Week 5

[Jbutler]

I'm starting week 5 this week. Just wondering who is on the same week!

[Pumplehoober]

I am also starting Week 5 tonight.

Its the third one that is scaring me a bit!

20 minutes straight??

Never would have imagined that!

Good luck on Week 5!

[gracemom]

I did wk5, run 1 today. I am pretty worried about the next two runs.

[Jbutler]

Everyone says the third run is a challenge, but a major sense of accomplishment when it's done. Im looking forward to seeing how it feels to run that long.

I do get worried that when im done with the program I'll become a slacker without the frequent encouragement of "keep going for thirty more seconds"

Good luck you two, can't wait to hear you've completed it!

[couchto5katy]

I just finished week 5, run 3! It was hard, but the way it is broken down into 5 minute sections makes it seem more manageable! You can read about how I felt here: http://www.couchto5katy.wordpress.com

[Pumplehoober]

Well Week 5, Run 1 is done. It was suuuper hard to get out the door today but once I got going it got better. Not too worried now about the two 8 minute runs next buts little bit worried about Friday. Your encouragement helps though folks!

[Bigsvig]

Just finished week 4 - with a bang that surprised me considering how challenging the first two runs of the week were. I even ran a few extra minutes after the cool down. Maybe that was a mistake, but I was trying to prepare myself mentally for w5- which suddenly doesn't seem so impossible. I think the secret was (like the awesome British Lady says, "Slow Down'. I kept my heart rate under 155 and was able to keep going. Yeah!

[Jbutler]

Just finished week 5 run 2. The first run was a challenge. I kept waiting for the little voice to tell me how much longer I had. The thought crossed my mind to walk and repeat it later, but I stumbled through it somehow. My pace is still painfully slow, but I try not to think about it too much.

I'll be happy to get through the next run though. Sometimes I do a small workout on my "days off" such as some crunches, pushups or a leisure jog (I just go out and walk or run as I feel like it with no goal), but I think I'm taking tomorrow off to rest up for the big day!

Hope the rest of you week fivers made it through today without much difficulty!

[Jbutler]

I'm happy to say that I've completed week 5 run 3! Because of work and driving 2 hours home for the weekend, I did this run in the morning ( I usually do them after work in the evening). It's tough to get up in the morning, and I found myself dreading a run that I've been looking forward to since last week; nevertheless, I pushed through my desire to do it tomorrow and just got out there.


My run:
First five minutes: a breeze, I've done this before, I even noticed my pace was a bit better as I was further along my route then my other five minute runs

Second five minutes: serious doubts about my ability to finish, considered giving up and heading home and trying again tomorrow. I gave myself permission to stop at ten minutes and walk until ready to run again, what was going through their heads when they thought I'd be able to run for 20 minutes straight when I struggled with 2 ten minute runs?

Third five minutes: well I made it half way, why should I walk now? Permission to walk was taking away and I stumbled along. This is where the stomach cramp and leg cramps kicked in, not the worst I've had in the program so I kept going.

Last for minutes: I can finish this!

It's amazing how my mindset changed so much during the run. I'm glad I didn't walk or rest throughout the whole run. I did consider it strongly though. Good luck to the others completing week 5. I wish you all success!

[SimonMeek]

I just finished Week 5 Run 3. It had been hanging over me like a cloud all week. I was dreading it, but after run 2 I felt a wee bit more confident, and…

…it was fine! Paced it slow and easy and was even okay to speed it up a bit in the last 5 minutes. Quite a milestone for me. And believe me, if I can do it, so can you!