End of the line for me !: I did W5R1 and 2 but... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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End of the line for me !

Chappelle profile image
26 Replies

I did W5R1 and 2 but run 3 beat me the 20 minutes running I found very challenging !

My trusty coach Michael Johnson suggested repeating W5 if it proved too much. I did but the same thing happened I did the first two then had to give up on R3 !

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Chappelle profile image
Chappelle
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26 Replies
telford_mike profile image
telford_mikeGraduate

Sorry to hear that, and you managed all the other runs in that searing heat a few weeks ago. Are you sure you're not going a bit too fast? Now that you don’t get a walking break, going slowly is more important than ever. Why not have a couple of rest days and give the 20 minute run another go?

Tartancat profile image
TartancatGraduate

Don't give up! It took me 5 attempts to crack W5R3. Eventually told myself that I can walk for 20 minutes, so just needed to run at walking pace. And it worked! Make sure your route is fairly flat and go really really really slow. You can do this!

CatMo13 profile image
CatMo13Graduate

You can do it ! Those were just practice runs... next one will be the real deal 😊

sparkyjohn profile image
sparkyjohnGraduate

Please don't throw in the towel just yet. 👎👎👎 😢😢😢

As T-M says take a day or two off, go through the forum and checkout gremlin bashing. It sounds like you expect to struggle and that is deadly. Try again, going so slowly it's slower than walking. Try to lose yourself in a playlist of your desert island discs and don't keep checking the time left to run. Between now and run day drink lots of water, it helps the blood circulation. So many people struggle at some point in the schedule, again check the forum, and come back having smashed it.

Keep going and come back to tell you've nailed it 👍👍👍😃😃😃

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate

Oh I bet you can beat it. Try slowing down to uber snail pace, then slow down some more (you could probably walk faster) 🐌🐌

Hydrate plenty the previous day, make sure you have fuel on board ( 🍌 is my choice), and pick a time of day which suits you best - when you don’t have anything pressing to get back for.

Go on, take an extra rest day and give it another go. We’re all here cheering you on. It’s yours for the taking ...... 👏👏👏👏

Agi74 profile image
Agi74

DON'T GIVE UP!

Do your own w5r2.5 run, that's right.

Do 10 min, 3 walk, 10 run.

Then maybe 12 or even 15, 3 walk, remainder to make 20.

Then go for 20

The program is a guide but let's do whatever it takes to complete it.

Or do w5run2 but don't stop for the walk, keep running until you cant run anymore.

Don't let it beat you!

MVBrown profile image
MVBrownGraduate

Please don’t give up, I echo the comments of the previous posts.

It’s about going at snails pace, slow and then slow some more. I know I’m not that fast and my run isn’t graceful but I’ve tried.

I found 20 minutes a challenge until I thought of it in 5min spells and found benches/bins as a marker that I would run to and then selected another bench or even tree to run to. Also, listening to music has helped me take my mind off the number of minutes I’ve too run,

Even at the end of the run when I’m walking I’m huffing and puffing.

Another consideration could be having a full days rest between runs? I’ve found this has helped me, and even two days off as I ran when we had those very tropical days which took a lot out of me. Just don’t give up. You’ve come so far already.

newrunnerbrewood profile image
newrunnerbrewood

Please, please don’t give up! You’ve come so far already. When I feel like packing in I ask myself why. Usually there isn’t anything insurmountable and it’s more a confidence thing going on. Do you think this might be you? Give it another go. We all so much want you to succeed.

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate

You can do this... when it’s impossible work until it isn’t... break it down and get fitter and fitter... the results will come. Maybe try a different app to get you to 15 minutes and then drop back on C25K.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Just slow down..then slow down more..simple as that 😊

Giving up is easy...but moving on..even easier..you can do this..we are right here..running with you 😉

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

If I said can you walk for twenty minutes, you would no doubt say, "Of course!"

So slow your running down.........,.maybe you will be slower than you can walk, but that doesn't matter as long as you maintain a running action.

Don't develop a block........, you can do this.

Myrar profile image
MyrarGraduate

Please don't give up you have came so far ..You will get there ......It doesn't matter how long it takes.. your out running ..Do what you can ..But don't give up 😊😊

DebJogsOn profile image
DebJogsOnGraduate

You can do this - I bet you're going too fast. Like lots of folk have said so far you just need to slow it down.

You don't need to repeat the whole of Wk5 again - just go for Wk5R3 again.

Why not pick out your favourite music and make a playlist snd think of it in terms of running that many songs - or listen to a distracting podcast while you run.

Distract yourself, go slower than slow and then post on here to tell us all about how you smashed it.

We're all rooting for you 😊

BeardRunningMan profile image
BeardRunningMan

The 20 minutes terrified me when I saw it on the planner. That stuck in my head and I had the same problem, but don’t think of it as a fail. Just a lesson, you need to just slow down even if if feels like you’re no longer running. Once you complete the 20 min next time round, week 6 onwards stop being so frightening

Shakywakey profile image
ShakywakeyGraduate

You are doing fantastically well 👏👏and are being really hard on yourself. Be proud of what you have achieved. Stick at it and you’ll feel great when you have done it. As the others say, it’s not about speed so take it slowly . 😁

Lucyfur profile image
LucyfurGraduate

What has been said above. Take 2 to 3 rest days before attempting it again (i wouldn't repeat the whole week just yet). i often find i have a much better run after the slightly longer gap. A couple of mental games i played to help if i feel like giving up are: reminding myself if i stop, it will still hurt anyway, so i may as well keep going til i literally cant and get this one in the bag...and the "pretend i am back in my clubbing days and the track that has just started in my ears is my favourite song of the night and although im knackered i cant not dance to this one" techneique. Once you get over this bump its downhill all the way. You've done amazing to get this far...dont waste all that groundwork.

Christianne57 profile image
Christianne57Graduate

You can do it!! Yes you can!

Have faith in yourself and the programme. If I can do it - you can do it!

You have come so far, it would be a real shame to throw in the towel now.

Is not easy-peasy but you can do it - just go slow and steady... or even slower...or slower than slow...It doesn't matter as you'll still be miles ahead of everyone who is sat on the sofa watching Corrie reruns!! For some of my early runs, I was running slower than I could walk...but it didn't matter - I was out there trying 😊

C'mon, get some good music going on, dig deep and just slay it! You can do it!

Angel74uk profile image
Angel74ukGraduate

Don’t give up. You can do this. We’ve all dreaded this run but coming out the other side has been amazing. This run will be a turning point for you. Dont forget to take it slow. Good luck 🤞🏻🏃🏻‍♀️🙌🏻

Nicky4 profile image
Nicky4Graduate

Please don’t give up. Take the advice above and let us all know when you’ve done it. You CAN do it. Think of the reasons why you started running. You’re already a runner, you just need to run a bit slower and a bit longer

Fabulous450 profile image
Fabulous450Graduate

Hey Chappelle

I hope you’ve had a good rest and time to relax and think. I just think that Run 3 seems to have become a bit of a mental block for you. You may be applying far too much pressure on what you have to do to get through that now. You’ve done 18 runs so far (as you’ve repeated W5, which you didn’t have to do by the way) and you don’t need to repeat them all again. They’re all done and in the bag. Even the two attempts you didn’t quite complete, you ran!! 😍😍😍 How amazing is that? Remember where we started? 60 seconds was a loooooong time! 😉

You have continued to get better and better and every single time you go out, you’re better! Without doubt! So go out, go very very slow and tell R3 you’re in charge here. You can do it!! 💪🏽❤️

Chappelle profile image
Chappelle in reply toFabulous450

Well ! I did W5R2 yesterday (my third attempt of W5) ... so it all hinges on R3 tomorrow !

Fingers crossed ...

Jell6 profile image
Jell6Graduate in reply toChappelle

Just go very slowly, try not to think about how long you have left to go, your body is ready for this, now distract your mind😊

Well done for still going. X

Fabulous450 profile image
Fabulous450Graduate in reply toChappelle

You can do it Chappelle!! You can oh so do this!! 😉! You’re ready! Go slow! 😁❤️

A lot of great advise and support from everyone here..

You have come a long way already and achieved each run ... what ever the reason is for the block with w5r3 you CAN do it..

Just do what ever you need to do to run it. Go slow as you can.isten to your favourite playlist, break it down mentally into smaller chunks, even shout at yourself ..

It really doesn't matter how slow you do it or what you do to get you through. You are stronger than you think . Believe it ..

slowsue profile image
slowsue

Please don’t give up most weeks I did same run twice, took me a bit longer to finish week 9 but got there eventually

Chappelle profile image
Chappelle in reply toslowsue

Thanks for those encouraging words. I hope I can do W5R3 tomorrow. As this is my third attempt I've really got to !

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