C25K: is it just me to finds the transition from Week 3 to Week 4 hard?

[Marie2023]

I just can’t do it! Weeks 1-3 were easy, but I just can’t run for 5 mins. Has anybody else found this?

You can do this! What exactly is stopping you? Is it physical or is it your head?

When I struggled with C25k first time I'd repeat the previous week. I remember that 5 minute hurdle and it was mostly psychological tbh but I also realised I was trying to run too fast so try slowing down a bit and seeing if that helps.

If you read the forums and feedback around C25K, week 4 is a bit of a wall.

A few things to think about:

• Individual Differences: We all start C25K with different fitness levels based on factors like age, gender, and how long we've been sedentary. This means each person's experience will be different, as we're running at different percentages of our VO2 max.
• Physiology, Not Mentality: If you're finding it hard to push through, it's not a question of mental strength. It's a physiological problem. For some, the running is near their maximum capacity. Anyone training near maximum capacity will find the activity too hard and unpleasant. Don't be hard on yourself.
• Adaptation Period: It might be that your body needs more time to adapt to the increased activity.

To make it more manageable, you could try:

1. Brisk Walking: Instead of running, try walking briskly for the allotted running time for all the weeks. Then go back to the beginning and repeat the 9 weeks, this time trying to run.
2. Weighted Walks: Carry a weighted backpack and walk every session. Walk faster during the running time.
3. Repeat Weeks: If a week feels particularly tough, repeat it to give your body more time to adapt.

Remember, the goal is to get active and enjoy the process. If you're finding C25K too intense, it's okay to modify it to suit your needs.

In all honesty, I think C25K is too intense for many people just getting into exercise. If you find it too hard, it's not mental; it's simply that the adaptation phase needs to be longer.

Hot weather makes running hard for everyone, so it's not an easy time to be picking up longer bursts of running. Running early tends to help dodge the worst of the heat.

If you're going too fast (fast being relative to your body, not as an absolute speed) then this is the point at which this tends to catch up. Slowing down helps, even if it's no faster than a brisk walk. C25k is about building the stamina to run 30 mins (which is rarely a 5k for a beginner)

A lot of people repeat runs, particularly around this mid-stage, and it might be worth some repeat runs to be in a more comfortable zone while we're still in the hotter weather.

I’ve run a number of c25k courses for my running club, and I’d say you’re running too fast. Go out and start running at your normal speed (as you’re determined, it’s highly likely this will be faster than you’d think) . then mentally slow down a gear.. go so slow you think you’re about to walk. It really does need to be a low effort run. Just think ‘how slow do I need to go to finish this’. Go slow, then slower. Halfway through, shift down a gear as you’ll probably have let your speed creep up. The whole point of C25k is to build stamina first, and then the speed will come naturally.

Thanks so much for your replies! I am going to go back o Week 3 and slow down a bit. I’m not giving up!