Help! I hit a wall in C25K @ W5D3!!

ElectricMayhem

I completed week 5 day 2 on monday (i've been taking it easy the rest of the week because i have a wicked cold!), i was shocked that i actually made day 2 and survived it but i'm looking at day 3 and it's an 8 minute run, 5 minute walk then 8 minute run which equals a total running time of 16 minutes which is 2 minutes LESS than the day 2!! If you look at it that way maybe it will help....push yourself and you will go far :bigsmile: On a side note, i've only run once on the treadmill during the entire program and i HATED it! Much easier for me to be out in the fresh air without looking down at the pace every 2 seconds...i use an app on my phone called Map my Run which keeps pace for me and tracks my miles total but i don't look at it until i'm completely done. It does chime in once i've hit a mile and tells me my pace which sometimes motivates me to go harder. Hope you kick that wall down and keep going!

WendyTerry420

Keep the treadmill at 4.0 and still use your running form with shorter strides. 5mph is a 12 minute mile. That's not your goal right now, not doing C25k. Once you build your endurance, the speed will come naturally. Don't worry about speed. Go SLOWLY! My run is barely faster than my walk, which is fine. You can only build endurance by going slower. Don't trip over the mph - it's irrelevant. You have to go slowly to build your endurance. Go at a rate of speed that allows you to complete the time-frames in the program.

bcattoes

Yes, do start week 5 over. If you still hit that wall, then repeat that one day over until you can do it comfortably and then move on. Maybe even try two 10 min runs before moving to 20 min without a break.

Attitude also plays a big role in running, especially when just getting started. Some days you are just more "into it" than others. Just keep challenging yourself and you'll get there.

sallydurkin

I have not done the C25k program, but I have read it and I have done some long distance running myself in the past. I would try backing off the speed in order to build the endurance. I also found that with running, that 'wall' is more in your mind than your legs/lungs. You can push through it quite easily if you make your mind control what your body is doing. Focus on your breathing (very important) and keep it deep, smooth, and in rhythm. When you feel like you are going to die...tell your legs to keep going...and believe it or not...you will!

Long story short; take your pace back a bit until you are comfortable with a 15+ minute run with no breaks and keep breathing!

exactly what I was thinking my mind is my greatest enemy.... I can be very negative with myself. I was doing c25k outside while pushing my girls in the stroller. I have recently stopped due to cold weather (they don't do well in the cold, and it is not a peaceful run or a nice speaking mommy when they are all crying and whining.) Anyways what I was comming around to was the day before the 20 mins I didn't hear the stop running for after the first 8 min so I missed my walk... thinking it was the longest 8 min ever.... then it told me o start running and I noticed I went over so I pushed myself see how far I can go I went for another 4 min or so..... then my mind gave up. so I walked for 2 min. But when the 20 came up I knew I had pushed myself before and I could push harder.
Anyway long story short cover the distance, cover the speed and listen to the music lose yourself in it and repeat just a little bit further I can do that.... play games with your mind. Our minds/body play games on us telling us we can't go further and we believe, and stop so play the same game, count to 100 slowly and once there tell your self you can do it again.... and keep doing it! I alway tell myself one foot in front of the other just keep doing it.
I also chew gum as both a distraction and helps eliminate the need for water while I am running.
hth a little.

klindema

I'm running week 5, day 1 tomorrow, and am registered for the Hot Chocolate 5k on Nov 4th- so I'm determined to push through it. My friend is running with me, and has been stuck on day 3 for over a week! A few colds have slowed my progress, but my plan is:

Do the entire interval, even if I have to reduce my speed to 4.7 or so, (and reduce my incline, since I normall run at 1.5)
Chew gum,
Play the most inspiring music I have- timed at about 135-138 bom (I own many running albums with bpm, and it really helps me!)
Play mind games with myself!
My husband ran his second marathon last weekend, and this morning I ran an entire minute at 6mph, which shocked me.

I'm a gum chewer as well- totally helps the dry mouth.

Domino232

Try w6d1 and w6d2 then go back and try w5d3 again. I know it is out of sequence but I think the jump is too much, and this builds you up to it better.