Stuck on wk6 run1!

[Tessietwo]

Well the good news is that I am keeping up the running, but I can't seem to get past run 1 on week 6. After feeling so great at the end of week 5 I am finding this run so hard. The first five minutes are really hard and I can't wait for the walk. The middle 8 minutes don't seem so bad, but the last five minutes is a real struggle. I've managed 1.5 minutes and 2.5 but not 5.

Maybe it is a bad week for me because I don't seem to have any energy at all. Also, this is the week I got to before Christmas and I got a bad ankle injury. Will I ever get past week 6??

I don't know whether to keep on with the first run or move onto run 2. Can't help feeling that I haven't progressed, I was running 16 minutes at week 4 and now I can't manage 15!

[Norni Graduate]

Have you tried going slower? It will make a big difference to you. Maybe you are coming down with something or you are more tired? Well done for keeping on with the programme.

[greenlegs Graduate]

I'd agree with Norni, maybe trying going a bit slower. If you can do the first two runs a bit more gently, you will likely find you can do the third one right to the end. Maybe there's a bit of the gremlin-talk going on too, if it's the week you got to before - are those gremlins whispering that it's too dangerous to keep going, just stop now and have a rest... ?

If you start of slowly, I bet you'll manage run 2.

[Tessietwo Graduate]

Thanks for your advice. I'm quite slow anyway, but will try to slow down a bit. I think the gremlins might be right though. I'll have a rest tomorrow and go out again on Thursday, not sure if I'll do run 1 again or go on to run 2. Don't want run1 to defeat me! This time round I've flown through each week really easily, so it's a bit of a reality check to realise that it can be tough. I think I prefer the longer runs as well. I seem to be just getting into my stride at 5 mins when I stop. Just have to keep remembering that 6 weeks ago I wasn't running at all.

[Barbyk Graduate]

Hi,

I did week six run day one yesterday evening. Nightmare!! I was so pleased with the 20 min run last week and I thought this woudl be a doddle! My calves killed, my breathing was all over the place and I hurt! Hoping day two will be better..Good luck