My running isn't improving

BryceK67

Best advise I can offer is to change your routine. Run with a spouse, friend or whomever. Change your routes. Running for me and others is a huge mind game. If I don't think I am able to run for miles but as soon as I start playing mind games its over and I start thinking about quiting and going back home. Stick with it!

nwhittle1

I had a similar experience training for a half marathon, running about 3 times a week. My speed didn't improve at all, and I often had to stop after the first mile to catch my breath.

Eventually I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid: my resting heartrate was very high, and as soon as I started running my body struggled to cope.

It could be an idea to rule this out with your doctor. I now find running much easier with the correct thyroid balance.

BerryH

I'm not really concerned about speed for now, I just want to increase my time/distance.

Here's your answer. Go slower. No, slower than that. NO, EVEN SLOWER! Once you're going at a speed you feel like you can keep up forever, then you'll get round 5K. Even if it takes you 45 minutes to start with, the speed will come naturally with time, I promise.

That's your weekend "long run" sorted. You need two other session a week. Make one intervals. Not "so fast I'm going to puke" HIIT type intervals, just ramping up the speed until you're properly stretching your legs. Warm up for 10 minutes, do 1 min fast, 2 mins slow (walk for the first of you need) for 10 more minutes then cool down for 5.

At your level, I'd make the other a half-hour recovery session. Just go out for half an hour, trot round or walk if you need. Try fartlek - run to the next tree and jog to recover, etc.

Try the Zombies,Run! app, it's very good at distracting you from how far or fast you're going, and you can add in zombie chases as you get better. Now, those REALLY speed you up!

Don't forget to stretch, and even if you do no other resistance training, look into running injury prevention bodyweight resistance training.

Good luck, and do come back and let us know how you're doing! :flowerforyou:

nomadlady7

You could also walk the extra distance that you want to cover. Slowly decease the amount that you walk by walk running that added distance. Eventually running more and walking less. This is how I added on mileage when I was training for a 50 miler. The other thing is slow down. I've worked with people who could walk/run a 5k faster than they could run it because they ran the first mile too hard. Getting through the first 3 miles is a monumental task. (It's a mental thing.)

Another thing is if you could find someone to run with. A group, a friend, a dog, who goes about the same pace as you do. Having someone else to be accountable to sometimes helps.

12weeksandcounting

I'm a slow runner, too.

My running efficiency changes depending on what muscles are activated during my runs:

Quads only - I max out my speed quick and I'm going to tire quickly ... but at a very slow speed, this is a "I can run for hours at this pace".

Quads, glutes, and flexors (front hips) - I run much more quickly, but also max out my endurance pretty fast. This is my "sprint" style for now, and I'm working on building my efficiency.


I read "Run Less, Run Faster" and it is helping. Each month or so my recovery "pace" is a bit faster than it was before. The authors recommend one hill workout, one speed workout, and one "long" run each week. However, each run is hard! I guess with this, the long run is the easy run. :huh:


If you want to keep up your running frequency, you probably need to make a couple of those runs really easy. Your "recovery" runs, where your body is not stressed.

Great book - recommended!

rides4sanity

I bike far more than I run, so I am no expert, but I did experience a similar "block" when I first started running. At 22min into my run, I had to stop...my body wanted to be done. For many many months I ran, differing routes and tempos, but same thing I'd get really tired, look at my watch and BAM 22 min. Crazy little internal clock. Then one day I decided to not stop when I felt tired, a few minutes later I was fine. I can't tell you the reason, but to this day somewhere between miles 2-3 it still tugs at me. I ignore it and go on because by 30 minutes I'm good. Challenge yourself to push past where you think you can, even if it;s 30sec, it will prove to you that there is no magic number.

I use the same technique when running or riding a tough hill that has beaten me in the past. Instead of saying I have to stop here just like last time, I say you can make it 10 more seconds. Before I know it I've made it up that hill. Once I've done it, I know I can so the next time through I can push through the doubt.

If we always stay in our comfort zone, we don't give ourselves a chance to improve. Good Luck!

Timmmy40

bump. no time to read this atm

cwsikes

I started off with C25k 3 years ago this August and I've been running since on a regular basis. I've run marathons, 50ks, long distance duathlons, and tons of shorter races since then. I've gone from like a 33 min 5k to a 25 min 5k. I've even been on a mile a day run streak for the past 400 days or so. I still take a break to walk during almost every run I do over a mile. It's just the way I run. I've tried to force myself to "run" the whole run and I end up hating it and not wanting to go back and run. When it's hotter, I walk even more. When it's on trails or a longer run, I walk even more. To my surprise, no race has ever docked me for taking walk breaks

My husband on the other hand started running at the same time, never takes a walk break, Boston qualifies, and runs a sub 18 5k. Some people have running talent and others of us have to fight for it. Take your walk break with pride.

Soccermavrick

Ok, here are my thoughts. I needed to run 3 miles for a physical in a set time, after not having run in years A little different than you, but I think the things I was told, that helped me, might help you. Now admittedly I push myself, running with occasionally breaks at a brisk walk. (Run to me is 7.2-7.5, brisk walk is 4.5, but I am tall, so my gate is long.) At first I was lucky to hit three minutes at a run, then 5, then 7, and I am probably (3 months later) at about 15 minutes, before slowing for a minutes then run for two or three.

I was told not to run more than 4 days a week, (doubling only once a week,) basically every other day. On every day, except for the double and track day, run/walk the entire distance that you are working towards, even if you are walking the last mile. Keep a small notebook, and writedown your times, because this gives you something to look at. And once a week to get to a High School track. The track is important, because there you want to stretch out then go "full out running" for as long as your can. At first this was less than a lap for me, after that , I walked for a 100, then back to running as much as I could, after you slow down, etc. After that start a sprint, walk, where you sprint the straight aways and walk the corners. The idea is that you will push your body and lung capcity sprinting and push your body's recovery walking, while you are at the track, which will help you get faster and longer in distance. (The temperture outside will affect you, so plan accordingly. And know yourself, if you need to stop, do so, but do not be afraid to push yourself.) The key though is only do the distance of your goal, and then cool down and you are done for the day.

Also if you find the distance is no longer the challenge, add a hill, or two, or trying to push your speed a little. (I do a lot on treadmills, so I can monitor speed easily.)

At first I was probably doing 3 miles in a little more than 40 minutes. I am down to 27.5 minutes in a period of about three months. (Speed went from 5.2 to 7.2-7.5) I would love to drop it even more. The notebook was key to me, because I never felt like I was making much progress, but looking back just about every week, I could see my times dropping. Admittedly there are days you might not push it as hard as others, and that happens.

bongochick45

I'm on week 7 of my 10k training (almost done with the 5k portion). I run about 3 times a week though. I also started lifting (lower weight more reps). And since I'm a cardio freak I still do some kick boxing, zumba, and hip hop abs on the days I don't run. I think that's helped me with my breathing.

Sorry to hear about your kid. That's gotta be tough. You gotta find some time to rest though. Your body needs time to repair itself. I'm also a super slow runner. I'm running a 5k in about 45 minutes and that's fine with me. When I started I couldn't run down the block. Now I'm running for 25 minutes straight and it's nothing.

Best piece of advice I've gotten about being a begining runner is slow down. I can't afford injuries so I just take my time and enjoy the journey. I will say though the other day I ran a mile in 8 minutes (I didn't even realize it until my app told me to stop and I felt like a was gonna pass out LOL). So just stick with it. Take a rest, eat well, and enjoy the journey. Everything ain't hardcore. Sometimes we have to be ok with moving slow.

athenasurrenders

Thank you for all the replies.

I will cut back to every other day since that seems to be the general consensus. I am constantly experimenting with fueling my body for running, but unfortunately I'm one of those runners who gets horrible stomach problems if I eat even two hours before I run - and since I run at 5.30am it's just easier to run on an empty stomach. I will also make an effort to do regular strength training because I know that's important to prevent injuries.

I hear a lot of you saying slow down, but I really am very very slow. 12 minutes to a mile on a good day. If I slow any more I find that it feels like a really unnatural gait and I have never felt like I could hold a conversation while running no matter how slowly I'm crawling along. I really don't care if I'm going no faster than a walking pace as long as I can keep going for the distance.

Anyway I will have another look through this thread tomorrow and weed out all of the tips, thank you so much for all sharing your experiences.

MinimalistShoeAddict

I will cut back to every other day since that seems to be the general consensus.

I hear a lot of you saying slow down, but I really am very very slow. 12 minutes to a mile on a good day. If I slow any more I find that it feels like a really unnatural gait and I have never felt like I could hold a conversation while running no matter how slowly I'm crawling along. I really don't care if I'm going no faster than a walking pace as long as I can keep going for the distance.

The running every other day and slowing down advice you received is solid.

Don't worry about your speed in comparison to anyone else. 12 min a mile is probably too fast for you based on your comments regarding holding a conversation.

Instead of speed try focusing on your heart rate. Do you have a HRM? If so check out this link:
http://philmaffetone.com/180formula.cfm

I use this formula and it has served me well

_Waffle_

Instead of speed try focusing on your heart rate. Do you have a HRM? If so check out this link:
http://philmaffetone.com/180formula.cfm

I use this formula and it has served me well

Great advice. While I do some runs where I'm trying to hit a target pace I think the majority of the time I focus on heart rate more than my speed. On my longer runs for instance I typically try to stay under 160 for the majority of the time so it's a bit challenging but not something that leaves me out of breath.

pegatha47

Thank you for all the replies.

I will cut back to every other day since that seems to be the general consensus. I am constantly experimenting with fueling my body for running, but unfortunately I'm one of those runners who gets horrible stomach problems if I eat even two hours before I run - and since I run at 5.30am it's just easier to run on an empty stomach. I will also make an effort to do regular strength training because I know that's important to prevent injuries.

I hear a lot of you saying slow down, but I really am very very slow. 12 minutes to a mile on a good day. If I slow any more I find that it feels like a really unnatural gait and I have never felt like I could hold a conversation while running no matter how slowly I'm crawling along. I really don't care if I'm going no faster than a walking pace as long as I can keep going for the distance.

Anyway I will have another look through this thread tomorrow and weed out all of the tips, thank you so much for all sharing your experiences.

I know a 12:00 mile seems slow (and it is, compared to people who've been running for any significant amount of time), but really, try to slow down more! I've been running consistently for about 2 years (started with C25k), and it wasn't until almost a year in that I even started trying to calculate and track my pace so I don't know for sure where I started, but even now I've only run one 5k race under a 12:00 pace. My average mid-week run, 3 - 5 miles, is still in the 12:30 range. When I do long runs (done half marathons and now training for a marathon), I've only twice gotten under 13:00 average pace.

When I go back and do some of the routes I did when I was doing the C25k program, and try to remember how long it took compared to what it does now, I was probably running around 14:00 miles to start with?

I wouldn't say aim for "conversational" in that you feel you can really talk in complete sentences without feeling out of breath, but more that you can at least say short sentences, more than just a couple words at once.

BerryH

I concur, 12-minute miling is a speedy run for me! When I started back after a break it was closer to 14, which is barely more than a fast walk. I thoroughly recommend reading anything by John "The Penguin" Bingham, a great advocate of slow running.