Arrgg backwards results?

skiporchid

Ok so this might just end up being a rant. I started running with c25K in April and average 2-3 runs/week. There was a few weeks that I didn't run for a few days so my weeks never really worked out to be Sunday-Saturday. I've never been a runner but I started to like it a little more around week 5. I did a 5k race on June 13 when I was at week 7. I think I did pretty good for the race (even though I walked parts of it - the course actually turned out to be 5.5km but it's still been my pb) and was full of motivation when I got back. I came back from the race with the idea that I would run 5km every other day..even though I hadn't quite got to 5km at the race. I figured out I was going too fast when I got home. I wanted to better my time and I didn't have all the people around me for me to try to keep up with.

So I'm back to reality. I'm not able to run the full 5km yet. I have been practicing week 8 this week and I've slowed myself down. Here's where I'm frustrated, even after I've slowed down back to around what I was running before the race, I feel like my endurance is lower. I can run 16 minutes before I start whinning for a break. Usually I give in just after that and then there's no stopping me. From walking breaks that is. Every 5 minutes I walk for a few seconds. I did week 5/day 3 totally fine...IN MAY and while I'm going a little faster than that....ughhhhh

I believe some of it could be related to the warmer weather but I haven't run on hot days and I try to run close to sunset so it's cooled off. Should I keep doing week 8 until I can do it completely and then do the 5k? Should I go back to week 7...or week 5? Is there some aspect of running that I'm missing that's messing with my endurance? Is this all in my head and I should just suck it up and keep running? Help?

woodwardtm

Heat bothers me a lot and most of me wanting to stop is my mind. I run best alone and with music, taking the dog is just a distraction and an excuse for me to stop. If you can push yourself through the wanting to stop, keep going. If you play music while you run, try singing along or counting the songs, as in 3 songs until I am done or whatever you need to do to distract yourself. You can do it. Keep pushing yourself until you get there.

likitisplit

If you can't easily recite the Pledge of Allegence while running, you are going too fast. Drink water. Make sure you are eating enough carbs.