Wel done you lot... I did D1 today... and whilst i was fearing what was to come, I kinda suprised myself and surpassed all my expectations.

I also find that once ive cracked on through the first minute or so of running, I settle down into my rythm and before i know it "Laura" is telling me to slow down to a brisk walk.

Here's hoping that the same continues, on Tuesday morning, for my attempt at W5D2 and the 8minute stints...

Finished Week 5 Day 3 last night (3 days late I might add) and it was alot easier than I expected. I had to slow down on the way back but I am running 4 min km on the way out and 5 min km on the way back. I want to keep ym speed consistent at 4min km. But Im not quite there yet.

Started my week 5 yesterday.... My legs are sore today...

Did D1 on Sunday... D2 wednesday and doing D3 tomorrow. Legs a little sore this morning... Didnt help kettlebelling the hell out of my legs on Tuesday!!!

Was still a little stiff, yesterday, so I was up and out at 6am this morning.. IN THE RAIN!! I might add.....

5 min warm up walk, then the voice in my ear buds said "right.. get ready.. 20mins none stop...." O M G G!!

Half talking myself out of it, I focused, dug deep, sniffed back the rain drops trickling down my nose and got stuck in.

20mins later and im breezing towards my cooldown 5mins... WHOOHOO!!

Bring on W6D1

Week 5 day 1 done yay. Was feeling good come the 5 minute mark so kep going, and like others say, after about 10 minutes you get a groove happening. I ended up doing the 20 minutes, and it's only day 1!! Very happy with myself.
Course, now I have to repat it on day 2...

I had no trouble with W5D1 or W5D2 but wasn't able to do W5D3 without stopping in the middle of the 20 minute run. Not sure if I should start week 6 or try week 5 again.

It's up to you really. If I had really struggled through Day 3 I would probably repeat Week 5 to build up more endurance.

I had no trouble with W5D1 or W5D2 but wasn't able to do W5D3 without stopping in the middle of the 20 minute run. Not sure if I should start week 6 or try week 5 again.

go ahead to week 6 IMO - if you are follownig the cool running plan week 6 drops back to some interval runs for day 1 and 2. Then you can repeat week 6 if you can't do a 20 minute run on day 3.


Jovz what schedule are you following? yours is a bit different than mine.

I'd say go for it - it sounds like you aren't really starting from the couch anyhow.

I just finished week 5 and I actually think the drop back sort of makes sense - but overall its a very slow build. So some people (my boyfriend) probably need the build up to 22-25 minutes (which is what week 6 is) whereas I could probably just do another day of a 20 minute, then do a 22, then a 25, etc. I probably don't need the extra build up because I didn't genuinely start from the COUCH - I was new to running but I'd been walking/playing dance games for cardio for several weeks (..months?) before I started this.

There's a vast difference between my cardio fitness and my boyfriends who literally did start this program from absolutely zero exercise. Like we both finished the 20 minute run, but at the end of it his breathing and heart rate dropped very slowly over the 5 minute cooldown walk, whereas my heartrate goes straight back down pretty -- I walked with him for 5 and then I sprinted to the end of the block, dance-walked down the street, jogged backwards, etc. He probably will benefit from dropping back to intervals from a cardio health perspective though.

I'm just going to do all the weeks since I'm doing it with him, but if you want to skip, I see no reason why you can't skip.

Why don't you try doing week 7 and then at the 25 minute mark if you still have that extra 5 minutes in you, go for it and rename it week 9.

just finished week 4 training yesterday and having cold feet to begin week 5....

I felt the same way. I did W4D3 twice (Saturday and Monday) and I did W5D1 today. It was not as bad as I thought, but I think I may also repeat W5D1 tomorrow before I move on to the 8 minutes. I never felt like I wanted to quit, but I was definitely breathing harder during the 6 minute run.

After pushing myself WAY too hard through W1-W3 (I did them all in 2 weeks), I had to take two weeks off to rest my knee which was swollen and angry because of overuse.

Happy to report, though, that I sailed through W5D3 with flying colors yesterday (actuallly, the last 5 minutes were a little tough, but when she told me to stop, I got another wind and almost kept going!), and am looking forward to doing W5D4 tomorrow morning before work!

I use the "Get Running" app for iPhone, and at the end of W5D3 she says "Well, you just ran for twenty minutes. If you weren't a runner before, you sure can call yourself one now!" and that made me feel like a million bucks! xx