Week 4 - 10 minutes?!

[mdec]

Ever since Week 3 I have been feeling like I could keep going after the final run. The first run exhausts me, even though it is the shortest. I am grateful to be able to stop. I recover in time for the second, longer run, but it tires me out enough I'm happy to stop after that too.

But something happens for the final run, I don't know if I'm just not fully warmed up until then, but I feel like I can keep going. For the past few sessions I would run 30 seconds longer, just to prove to myself I could. This time, though, I finished the 5 minutes and then ran right to the end of the 5 minute 'cool down' period in Robert Ullrey's podcasts that I've been using. That is 10 minutes in total, and if the podcast hadn't stopped I don't think I would have. I felt no different at the end of 10 minutes than I had at the end of 5 minutes.

Has anyone else experienced this? I started this program at a sensible weight but otherwise pretty much as unfit as one can be, so I'm skeptical. Maybe it's just the new, almost perfectly flat route I have at my new house, or my new running shorts. After all, I struggled with 90 seconds just a couple of weeks ago. I've also been going pretty slowly throughout the whole program.

But I like to think that perhaps I'm becoming a runner...?

[nativestar Graduate]

Sounds like you're doing great, well done!

I always try to sprint the end of the last run and even when I'm tired I'm surprised with how much energy I can find! I haven't had the urge to carry on for longer but I'm only on week 2 so maybe it'll come.

[Tish1970 Graduate]

I'll take the third. Well done. Sounds like you are going great guns.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Yes, I felt like that (can't remember when exactly) and did extra bits, which I did really enjoy. Just a bit of a warning though - it didn't work so well for me in week 5, which I've just finished, as I think the extras that I did on the first two days made the challenging third day harder than it might have been if I'd stuck to the programme, as this week has been quite a heavy one. Though of course you can't go back and find out!

Carry on enjoying your running.

[HectorsHouse Graduate]

Yeah, it happens to me with pretty much every long run I do - and it's that drive that makes me keep going until I really need to stop

[BrownEyedGirl]

Im on week 4 too, done 2 runs so far, and I have to say I really dont feel like that at the end of the last 5 minutes lol!

I can manage them fine but I am relieved when she says it is time to stop... reading about week 5 has me worried! Still got week 4 run 3 to do though so perhaps I will feel more confident after doing that.

I am also squeezing the running in over lunch so I dont have much time either, either way I think its great you are feeling so good.