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I managed the 20 minutes yesterday and felt fantastic. I was supprised how well it went...it was the getting started that was the difficult bit, but it went so quickly and i was amazed that i wasnt too out of breath. Your right when you say your body takes over. Well done to everyone who has completed this one and to those that are about to do it....good luck and its honestly not as bad as it sounds. You dont need to go fast just dont stop and you will feel so proud of yourself when you accomplish it! x

Just finished week 5 run 2, and that felt amazing to be able to run for 2x8minutes when I felt I had struggled last week with the 5 minute runs. I think I'm partly looking forward to run 3, I think I'll actually feel like a runner when I complete this, I already feel so proud of my achievement!!

I am learning to trust The Voice. I had to push pretty hard to keep up in week 4, and I did, but today I just finished week 5, run 2 with (dare I say) ease!
This morning my knee was kind of hurting, I didn't sleep well and the clouds above looked like they were going to give way to rain but I reluctantly trusted that nice voice that's been coaching me along and sure enough- she knew I was ready - wether I felt like it or not.
I can honestly say that I'm not scared of my next run (20 min. straight) like I was just a few days ago. I'm going to trust The Voice.

I completed w5d3 yesterday was gonna repeat d2, so glad now i didn't. Oh what a sense of pride I felt when I heard "you are now a runner"! It felt so good known I could do, & I didnt stop once. Can't believe the difference 5 weeks has made. I'm still smiling after this achievement, it is the furthest I've ever ran in my life ever!

I just finished week 5. This is the first time I have ever been able to run 20 minutes straight. I feel like I've been given a super power.

If you are reading this thread because you're nervous about taking on week 5 don't be, if you've made it through week 4, you're in for a great surprise.

I did it!!!!! finished week 5 run 3! I can't believe I actually ran for 20 minutes!!

I am about to run Week 5 session 3 on Thursday...wish me luck?!!? Both of week 5 sessions 1 & 2 have been hard going.

Brian.

Hi, SO pleased to read all of your posts, thanks. I ran week 5 run 2 this morning and feel like this was the limit of what I can do. Could not believe that the next run is 20 mins and to be honest feel scared and not at all sure I can do it.

Think I should chime in here

I'm very happy many of you run 20 minutes and afterwards feel highly motivated.

I want to make it really clear that if you don't finish the 20 minutes, or if you have trouble with any of the Get Running's runs, then that is not something you should concern yourself about.

When I set out to do something, and I don't manage, that feels like a set back to me – it gets me thinking, "Hmmm, maybe this is something I can't do, perhaps I'm a different kind of person and I'm just not built for that kind of thing." You know, it could be, "Maybe I'm not smart enough", or "strong enough", or "young enough" or "quick enough", or what ever you like.

This might be appropriate thinking sometimes. If I was setting out to be the first human to run a two hour marathon, then it's probably a good thing for my brain tells me pretty early on that I'm not going to succeed at this, and I might want to choose another goal.

Most of this time, this isn't a very useful way to think though. My goal with running is to move towards being healthier, and to enjoy myself. That being the goal, if I stumble with a run and don't enjoy it, or don't achieve what I want to achieve (and trust me, everyone has bad days, especially when they set out to push themselves more than they have before), then I think, "oh well, next time will be better".

You've probably spent years and years not running, but now you are getting healthier and healthier, and you will for the rest of your life. If today isn't the perfect run, so be it – there are so many more in the future. If you ran, then your tried, and if you try, you will succeed. It doesn't matter at all if you didn't make it this time Get Running will let you repeat the in when you want to, or go back to the run before that you were happy with.

I hope that helps!

Happy running.
Benjohn