Week 8 – Couch to 5K – My Experience

We’re on the penultimate Week of the Couch to 5K challenge! As I write this I’ve actually finished the last run of Week 9! It’s been quite a journey.

Week 8 of Couch to 5K follows the same format as Week 7. There are three runs and they’re identical. No more intervals, just 28 minutes of solid running three times in a week.

I always find the first run of the week is the most difficult. I mentioned before on my post about Week 7 of the Couch to 5K app, but the biggest hurdle for me is actually believing I can do it. The coaches are encouraging and during the warm up try and talk you up by saying “you can do this, your body is ready”. But in the back of my mind I’m never so sure!

The step up from Week 7 is smaller than that from Week 6 – 7 which makes it feel more manageable. Week 7 was 25 minutes, and Week 8 is 28 minutes of running so it’s only three minutes longer.

How I Found Week 8 of the Couch to 5K App

I’m not going to lie. 28 minutes of running feels like a long time. I still have the habit of counting down the seconds which makes it seem even longer too. But, after the first run is done it changes my mindset for the next two runs. I’ve already done it once, so I can do it again yes? And the more I do it the easier it will become (hopefully).

As they say in the app, some runs are harder than others. My legs felt really heavy on Run 2 and I changed up my route which made me feel like I had been running longer than I actually had been. I managed to run the whole 28 minutes but it was a struggle towards the end. I’ve learnt not to get too disheartened though, having one bad run does not mean I’m not making progress.

I’m enjoying how the Couch to 5K app has changed my attitude towards running. I’ve never really considered myself a “runner” and therefore never really set goals for myself or pushed on when it got a little tricky. I found the timer telling me how much time I have been running and how long I have left really motivating.

Maybe it’s a subconscious thing, but embarking on the Couch to 5K app and the way it is set up has made me determined to finish it. I can see how far I’ve come and the progress I’ve made and I don’t want to give up. Past me would be so disappointed.

If you’re on Week 8 of the Couch to 5K app, you can do it! You’ve trained for seven weeks already and you just need to conquer an extra three minutes of running! You just need to believe you can do it.