Road blocks

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Hi everyone... new to this group & to MFP. I've been doing C25K very slowly over the past few months, repeating days here and there & juggling a full school schedule and work as well.

Before I even started doing the program, I signed up for a 5K on March 2nd as a way to stay motivated & accountable.

Right now I'm in week 7, the 25 minute runs. It's going okay so far but I'm feeling like I'm getting more and more behind. I've been having heart palpitations for the past month, culminating in some chest pain on Thursday night and an 8 hour trip to the ER. Ultimately, after a whole bunch of tests, every doctor I talked to assured me I was okay and nothing was seriously wrong. I believe them because the pains I was having aren't the kind that generally go along with a heart attack, but it's still caused even more set backs for me. I was supposed to run yesterday but spent half the day trying to sleep off the exhaustion of being in the ER until 6am, now today I'm trying to get myself geared up to go run but the weirdness of my heartbeat is making me nervous, even though I got the all clear to run from the dr, and it feels like I'm still worn out from a few nights of weird sleep.

Have other people experienced things like this, where you feel nervous about running even though it's okay?

I'm also feeling discouraged because I feel like I should be farther along than I am. Between a month of the heartbeat weirdness, a week long cold, several days in -15F weather.... I'm worried I won't be "ready" by the time of my race.

I guess I'm looking for support, encouragement, anecdotal reassurance, or maybe just someone to say I need to get my butt out the door and go running!

ETA -- not looking for medical advice re: the heart palpitations, as I know asking for advice on that stuff online is problematic! I've already had a number of tests and been cleared to run, now it's just the mental block about it that I have to overcome : )

Replies

  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Don't worry about the 5k. You are already at a point where you should be able to run the majority of it, if not all of it. In another month, you will be more than ready.

    Week 7 can be challenging by itself without health worries. It could be that you do actually need another day of rest, as well. Try going out for a slow jog for just 10 minutes and see how you feel.

    There is no "behind" in running. You are where you are today. You will run with what ever you have on the day of the race. You commit to a training schedule and get your butt out there, but the reality is that you'll need to balance it with your other life needs. The most important thing is that you just keep running. You'll get better if you just keep running. You'll be a runner if you just keep running. Every step you've put on the ground has brought you to where you are today. All of your steps will give you courage at the starting line of your race and strength to the finish line. You've got this. Just keep running. (JFR)
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    What she said.
  • GrindingSalt
    GrindingSalt Posts: 68 Member
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    Don't worry about the 5k. You are already at a point where you should be able to run the majority of it, if not all of it. In another month, you will be more than ready.

    Week 7 can be challenging by itself without health worries. It could be that you do actually need another day of rest, as well. Try going out for a slow jog for just 10 minutes and see how you feel.

    There is no "behind" in running. You are where you are today. You will run with what ever you have on the day of the race. You commit to a training schedule and get your butt out there, but the reality is that you'll need to balance it with your other life needs. The most important thing is that you just keep running. You'll get better if you just keep running. You'll be a runner if you just keep running. Every step you've put on the ground has brought you to where you are today. All of your steps will give you courage at the starting line of your race and strength to the finish line. You've got this. Just keep running. (JFR)

    After I read this, I went out and ran two miles. My heart cooperated, I went farther than I have before, and I felt motivated and strong. Thank you : )
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Good job! Trust yourself to be able to do it ;)