C25K Week 5 - Holy crap!

Emmabulliemum

I was due to do run 2 of week 5 last week but I have pulled the ligament in my knee :grumble: so had to stop running.:sad:

Good luck with it all you'll be fine I'm sure. I can't wait to get back to it

Rotten_Apple

Thanks to all of you for your replies! It really helps me mentally to know other people were scared but they succeeded. The runs def do get easier each time - I literally was out of breath panting like a dog on week 1, you know, the 1 minute jogs :embarassed: But my stamina has increased so much, I can talk and sing during the 5 minute runs now. I can do this!

Philllbis

You can definitley do it. As everyone has stated, the longer runs are more of a mental challenge than physical. The way I approached it was I thought of it as 2 ten minute runs. You've run 10 minutes with no problem, right? At the halfway point I told myself, oh, this is just another 10 minute run, no problem.

Stick with it and you'll be surprised how hard you can push your body. I now think of a 20 minute run as an easy day, lol.

BflSaberfan

I'm on week 2 day 2 I'm going to pretend i didn't read any of this.

Wende3

I did week five last week. I was freaked out too but I made it the 20 minutes, just about puked but I made it! I tried to focus on each song and not look at the time on the treadmill.

Seaglass1123

You can do it!!!

When I first started running I did C25K and I remember being so freaked out by that 20 minutes! I did it and I CRIED I was so overwhelmed and excited! Just go slow and you'll get it done!

This!! I actually stretched out the program a bit because I was so nervous about that long run. Once I did it I felt such a sense of accomplishment. Don't stress it. You got this!!!

lesspaul

C25K Week 5 Day 3 -- even years after you complete the program, this is the run you will always remember. If you have gotten this far you will be ready. Slow and steady!

Pookylou

Don't look ahead, just do each run and don't fret about the next one. I did it was year and did the 20 mins straight (at the end of which I may have done a little dance). If you can't do it, just try again! There is no rush to get through it, C25K DOES work, I struggled with the 1min run to start with, but can do 30 mins no problems now.
Good luck all

timeasterday

Thanks to all of you for your replies! It really helps me mentally to know other people were scared but they succeeded. The runs def do get easier each time - I literally was out of breath panting like a dog on week 1, you know, the 1 minute jogs :embarassed: But my stamina has increased so much, I can talk and sing during the 5 minute runs now. I can do this!

You definitely can do it!!! After week 5 day 2 you have already run for 16 minutes, just not at one time. Once you get past that mental hurdle of running that long continuously you'll wonder why you were ever worried. I'm in week 8 and I look forward to going out and running each time. I actually prefer the continuous runs now vs. the walk breaks.

eep223

Don't be scared, just take it slow. Your body has prepared for this and you are ready. Also, if for some reason you don't quite make it through, don't beat yourself up. Just repeat the run or repeat the week. It took me two tries to get through it the first time I did c25k. For me, it was adding music to listen to that made all the difference. That tells me it was mental and not physical. Now I wouldn't think twice about it! You've got this!

simplyeater

Thank you for posting this! It reminds me of when I started running with C25K and how nervous I was for that very same run. As it happened a friend of mine was at the track that day which flustered me so much that I miscalculated the time that I was supposed to finish my run. Turns out I ended up running 30 min instead of 20. I learned right then and there that I was capable of much more that I give myself credit for. Will try to remember that for my race this Saturday when I will run a total of 12.2 miles:)

RacheUk82

One stride at a time, do it girl and let us know how you got on!

I am W4D1 tomorrow, and know the holy cr*p week is coming!! But, I'm psyching myself up, and you can inspire me to do it!

emzilee

I was meant to do w5d3 about 2 weeks ago but couldn't... since then I've been slowly edging up towards it - my best was 12 minutes x 2 or 15 minutes followed by 6 minutes and 5 minutes.

Still haven't managed 20 straight though

AmbyrJayde

So I am starting week 5 of C25K this week and I was just looking through it and got a major surprise! Up until now each week consisted of the same run/walk times within the week but week 5 is different. I am freaked out that I have to run for 20 minutes straight by day 3 of this week :noway: ! Can anyone tell me their experience with week 5 - did you make the 20 minute run? If so, how (not how did you run, I get that part but I guess the mental part).

I did week 5 day 3 this morning. I was so scared i went to sleep dreading it. But I woke up this morning said "YOU WILL DO IT BECAUSE YOU CAN! YOU ARE THE BEST RUNNER YOU KNOW!" Yeah it was silly but it got me out there and I did it, and it was easier than the two 8 minute runs. I don't know what but I felt it was.

Of course the whole time I was writing a silly poem in my head about the tortoise and the hare, but it worked

Lunarokra

Starting week 5 this week! Hope we get through it. Best wishes.





~Brenda

ksuh999

As someone who finished C25K a few weeks ago and now runs 5K a couple times a week, I do 20mins as an "easy run" now.

So you will succeed!

cds_momto3

I did W5D3 Friday night and it was SUUUUUCH a feeling of accomplishment! It made me excited to graduate from the program and become a "real" runner.

ozigal

I did W5D3 yesterday. The way to get through it is to take it really slow. The first 5 minutes went past pretty quickly. When the app then said I was half way, I couldnt believe it. At 15minutes, I was 3/4 through it and yes, the last couple of minutes were tough. I kept looking at my watch but at that point my head kicked in and said "You have gone this far, you can do the rest"

I sprinted the last 30 seconds of it just to prove to myself that I could.

So what helped me get through it? I read a pile of stuff on forums and they all said the same thing... Go slow! Go really slow! It doesnt matter if people who are walking, walk past you. As long as you are running for 20 minutes that is all that counts.

I also found this piece on the internet and it all made sense:
http://couch-to-5k.livejournal.com/850437.html

If you have come through the programme this far and you cant seem to get that 20 minute run done then the ONLY thing that is holding you back is your head. Get out there and do it

jewelswye

Im only on week 3 but I think I may need to read this just before Week 5 lol. good luck everyone :-)

emzilee

I FINALLY managed W5D3 today! After weeks of putting it off!

Usually I watch TV whilst running (I run on a treadmill) and I think I obsess over watching the clock too much. Today I used the NHS C25K podcast and turned the clock off on the treadmill. Subtitles on the TV for something to focus my eyes on and BOOM.

I'm so proud of myself! And believe me - if I can, anyone can!

MissFuchsia

I had to keep re-reading week 5. I thought I had made a mistake. How could jump to 20 mins non stop so suddenly! I did it though. You just need to push yourself. I did it and felt so proud of myself afterwards. I've got 2 weeks left of c25k

mscote12

I am on week 5 now....day 1 is done, day 2 will probably be tomorrow....week 3---eeeeek! lol I am going to do what I can but I REALLY want to do the full 2 miles OR 20 minutes (whichever one comes first) the first time around, I want to keep pace with the program and my instructor said if I have been following it so far, I am PHYSICALLY ready to do this....now it is the MENTAL challenge of running that comes into play.

Ready got to get my head in the game for this one. Mind over matter.....

jenn2mann

I'm late to the party, but wanted to give my W5D3 story. I usually run with a friend, but she was sick on that day. Up until that point, I had gone through the program really slowly, but I felt ready. So, I started the run. When I run with my friend, we talk the whole way and it makes the time go faster. Without her, I had to quickly think of song lyrics (my headphone jack doesn't work) and I ran out of songs to sing in my head. So, I came up with Dona Nobis Pacem, not a sing for most people's running playlists. But, it worked. I sang it over and over again for the last 10 minutes, then did my dance. I just completed W6D3, 25 minutes! I am so proud of myself.

jikennedy

I just completed day 3 of week but like you I could not belive the jump in time between day 2 and day 3. However I managed the 20 mins just paced myself at a gentle pace I am 50lbs overweight so carrying a lot of excess weight but managed to complete Dont focus on the time just concentrate on the run and your breathing and you will be fine Good luck

sphkhn

I did week5 day 2 today and I think I am going to repeat it again before I do day 3. So excited for everyone getting through this.

allietrimsdown

I have tried the Week 5 Day 2 run three times now and can't make it through the second 8-minute jog. This is the first time I've had any trouble finishing a day. I know I can do it and I definitely WANT to do it, but my jog just slows down and down until I come to a stop. Any tips would really be appreciated here -- "good music" just isn't cutting it. Don't know how I'll even get close to finishing W5D3!

ErinMcMom

I just finished up w5d3 today! I thought I wouldn't be able to do it, but when my legs got tired I just kept on telling myself I was almost there, and that there was nothing stopping me from continuing since my lungs were working, my heart was pumping, my legs were tired but not in pain... it's really kind of a mind game, it's not your body telling you to stop, it's your brain! When you feel like giving up just think about how far you've run so far, and that stopping there would mean that you pushed through every previous minute for nothing! Telling yourself that you can't do it is making it impossible for you to do it. You CAN do it, you WILL do it, and you'll come back here and tell us all about it!

Get some great tunes in your iPod (or whatever device) with a nice even running pace, sing along, and don't quit till the buzzer goes! You'll feel invincible when you reach the end.

loratliff

Old topic but I'm bumping this up to add to the choir -- I just ran W5D3 and it wasn't bad at all! Was it hard? Sure! But I felt more than capable. The program really does prep you incredibly well. I'm amazed.