20 minutes!!! Oh lord help me!

[shjones288]

Well, still haven't done this run yet. My time has been filled with softball. I feel so lazy!! Maybe running tonight at midnight but going to do it or going to lose my momentum. I am burnt to a crisp so there will be a trail of smoke behind me but hey that will look pretty cool.

[meggie t]

shjones, good luck! Hope you are able to maintain your momentum!

aimeea, congrats on the 20 min!! That is great.

As for me, I didn't do it. As I stated earlier, I had resigned myself to not doing the run today, then I felt guilty so I went to the gym. Well, I wasn't in the right frame of mind, as I REALLY didn't want to be there. So I started the run. Got to about minute 9 when I decided I didn't want to do this today. So I stopped! Got off the treadmill and left. I will either attempt the 20 min on Tuesday, or just start W5 over. Haven't decided that yet but I will get there!

[Gareth111278]

It looks like a massive jump ,I'm W5R2 next so my 20 mins will be on Thursday .
I think I can do it if I pace myself.......

Well done to anyone who cracked it!

[NeilHughes1]

Just finished Week 5 run 1 and thought it was ok, but now I discovered it jumps to a 20 minute run on Friday
Man that is quite a jump and feeling a little nervous now.

[shjones288]

You can do it!! I think my problem the first time was I didn't think I could so I psyched myself out. I think I could have done it if my brain not my body was ready. So, go get em!! You can do this!!

[Ian]

Hey Neil,

I don't think there is a single person who came to w5r3 that wasn't nervous about it... but there are a whole pile of people who found themselves the other side of that run and couldn't believe it.

I actually didn't make it first time around - ran too fast. But I got there. You will too. Keep it slow and easy.

Good luck (although it's not luck.... you've trained for it!).

[TheDogAteMyName]

Great! Any updates in your following runs?

[TheDogAteMyName]

Pushingit,

I'm doing the same thing! So glad to hear someone else is because I was like you out of breath after only a minute. I am now extending my runs because I feel like I can and it feels great!

[shjones288]

I forgot to post my victory! So here the story goes...
So I pass my previous 10 min mark and I am able to stay running. Yeah! Going along singing the songs in my head playing on pandora doing good. Well around round 18 min I about TKO 'd. I had about all I could take and the run was getting the best of me. Well, just then the neighbors garage door opens and here they come to their car. At this point I can't stop. I'll look like a fool. All my fans (lol) can't let them down. In my head I hear my name being chanted. Here comes my right foot then my left. What Thirty seconds left she says. " you can do it" I think. Finally the bell rings and I'm done. I did it!!! I had my Rocky moment!! now it may have been laying in the grass of my yard instead of the top of the steps but my hands were up with a huge smile on my face.

Now, back to the present. Tonight I moved to week six. 5 -8-5. Easy right I just conquered the champ. Oh no, not so easy! First five no problem, eight a little harder but by the end of the next five , whew! But again I was the victor. I'm not the fasted but hey, this fat girl is running and she is not stopping! Bring it!!! Hahahahahahaha

[Ian]

Well done! Isn't it amazing how much influence your mind has on your ability to finish!

I found that if I'm thinking about how hard it is it gets waaaaayyyyy harder than it really is and I'm more likely to fail.

However, by thinking "I can do this no problem", I actually can. In fact I can exceed what I thought I could do. I usually finish on an uphill and it had me beaten for weeks mentally. I used to run farther so that the run would be over before I reached the hill. Now I can do it.... every time. Just because I tell myself I can. Self fulfilling prophecies work whether they are positive or negative!

I do find that if I concentrate on my breathing I find it harder and get more out of breath. I'm learning to pay attention to breathing and slow down if I'm getting a little puffy, but not to dwell on breathing outside that.

I also keep my focus on the ground in front of me if I'm going up a hill. I don't look up to see how much hill I have left to climb. That helps me a lot.