Couch to 5K

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Week 4 Day 2 Done - Getting Nervous About Week 5

jcm13Graduate•

Alright, W4D2 was definitely easier than W4D1. During that first 5 min run in W4D1 I really thought I would need to stop, but a small pace adjustment got me through. On W4D2 it was hard but I felt I could make it and it was not as bad.

Tomorrow I will finish week 4 and I am getting anxious about week 5. It is starting to get to the point where anticipating the end is just ahead will not work as a strategy. The runs have become long enough that the end is not just ahead. I will need to find a new mindset.

Also, big learning for me. I did weeks 1-3 on a treadmill and would walk at 2.5mi/hr and run at 6mi/hr (10 min miles) with the idea that I should establish a firm pace to reach the goal of a 30 min 5k. That is not the best plan I have discovered. As the runs get tougher, you need to be able to easily (guilt free) adjust your pace. Pace can be worked on once I run the whole distance, but first I need to get to running the whole distance. From now on I will do as much as possible outside away from the treadmill.

25 Replies

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Well done W4R2. I did the same run this morning and agree that week 5 is daunting. I change my pace all the time. If I didn't I wouldn't make half the runs! Normally by the third run of the week I've got it sorted but with 3 separate workouts for weeks 5 and 6, that's not possible to do so will have to be very cautious. Good luck with week 5

Hi Fraz, I'm doing W5R1 this evening and always have the same approach as you and finding the idea of having 3 seperate runs daunting as there is no option to do it better next time and have it nailed by the 3rd run (also the beast that is run 3 looming over for Friday is alarming!). BUT we can do it, Laura wouldn't make us do anything we were not ready for! Good luck Fraz and jcm!

Thanks, let us know how W5R1 went...

Well w5r1 went well. It was hard as I really pushed it and went a little too fast, so it was hard to keep up the pace. To be honest, I was surprised it was hard as technically it is one minute less than last week, but I certainly appreciated 3 runs instead of 4!

Three runs does sound nice. I will be doing W5R1 in a couple of days.

Fraz - That explains it perfectly. In a couple of hours I will do W4R3 then we will see. Knowing someone else is right here with me really helps.

The programme is really well desgined and you will do the Week 5 run 3. Just look through some of the blogs related to week5. Most people worry about this run, but are usually surprised when they find that they can do it. I find running outside easier. You just have more to look at, and you can always aim for the next lamp post or bin or corner to keep yourself going.

Thanks AnnaDJ, I am sure I will do it, what choice do I have anyway. You are so right about how running outside gives you targets.

You always have a choice but you chose to run

Well just done W4 r2, normally find the middle run easy but not today the first run was much easier. I think its cause its after a days work rather then in the morning. I too have been looking at next week and think ****** how can i loose two stone by next week, would prefer five but know that's impossible. I keep thinking it would be so much easier if i wasn't overweight. The good news is i have kept the six pounds weight loss over the three weeks but have lost 2inch of waist and hips so am feeling loads better in clothes. So should one of the little darlings (secondary school kids at work) call me a fat whatever I can say actually a toned fat whatever now get to isolation Ha ha...

I keep thinking I wish I weighed less too. Chicken or egg sort of thing in the end.

Hi everyone, I've been feeling exactly the same. I completed W4R3 yesterday and while it was far from easy, it was easier than the first time I did it.

I'm doing W5R1 tomorrow and my thought process has been that I'm replacing the two 3 minute runs with one 5 minute run and that the trade off for running a minute less is that I don't get the break in the middle.......

I can't quite get my head round running for 20 mins by the end of the week though - that just seems like such a huge jump, but apart from having to repeat W1 of all things I have gor through every week without too many problems so I guess the graduates are all correct when they day 'trust the programme'.

As for pace, well let's just say that I'm more tortoise than hare. I'm using a treadmill 'cos I'm pretty overweight and don't fancy road running round the small town I live in lol, but I find it helps to keep my pace steady too. My walking speed is currently only 2.5mph and I'm jogging at 3mph so I guess it will be a while before I hit the 5k mark but at the moment my aim is just to be able to complete the 30 minutes - Usain Bolt will wait for another day :o)

I will be right behind you on the W5 runs, it will be nice to hear how they go for you,

Hi jcm13, have literally just finished W5R1 and it was no worse than last week. If anything for most of it I felt stronger than last week although my legs felt heavy today. I just started to feel it in the last 60 seconds of the 3rd run but just told myself 'I will b****y do this' and the next thing I knew it was over :o) Let's see what Thursday has in store. Good luck :o)

Thanks mcc65, I am sure I can do it now. I will go in with a positive attitude. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Hi jcm13 - we seem to be at about the same stage. I'm a little bit concerned about W5, but having just repeated W4R3 I think I'm ready to take it on! I'm trying not to look at what W5 entails and I'm just going to go for it. Wish me luck for Thursday!

I am with you Wentbacktobed. From the feedback everyone gives, at least the first run of W5 should be great.

I've just done W5R3 and despite dreading it I found the whole of W5 much easier than anticipated.

I found that doing a few leg stretches before the warm up helped no end in preventing soreness as I ran. Mentally I found that W4 had prepared me well for W5 which felt actually pretty easy in comparison. I don't push myself to go fast just to keep on going (every pace I take is one less that I have to do!) and it seems that's an approach that works; I'm able to keep going at a steady pace much more easily than I could a couple of weeks back.The first 15 minutes tonight felt fine, I just slowed a bit towards the end but so what?

The main thing is have faith; you'll manage it fine!

Thanks tinysuns - I will do just as you say and have fun. I plan to do my W5R1 tomorrow while my daughter has football practice. Should be a good one.

I've done wk4 5 times now. I was due to move up to wk5 but was exhausted after a tiring week at work (Ofsted came to my school... all done now!). I decided it would be better to run w4 again than not run at all.

As it was I found it really tough again, and both times didn't find my pace until just over half way through the first 5 min run. When Laura said I was half way, I was disappointed that was all! But after that and the other 3 & 5 min runs were hard, but ok if you know what I mean.

Like someone else said, mostly I can tell my fitness has improved, it is my legs that ache the most. I will move up to wk5 tomorrow... yikes!

Lots of stretches, decent warm up, get my speed and foot strike right and I'll be fine. The new running style I am practicing really helps my joints, but I'm still working at keeping my pace steady and not getting carried away!

Hi arablue, it sounds like week 5 has been harder for you than for me. I am doing W5R2 later today and then I might have a different view. It is nice to see the determination in your pressing on.

Better to run outside rather than in a gym - you will enjoy the fresh air and be able to pace yourself better - much more interesting

Well I've just finished W5R2 and while I can't say it was a barrell of laughs it was no worse thanany other runs :o) The real benefit I have noticed though is how much quicker I recover! I thought I'd write this while I got my breath back and actually found that I'd stopped panting before I'd finished reading the new comments :o) So let's see what Sunday brings!!

Just finished W5R2 myself and I see what you mean. It was not fun, but it was good

well, in the end I ran Wk4 a total of 5 times instead of 3. It was a really tough week at work, and I was glad to just achieve getting out the door and still running.

Yesterday I did W5 D1...... and I was fine! Ok, so it wasn't easy, but after stretches and a good warm up, I was ready for it and managed to find my pace quickly, which makes life so much easier! Almost looking forward to d2 tomorrow. Almost..... lol. Thanks for all your support. The achievement IS a good feeling. And the more I run, the more calories I burn, more weight is lost and running will become even easier.