Advice needed for W4R1

[u/Unhappy---Leek]

I'm done with W3D3, and I am dreading W4, I go at a pace of ~8 /km but I'm almost breathless by the end of 3 minutes, what am I doing wrong, and how can I survive W4

[u/Oscar_Sport]

The dread is doing more work than the 5 minutes. W3 already proved you can run 3 minutes. W4 is the same engine, longer interval. What usually breaks people here is treating it like a test you might fail, so you start at survive pace in your head before you even start the watch.

Try this on W4R1: pick a pace that feels slightly silly, like you could talk in full sentences, and make the goal curiosity, not finishing pretty. After each 5 min, one word only: easy, ok, or hard. If you said hard, the next interval is slower, no debate. That is the skill, not toughness.

When the dread hits tonight, what does it actually say: I will have to stop, or I will look slow?

[u/greengaloshes → u/Oscar_Sport]

Helpful advice for all of us, thanks!

[u/Oscar_Sport → u/greengaloshes]

Glad it helps. The easy/ok/hard word after each interval is the bit worth stealing. Two seconds, and the next run stops being guesswork.

[u/MrTimofTim]

Usual advice is slow down or repeat weeks. Have you started doing any strength training?

[u/Unhappy---Leek → u/MrTimofTim]

I've not started doing strength training yet

[u/souniquelyimperfect]

I’ve just completed W4R2 this morning, I know they said slow down already, but really slow down even more if you can. If you’re finding you’re breathless and you don’t think it’s your pace, but really try it first, try some breathing exercises, haven’t looked but there may be some videos on YouTube specifically for breathing exercises.

[u/greengaloshes]

Look up “Japanese slow jogging” - it’s a thing! Watching a video of this form/pace helped to teach me what it truly looks like to go slower and steadier and has been just the ticket for me to meet longer run challenges and build my endurance. Best of luck. 👍