] how did you all make the jump from 8 to 20 min... that seems sooo overwhelming....

Look at it this way. Your W5D2 run was 16 minutes of running with a walk break in there. D3 is 20 minutes of running. That's only four minutes difference. This is one of those runs that is a big mental one. Know you've trained well enough to run the 20 minutes. I was able to run it when I got there and it is a real confidence boost going into week 6. You can do it!

how did you all make the jump from 8 to 20 min... that seems sooo overwhelming....

The key to running longer is to slow down.

That's the best advice anyone has given me, and it's honestly the best advice to be given throughout the whole program. Slow down, way down. Old men will probably pass you, maybe even a zombie too. Just keep moving and you'll get through it! From the newbie that just got through that particular run less than a week ago, you've basically already done the jog! You jogged 8 minutes, walked 5 minutes, and then jogged another 8. Technically, you've been moving for 21 minutes. All you have to do is keep moving for 4 minutes of that walk period, and you did the 20 minute jog! It really is mental, as Meg said...you'll be surprised at how okay it really is. I'm still here, and so is everyone that did it...though dying while running wouldn't be the worst death ever. Wingz, I could never hate you! Difference of opinions I say...I'm not big on superhero movies but I love Heath Ledger. *blush* Ahhh, W6D3 soon. If ya'll don't see me, you know what happened haha.

Yep, I agree. Definitely the best advice ever is "slow down" and run within yourself. It is all about building up slowly. Even now I run very slowly until the last couple of minutes/2-300 metres, when I have a bit of a "kick" (to use the technical term that I picked up watching the kenyans on the TV.) W6 is a (relative) piece of cake after you complete W5D3. You just feel like you can handle anything. I finally completed 3 whole actual literal miles today. That was a real mental grind. I knew from gmaps, where the 1.5 mile marker was but it just took an age to get there. Added to that was very high humidity (for here in the UK) which took the wind out of me at times. Obviously it's not as bad as you guys who are running in Florida or the Carolinas, but us limeys are just not used to it. Anyhow, my official 3 mile personal best is now: 33mins 31.5 secs.

Good for you, meltchett! That's a very, very respectable pace...tack on .1 miles and that's a great 5k time! I'm still a slowpoke and am still pulling out anywhere from 12.5-16 minute miles...I figure that eventually I'll get used to the length of the jog and get faster. Relative piece of cake? All of W6 was hard for me, though it wasn't impossible. I know I wanted to stop quite a few times, but it's all mental. I remember shouting to myself 'HTFU!' when I wanted to stop, and it kept me going. People probably thought I was psycho, but never we mind! So, W6 is done. It was hard, but fortunately now I can listen to my own music and it makes the jog much more bearable. 25 minutes was a bigger barrier for me than the 20 minutes, but the first 20 minutes wasn't so bad. I think I was fearing it more because it's the first of many non-interval jogs...I will have been 'weaned' off of walk breaks and there is 4 25 minute jogs in a row, counting today. Unfortch, I did not cover 2 miles during this time but I came close. I even jogged for almost a minute more just to get home. Go, everyone!

meltchett - I hear you on the humidity thing. I know we're total wusses compared to all you guys across the pond, especially in the southern states, but it's 52% humidity and 78 degrees here right now, in Scotland, at 9pm, and that's a lot, for us. turtlechick - the 20 minute run is kind of looming for me, too, and I'm nervous, but we can do it! I took an extra day off between the end of W4 and the beginning of W5, to get over the aches I woke up with on Wednesday morning after my tumble on Tuesday night. A little bit of lingering muscle soreness this evening, thought about skipping, knew I would be cranky all day tomorrow if I did, and headed out there. W5D1 done and I feel good, better than I did before I went out. I love it when I get down to the river, it's me and the water and the breeze (really needed that part tonight!) and it's just become my favourite time of the day. God, I've got so addicted this time around...

W5D1 done and I feel good, better than I did before I went out. I love it when I get down to the river, it's me and the water and the breeze (really needed that part tonight!) and it's just become my favourite time of the day. God, I've got so addicted this time around...

I love when I get home from a run, feeling great and just smiling like an idiot. Run time is my time. It really does clear out the head! Glad you are feeling so addicted this time. You will graduate C25K! No halfways!

Well week two is done! today I ran with my mom and my little sister came again. We all made it through. It hard for me today because I was swimming all day. My mom's friend came because they were supposed to walk together today. She can't really run very much so after we ran we would walk back to her and turn around. It was that bad except we ended up about a mile away from our house. This week felt so short because I did week one twice. So on to week three...

oliviars22 - great job! Keep up the good work and you'll cruise through W3. quotidianlight - you keep staying one week ahead of me! Congrats and do pass on any secrets I may need for my 45 minute run this week

Quotidianlight, we are at the exact same point in the OHR - I just finished week 7 today. I am proud of myself for getting out there, because I have been whacked with a bad summer cold for the last 4 days and lay in bed for a good 45 minutes this morning debating whether I was well enough to go out at all. But taking the last two days off was enough, I guess, because I did the full 45 minutes, and felt good at the end. Moonstar - your description of how you hurt yourself totally sounds like something I'd do. Don't we just do fool things without thinking for our kids? Not to imply that demonstrating jumping jacks at 9pm while wearing flip-flops on uneven grass is a fool thing...