music for tomorrow's attempt - watch this space!
Week 9 was awful, that's all I can say...first time I failed runs and I hated every minute of it! You will get through it!!! 24 minutes is nearly there and probably still 24 mins longer than you used to be able to run!
Tantrumbean, thank you - this is just what I needed to hear; it's not just me - and look, you did it, so I can too! Thank you again for your support!
Keep at it! It took me about 3 weeks to complete W9. I'm now using the Stepping Stone podcast & Laura gets you running that little bit faster without it being a real blog. Changing the route to a flat run along the prom eventually worked for me. Honestly one day you will think....hey that was easier!
Ooops should have said 'slog' !
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