Week 5 run 3 - The dreaded 20 minutes

[Pischi]

I, too, will end the week with the "Dreaded 20". I'm a tad nervous about the time. Running for 8 minutes and jumping to 20 is a little intimidating. I wish there were some 15 minute runs worked into the program to ease into...

[Playswithfire]

My 20 min run is tomorrow. I just saw it right now - that was a bug surprise! Thanks everyone for posting how it went for them. Hopefully it will go well for me too!

[Timl2k10]

Mine is coming up this Friday. I had moderate shin splints during the second eight minute run today — first time it's been a problem really. I guess the longer the runs get the slower I need to take them, so I plan to take the 20 minute run about as slow as I can go! You'll hear back from me in 2 days (I darn well hope! ).

[Timl2k10]

After the shins splints Wednesday I was a little apprehensive of today's run. So I made an extra effort to take it slow and had to keep reminding myself that I was not trying to win a race but just finish the run. I also concentrated on "finding a rhythm" and paying attention to my mechanics. When I heard the lady say I had 5 minutes left, I was elated — no shin splints! I couldn't help but pick up the pace. "One minute!" Faster still. "10 seconds!" Almost sprinting (relatively speaking).
It was so much easier than I expected. No, I didn't set any personal records — I barely ran faster than 4 mph — but no shin splints! Looking back at Wednesday's run, I can see probably why I had shin splints, I had been running at a near record pace in 8 minute chunks.

[Dixie]

Well done Timl2k10! Once you have cracked that 20 minute run, the rest is easy! The body will be willing I am sure, it's just getting the mind won over! If you are anything like me, going back to the intervals in week 6 was tedious and the walking was almost harder than the running. When the 25 minute run came up at the end of W6 it was easy. As you say, you just have to keep a slow steady pace, on the basis you can work on pace once you have cracked 30 mins. Keep going! You are doing great!!

[Timl2k10]

Thanks!

[Toadie]

Timl2k10, I had the same experience with my w5r3 a little while ago - I was nervous about it so I was going super slowly at the beginning, then realised I could speed up at the end! Well done and good luck with your continuing progress