Couch To 5K: I’m Starting To Enjoy Myself, Week 3

by Sep 28, 2017

I was feeling optimistic for week 3 – I felt more positive in general and found that the routine was starting to become more enjoyable.

My confidence and optimism soon shrunk as I tied my laces and strapped my iPhone to my arm, as I realised week 3 would have me running for a whole minute longer than week 2. How on earth was I going to manage?

Week 3 consisted of the following routine:
Warmup – 5 minute walk
Run – 90 seconds
Walk – 90 seconds
Run – 3 minutes
Walk – 3 minutes
Run – 90 seconds
Walk – 90 Seconds
Run – 3 minutes
Cool down – 3 minute walk
Week 3

Run 1

My expectations had become too high and I was mentally punishing myself before I had even finished the warmup. I was telling myself that there was no way I’d be able to run for 3 minutes, 3 times – it’s just wasn’t going to happen. I’d convinced myself that I wasn’t fit enough and that I’d have to start the whole programme again. But to my surprise, after noticing that I wasn’t gasping for air or sweating buckets after the second 3 minutes run, I realised that hey – maybe I could do this after all. I was tired after this session but my mood had certainly lifted.

Run 2

Feeling slightly better than I had before run 1, I decided to do run 2 the day after – which may or may not have been the reason I found this run a hell of a lot harder. I was in a better frame of mind for sure but physically I found that I was really struggling which left me feeling frustrated and disappointed by the end of the session.

Run 3

After shaking off my negativity and giving myself a good talking-to, I bounced out of the door feeling lighter and more prepared for run 3. I took things a little slower and focused on my breathing, which meant that I was able to run for longer without getting a stitch or feeling out of breath. I noticed that I’d even gone slightly further in distance, which was a good sign as it showed that steadying myself had me covering more ground.

Week 3 outcome

Week 3 was the pinnacle for me. I spent 2 out of the 3 runs moody and demotivated which had visible repercussions on my physical ability. I seriously considered deleting the app from my phone and giving up on running altogether. But then I thought no – next week I would be more focused and less demanding on myself. Next week I would enjoy running again.

For more information about the Couch to 5k challenge visit the dedicated BBC page here.

————

Want the latest posts, offers and exclusive tickets straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss out again. быстрые займы онлайн займ под проценты у частного лица краснодарзайм на киви с плохой кредитной историеймфо займ экспресс

мгновенный кредит на карту онлайн zaymi-bistro.ru беспроцентный займ онлайн на карту
payday loans are short-term loans for small amounts of money https://zp-pdl.com payday loans online

About Sophia Chettleburgh

Sophia works and lives in London and recently began writing as a hobby in her spare time. Her interests include films, music and food. Although Sophia has only been writing for a short amount of time, she has written for an array of well-known lifestyle brands and popular publications.

Instagram