Week 3 geting nowhere fast...or quite slowly

[willnevie]

Have done w3r2 today. Still cant manage the final the final 3 minute run despite Laura's encouragement. I find I need to slow to a walk just before the end of the last run. I do then feel so guilty that I add an extra few spurts of running in during the 5 minutes cool down. Am beginning to wonder if I'll ever run for 30 minutes non stop if I cant manage 3 minutes! I look at other runners and think that they have a much better rhythm or pace than I do - I dont seem to have found the right pace for me yet; too slow and it hurts, go a bit faster and its over quicker.. but it hurts!! Guess I'm not a natural born athlete!!

[Cornish_Piglet Graduate]

Each week I went out with the aim of:

Run 1 - If I can complete 1 full run today. I'll be happy.

Run 2 - If I can complete 2 runs today I'll be happy.

Run 3 - If I can do better than day 1 and 2 today I'll be happy.

Don't beat yourself up about it, remember how you felt on week 1 and the progress you have already made.

I am definitely not a natural born runner but have found that slow and steady gets me to the end of a run. Trust in the programme and I'm sure we will all get to the 30 minute mark (I've just done the 20 minute run).

Good luck with run 3, let us know how you get on. :o)

[willnevie Graduate in reply to Cornish_Piglet]

OMG, Cornish_Piglet I am so in awe of you!! You can run for 20 minutes!! One day I WILL do that too!!! It seems like such a long way off for me but I'm determined to get there!! Thanks for your encouragement x

[ange123 Graduate in reply to Cornish_Piglet]

Breaking down your goal on each run is really good advice - I'll be using this!

[Cornish_Piglet Graduate]

Thank you, You will get there. Week 1 I struggled with running for 20 seconds..... the programme does work :o) x

[debssey Graduate]

Don't worry you will find your pace, I was and still am overweight, 48 and never thought I would run at all! But here we all are and we can all run!! I am a slow runner but I get there in the end! I find if I want to stop I imagine myself kicking myself on the bum and tell myself just to get on with it! That always helps! Xx

[Flibbertygibbit]

Hiya hun, I had some big problems too with W3, finished it yesterday. Iv discovered that if i concentrate on what Im doing, i go to pot n completely lose my rhythm, a lot like when im dancing lol! Its always when i think iv got it ive got it! that my brain kicks in and says 'no u havent u cant run, im gonna make ur legs burn n i might even make u fall off the treadmill' or maybe my brain is evil! So on my last run I thought about other things like song lyrics, how i was nearer my goal with every song, that i was running towards my next holiday and i could wear a bikini, anything n everything BUT the mechanics of what i was doing, and the next thing i know Laura was saying well done and Id covered much more distance. Try it, a few ppl have said this works for them too. Trust ur body, it knows what it needs to do. Good luck x

[ange123 Graduate in reply to Flibbertygibbit]

I agree - think about anything except what you're actually doing! I tend to go running after work so I use the time to think about any work related issues - helps me to work through them, get some stress out, and the time passes quicker too!

[newstart1 Graduate]

Willnevie I have just come back from W2 R3 and know i have done it. I am about to download W3, with I might add apprehension. I am with debssey 45 an overweight (trying to diet). I agree with Cornish _piglet when I start W3 i am in the mind set of completing one at a time and will stay on W3 until I have completed the runs completely three times, an if it takes over a week its over a week. Us unnatural runners need to stick together.

[Pearsey]

Thank you Flibbertygibbet (reminds me of my Nan, who used to call me that). What good advice this is. I started yesterday and found myself thinking of the "slimmer me" when I was struggling at the end. I'm certainly an unnatural runner and agree we need to stick together and pass on tips that work for us, remembering that new ppl are joining everyday.

Someone mentioned a T shirt. Does the site have T shirts with logos on? If that is sthe case we would then recognise another runner from the group whilst we are out.

[Flibbertygibbit in reply to Pearsey]

No problem, glad it helped! Forget what your brain tells you - its your legs that are doing the work lol! It's like having a back seat driver isn't it?! And what do we say to them? (politely please! )

[gdeann Graduate]

I feel your pain! I am as uncoordinated as they come! I lost 34 pounds before starting the program and still have a ways to go and I am 49 years old...never exercised, never ran...just worked and raised kids. I went from not making it through my 1 minute sessions of week 1 to last night I did 3 and 5 minute sessions. Each week is a total struggle for me but I also know if I quit, I won't try again. If I'm this far into the plan, why not complete it! I hurt, I ache, I gripe, I dread each running day, but I have high hopes of getting eventually to the point I enjoy running. I have never did any type of structured plan before and am very proud of myself now for where I am. Flibbertygibbet offered great advice, up to this point I am concentrating on breathing, how to hold my arms, where am I landing on my feet, keep a steady pace, go slow...all these thoughts I feel are messing me up! My last run last night, I TRIED to relax a little and get into the music playing, it seemed like it went a little better. I guess if we take all the mind crap away, our bodies know what to do. Good luck to you and I look forward to more updates!

[willnevie Graduate]

Thank you so much everybody your comments really do help. I sometimes get to feel that I must be the only person on this prograame who cant quite do it and it makes me feel a failure so your encourgement means a lot. Have had my rest day today so will go for W3R2 tomorrow with a new determination and with your words in my head. Just love the C25K community, what a lovely bunch of people. Thank you xxx

[willnevie Graduate]

Did w3r2 this morning and made sure I had you guys running along beside me cheering me on. It did help and although I have to confess to one short pause just to breathe I managed to do all that Laura told me!! Thank you for motivating me. Week 4 here I come (god help me!!)

[WillowFae Graduate in reply to willnevie]

Well done you

[Flibbertygibbit]

Yay! Good on ya! Knew u cud! X