Week 5

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  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    I am with you!!! Just finished W4D3 today. I will do W5D1 on Wednesday. I was a little intimidated by W5D3 until reading this thread - all of the "I was intimidated but I did it!!" stories are motivating! I am hoping I can post my own this weekend!
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    W5D1 complete!!! My run was fantastic!!! I have been doing my runs at my gym on an indoor track. I am not sure exactly how far one revolution is, but I am guessing it is 1/16th of a mile. It seems like it has really supported my watch the clock habit. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do my first few weeks in a controlled environment where I am ensured I can run without distractions because my son is in the childcare. However, today's run I decided to take outdoors, and it was A-MAZ-ING!!!!! I completed all three 5-minute runs without issue. I was able to focus on the run and how I was feeling rather than how many times I had been around the track - me and my analytic brain had figured out that I generally ran one revolution in approximately 30 seconds, so I would count as I ran to mentally keep track of how much farther I had to go.

    When I got home today, I used Google maps to determine exactly how far I ran in the 31 minutes of the program today, and it looks like I was right at about 2.8 miles in 31 minutes. I am hoping the map program was correct, because that means I completed the session at a pace of about 11:04 minutes per mile! I will be fantastically happy if I can complete my 5K on December 19th at that pace!
  • curlygirlcami
    curlygirlcami Posts: 102 Member
    Just got done running....26 minutes straight! I can't believe it. I was just going to do the normal 5 minute run and then I just kept going. It felt so good. I am seriously amazed. I am not in good shape and I have never been a runner, but tonight I felt so good!

    Wow, can't wait to complete this program. It has been simply life changing. At the first week I didn't want to run 2 minutes, now I can run 2 miles straight through. I am still amazed!

    Where are the rest of you week 5 people? Don't quit! Keep going. The rewards are going to be amazing!
  • curlygirlcami
    curlygirlcami Posts: 102 Member
    Sorry, it posted my comment twice.
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    Pulling my reply to the Week 4 thread forward:
    One being SLOW DOWN. I was killing myself and feeling defeated. I run at the track at the gym and I don't know if I was subconsciously trying to keep up with the more experienced runners or what, but I finally had to block all of that out, slow down to where my breathing was more managable. I didn't care if I was running side by side with someone that was actually walking. I was commited to doing what was right for me and my fitness level.
    Lesson two was: stop trying to keep track of how many times I went around and trying to predict when the my run would be over. I had to go into kind of a meditative state and just run.... Although, when I heard the word "stop" on my phone app, I was more than happy to comply. :)

    I think I needed to learn these lessons too!!! I did my first run outside on a non-track type surface on Wednesday and it made a huge difference in my run. Like you said, before I had been mentally calculating how long it took to go around the track and then counting how many times I had been around to keep up with how much longer. Today, I was on a 2-mile outdoor paved loop and it was so much better. I liked that the half-miles and miles were marked, but since I had no way to "mark" my progress, I got more into the zone of running.

    The slowing down is something I think I still need to learn... My pace is about 11:20 per mile, and that includes 5 minutes of walking. I did W5D2 today and while I was able to get through the two 8-minute runs, it was definitely a little more difficult to get through the last half of the second 8-minute run. This terrifies me about the 20-minute run on W5D3...If I can barely do 8, how will I be able to do 20?!? However, if I slow down, maybe it will be easier?
  • curlygirlcami
    curlygirlcami Posts: 102 Member
    I never thought I could do fifteen minutes, but then again I never thought I could do 5 minutes either. :-)

    Find something to entertain yourself (like when I was running outside, I just tried to enjoy being outside, looking at people's Christmas decorations, etc.) Don't think about the time. That's really hard for me, but after I got past the first 8 minutes, the rest was easy. I just told myself that I can do it and tried not to think about it too much. I have to say that I actually (for the first time in my life) yesterday ENJOYED running. Crazy I know. :-)

    I hope it all works out for you on your 15 minute run. Enjoy it the best you can. :-)
  • curlygirlcami
    curlygirlcami Posts: 102 Member
    Just did day 2, today. I am a little behind. I am going to do day 3 tomorrow and then get back on track with starting week 6. I am so excited about the progress that I have made so far. It's truly amazing to see and feel the difference each week!

    I hope you all can stick with it too. I know it's hard, but the rewards are GREAT! Keep up the good work to all of you who are still here. :-)
  • sheerjay
    sheerjay Posts: 97 Member
    I started week 5 this week.....didnt get much sleep last night and hoping thats the reason I found it quite hard. Didnt have as much energy as normal so hoping Wednesdays run will be better.

    Wanting some more friends who are into C25K so feel free to add me anyone :)
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    I am so fantastically proud of myself!!! I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!! Not only did I run 20 minutes, I ran 2 miles (the ENTIRE 2 miles) in 21 minutes and 40 seconds, giving me a pace of 5.5 mph, or 10:50 per mile! (I really wanted to run the entire 2 miles, and I felt like I could have run farther had time allowed!)

    It was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I found my stride some time in the first 5 minutes or so...I made sure to pace myself, and when the voice came on and said "You are halfway there, you have completed 10 minutes of running!", I didn't even feel like I had been running for 10 minutes! In my mind I was thinking that was 2 minutes longer than my longest interval so far...if I can do that, surely I can finish!! I also was able to turn my focus towards the distance rather than the time. I *really* wanted to clear the 2 miles in the 20 minutes, so I think my pace towards the end was a little faster as I focused on the goal rather than maintaining a feasible pace. This also helped with the mental aspect of the length of the run.

    Interestingly enough the run I dreaded the most (I have dreaded it every. single. day. since I began the program) is the one I have (to date) enjoyed the most. I am sure it has SOMEthing to do with the fact that I am sooooo insanely proud of myself...but either way...lol
  • cln714
    cln714 Posts: 174 Member
    Shydaisi - Wow, I'm proud of you too!! lol That's amazing. I would never be able to keep up that pace. I am starting W5 today. I know I am going to be obsessing all week about that last run. I know I won't be able to knock it out of the park like you did... but I hope to able to at least finish the 20 mins.
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    You can do it! Don't stress about the pace. Eventhough my pace outweighed my expectations, I really tried to just monitor my breathing and slow my pace enough so I could complete the run.
  • curlygirlcami
    curlygirlcami Posts: 102 Member
    That's awesome! Great job!!!!! You should be proud of pushing yourself and exceeding your goals! :-)

    Very good job!
  • cln714
    cln714 Posts: 174 Member
    Day 1 done. And it actually seemed a bit easier than all of the other days. I'm not sure why. As I've heard even experienced runners say, you have good runs and bad runs... for whatever reason. Yesterday was just a good run and (fingers crossed) hopefully day 3 will be a good run as well. :)
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    Day 1 done. And it actually seemed a bit easier than all of the other days. I'm not sure why. As I've heard even experienced runners say, you have good runs and bad runs... for whatever reason. Yesterday was just a good run and (fingers crossed) hopefully day 3 will be a good run as well. :)

    I found it easier than the previous weeks as well. For me, I think it is because there were less intervals. So once I pushed myself through the first couple of runs, there was only one left to go! As I believe most of running is mental (at least for me), it made the run seem easier.
  • cln714
    cln714 Posts: 174 Member
    Ya, I agree, I think it's because of the less runs.... doesn't really make any sense but when you think you only have to run 3xs as opposed to, like, 9xs... it doesn't seem so bad. :tongue:

    Tonight I'm doing day 2. Yesterday I went to my strength training class and, for some reason, the teacher went insane last night!! She was screaming at us and pushing us really hard. It was alot more strenuous than usual. And today I am SORE. She said she wanted us thinking about her today... and I am. Not very kind thoughts either. No, actually I was thankful that she gave me a really good workout. I'm just hoping it doesn't make for a painful run tonight.
  • cln714
    cln714 Posts: 174 Member
    Day 2 proved to be another comfortable run. Not much pain. In fact, the soreness seemed to go away while I was running. I'm very excited for tomorrow. I will be happy to do my 20 mins run and to be another week closer to my goal.
  • cln714
    cln714 Posts: 174 Member
    Day 3 done! I am thankful that my C25K app tells me when I'm halfway done. It helped me to break it down into 2 very managable segments. I did just fine. It wasn't "easy" but it was too hard either.
  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
    Day 3 done! I am thankful that my C25K app tells me when I'm halfway done. It helped me to break it down into 2 very managable segments. I did just fine. It wasn't "easy" but it was too hard either.

    Great job!!!
  • curlygirlcami
    curlygirlcami Posts: 102 Member
    Finished today and am starting week 6 tomorrow.

    See you all there!