I started week eight yesterday and for the first time in a while I really struggled in the last 5 minutes or so. It got me thinking about the last 7 weeks and which I found most challenging. I think the jump from w3 upto w5 was the hardest stage for me. Now as I'm increasing speed I'm getting tired faster. I just need practice finding a happy balance.
Anyone else found some weeks easier?
I found week 8 my hardest week which really surprised because it was only an extra 8 minutes. But what I did was change my running route and it helped loads!
extra 3 minutes I mean!
I'm on week 7 so I'll watch out for week 8 then! For me it was week 1 and week 2! I really didn't grasp the whole "jogging / pacing / breathing" bit so was running really hard for 60 or 90 seconds and I didn't realise you could look up the plan in advance so the first run of each week I had no idea how many times I had to do it . Start of week three I realised that I really couldn't sustain that pace for 3 mins and Laura gave her tip about being next to the hedge, thereafter I found my "plod" and I've not had any nasty weeks since.
Week 1 I think! The fear of week 5 run 3 was pretty big - but actually doing it was ok. Weeks 7 and 8 were hard work, but doable - but extra rest days paid off.
All in all, though, it was pretty good!
Week 0 for me was the easiest!!! 
I always found the first run of the new week the hardest and the third the easiest just about every week with the exception of week 6. Once I reached week 8 and 9 I slowed my starts down and built up my speed very gradually. Don't worry if you find you are well under 5K in 30 minutes, not many new runners actually manage that golden target. You can work on the distance after your graduation run, the main aim of the programme is to be able to run 30 minutes non-stop. Good luck your just about there and well done
Week 6 for me. After managing W5R3 I found the intervals of W6 surprisingly difficult, and repeated them because they were so hard to complete. It got better with the slightly longer runs though.
For me too week 8 was an absolute pig! I struggled all the way through, it was hard work getting round the aerodrome once, let alone an extra 3/4 or so. So for week 9 I changed the route, instead of driving to the aerodrome and running round it, I ran to it, ran a short section round and back home again. This seemed to make it so much easier, maybe it was boredom of running in the same place for 8 weeks (after walking the dog/kids with their bikes up there for several years).
Week 2 was hard physically (on my ankles, my calf muscles!) but overall I think it was Week 7 for me - its the first time you run without a break - becomes more of a mental thing to beat.
The one after the 20 minute run. Think it was W6R1.
Hey, I'd done 20 minutes, intervals were going to be a doddle! How wrong was I?
I'm glad someone else found week 3 to 5 hard, I've just done W4R1 and I managed it (yay!) but it was an absolute killer. Felt like a huge step up from W3. Hopefully it'll get easier the next two times I do it, won't it?!
I just did my first week 8 and I see what you mean! I think it's the music. The music in week 7 was actually quite good but the week 8 music is awful (except I did cheer when I heard the infamous Julie song). Certainly the last half of the run (possible longer) was all repetitive electro-pop with no lyrics and no real bass, it did nothing to pace you or distract your mind. I'm going to try my own music for my next run.
Week one (again!)
W3R3 - hardest one of the week?!
The hardest bit?
is the middle run of the week the hardest?
