active network espn
Community: Exchange advice in the forums and read running commentary Resources: Personal running log, calculators, links and other tools for runners News: Running news from around the world Training: Articles and advice about fitness, race training and injury prevention Races/Results: Find upcoming races and past results Home: The Cool Running homepage
Cool Running homepage  Search Cool Running Community
5 Replies Last post: Jun 16, 2008 3:32 PM by angiesuecrna  
Click to view angiesuecrna's profile Amateur 9 posts since
May 15, 2008
Login to Reply

Jun 15, 2008 6:24 PM

Finished Week 4 and a Bit intimidated by Week 5

Hello everyone, I finished week 4 this morning. Its been a tough week but I did it, I ran every minute on all three days so I am headed into week 5. I looked at what I had ahead of me next and gasped when I saw day 3....... 20 minute run, NO walking... Okay everyone, give me a pep talk, tell me that I can do it. It just seems like such a huge jump. How did everyone else do during week 5?
Click to view eepnc's profile Rookie 1 posts since
Jun 15, 2008
1. Jun 15, 2008 7:03 PM in response to: angiesuecrna
Re: Finished Week 4 and a Bit intimidated by Week 5
I am in the same boat! I finished week 4 a few days ago and will start week 5 tomorrow. I am completely terrified. I did fine with week 4, but the idea of running for 20 minutes without a break...well, that's just crazy. I am trying not to think too much about it until it is time to do it, at which point I will just do it. Don't think, just run. I will be watching this thread in the hopes of seeing pep talks, success stories, or encouragement.
Click to view iamrunnernow's profile Amateur 19 posts since
Jun 13, 2008
2. Jun 15, 2008 7:17 PM in response to: angiesuecrna
Re: Finished Week 4 and a Bit intimidated by Week 5
Hi Angie,
I am currently going into the week 7 and I had exactly the same experience as you are having. I stressed about the 20 min for almost 2 weeks. My body was ready to do it but my biggest challenge was the mental block that I have never ran for that long in my life. I got on the treadmill thinking that I will just take it a minute at a time. I knew I could do the 8 minutes since I already did it couple of times and after that I just kept going. When I hit 10 min I thought it is only 5 minutes to do 15 min and once I got to 15 min I was not going to give up because you can definitely do 5 more minutes. I had a hard time at about 17 min completed but I was so close I thought if I don't complete this now I will have to start all over the next day and that kept me going. The feeling at the end was fantastic! It is all about the mental challenge. I try to break the long runs into "doable" blocks in my mind. If I tell myself that I will run 3 minutes I will die at about 3:10 whereas when I trick my mind it works. I just did the 25 minutes 2 days ago (and it was much easier mentally than the 20 min) and now I am stressing again about the next 3 weeks of no walking breaks! There are couple of threads that are in the weeks 7 and 8 that talk about their experience. It really helps to see people feeling exactly as you do and acing the program in the end. Good luck!
Click to view RowdyBliss's profile Amateur 29 posts since
Oct 15, 2007
3. Jun 15, 2008 7:19 PM in response to: angiesuecrna
Re: Finished Week 4 and a Bit intimidated by Week 5

I JUST finished Week 5 today, and I did my 20-minute run this morning. I won't say that it was not challenging (of course it was!), but I made it!

Trust your training; it has prepared you for this moment.

Don't focus on your 20-minute run all week or you'll psych yourself out; focus on each day's training one day at a time, make them quality runs, and when your 20-minute day arrives, just pace yourself. You can do it! B-)

Click to view lynna065's profile Pro 68 posts since
Dec 14, 2007
4. Jun 16, 2008 5:14 AM in response to: angiesuecrna
Re: Finished Week 4 and a Bit intimidated by Week 5
I was too. The 20 minute run with no walking was great for me. I sometimes found it difficult to resume running after the walk break. I went through week 5 in great shape and I am now in week 8.