Running slow
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rph2t
Posts: 34 Member
I am a slow runner. Like, real slow. Like, I've never dipped below a 14 minute mile. I've done C25k before, and still never got below a 14 min mile. I'm finishing up the program now, on week 7 when you work from 2 mile to 3 mile runs, and I'm feeling a little discouraged. I thought that since I've lost a little weight, and this is my second time doing it, I would be better. But I'm still not breaking 14 minutes, and my run yesterday had me a little over 15!
I've tried a few different things. I've tried a treadmill. I think I actually went slower because it was too hard to bump the speed up and down as I got pumped/fatigued, so I had to run at a slower pace throughout. I've tried gong on runs in flatter areas, like a track nearby or down a long, flat street. I've tried running hills, which improves my speed going down, but going up is a crawl.
Should I just be patient and keep trucking, slow speed be damned? How can I improve? I know a lot of running resources say to just keep packing on distance and time will come, but that doesn't really seem to make a huge difference.
Honestly, it would be nice to hear some success stories. Anyone else start where I am? What is your time now?
I've tried a few different things. I've tried a treadmill. I think I actually went slower because it was too hard to bump the speed up and down as I got pumped/fatigued, so I had to run at a slower pace throughout. I've tried gong on runs in flatter areas, like a track nearby or down a long, flat street. I've tried running hills, which improves my speed going down, but going up is a crawl.
Should I just be patient and keep trucking, slow speed be damned? How can I improve? I know a lot of running resources say to just keep packing on distance and time will come, but that doesn't really seem to make a huge difference.
Honestly, it would be nice to hear some success stories. Anyone else start where I am? What is your time now?
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Replies
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While I can't offer a success story from your start, but consistency and building distance WILL get your times down and your pace up.
From what you've said, you've done the program, and then taken a break somewhere down the line. Honestly, consistent running for 6 months, even if it's working through C25K, Bridge to 10K and your own regular runs, or even a HM program, will bring you speed. After a good 6 months of your body strengthening you can then focus on speed for 5K or whatever distance you like.
While I recognise I am miles away from you... I managed to get 5k in during C25K (I was doing a timed version) and a few months after, ran 26:17 for 5k. A year later... 1 measly year of consistent running and building my distances, saw my 5k time drop to 21:17... another year, I knocked another minute off to reach 20:17, and that was with the knowledge I was doing 25km that afternoon.
Believe in the program, believe in the following steps and improvement will come!1 -
When I started C25K, I was running around 13 minute miles. I went right into a 5 to 10k plan and kept running 2 or three times a week. about 2 years later, I ran a half marathon with a pace under 10 minutes per mile. My half training plan included some speed intervals and some hill repeats, which definitely helped with my pace. The more you run, the faster you will get. Just keep running.1
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I'm not a "success story" as far as speed is concerned. Yet. I did C25K on the treadmill last fall and was really slow and didn't come anywhere close to running 5K as a result. Then, in February, I started working on it again, this time outside using RunDouble so that I could do it by distance. RunDouble keeps all my runs, so, I have records of my pace since then and I've gone all the way from a pace of 14:59 on W1D1 of C25K to yesterday's 13:40 on W3D2 of 5K to 10K. But I've improved so much in all other ways that it doesn't matter to me. The 10K I want to enter isn't until next Memorial Day, so once I finish the 10K program in a few weeks, I'm thinking I'm going to switch back to C25K but jog when it says to walk and try to push my running speed when it says to run. I'm mainly planning on that because I know I need to keep pushing myself, but running 10K several times a week is so time consuming that I want to do something that pushes me without taking so long. But, it may help with my speed, too.0
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I'm not a "success story" as far as speed is concerned. Yet. I did C25K on the treadmill last fall and was really slow and didn't come anywhere close to running 5K as a result. Then, in February, I started working on it again, this time outside using RunDouble so that I could do it by distance. RunDouble keeps all my runs, so, I have records of my pace since then and I've gone all the way from a pace of 14:59 on W1D1 of C25K to yesterday's 13:40 on W3D2 of 5K to 10K. But I've improved so much in all other ways that it doesn't matter to me. The 10K I want to enter isn't until next Memorial Day, so once I finish the 10K program in a few weeks, I'm thinking I'm going to switch back to C25K but jog when it says to walk and try to push my running speed when it says to run. I'm mainly planning on that because I know I need to keep pushing myself, but running 10K several times a week is so time consuming that I want to do something that pushes me without taking so long. But, it may help with my speed, too.
RunDouble includes a couple of "Improver" plans you might want to look at. (At least my version includes those.)0 -
I did C25K last May and started with around 17 min miles and by the time I finished the 8 weeks, I was doing 14 min miles. I did my first 5k at that time and 'walked' it in an hour. I was really disappointed and posted something similar to you in this group.
Based on advice received, I continued with the B210K program and at the end of the program was running 13 min miles. I attempted another 5K and the second time ran it in 40:12.
I was then doing freestyle running with Hill runs now and then and even did a couple of speed sessions. I also did strength training as I felt I had tight hips and weak core, which impeded my running.
I run a couple of times a week now depending on my schedule (as I am doing more strength but it's still one of my cardio choices) and usually run 11.5 min miles when I run 3 miles or more. My 5K times are now around 32-33 minutes. I guess it would have improved more if I had consistently worked on it.0 -
I'm not a "success story" as far as speed is concerned. Yet. I did C25K on the treadmill last fall and was really slow and didn't come anywhere close to running 5K as a result. Then, in February, I started working on it again, this time outside using RunDouble so that I could do it by distance. RunDouble keeps all my runs, so, I have records of my pace since then and I've gone all the way from a pace of 14:59 on W1D1 of C25K to yesterday's 13:40 on W3D2 of 5K to 10K. But I've improved so much in all other ways that it doesn't matter to me. The 10K I want to enter isn't until next Memorial Day, so once I finish the 10K program in a few weeks, I'm thinking I'm going to switch back to C25K but jog when it says to walk and try to push my running speed when it says to run. I'm mainly planning on that because I know I need to keep pushing myself, but running 10K several times a week is so time consuming that I want to do something that pushes me without taking so long. But, it may help with my speed, too.
RunDouble includes a couple of "Improver" plans you might want to look at. (At least my version includes those.)
I've glanced at them, but I'm not sure. I'll decide once I finish the 10K plan.0 -
I'm not a "success story" as far as speed is concerned. Yet. I did C25K on the treadmill last fall and was really slow and didn't come anywhere close to running 5K as a result. Then, in February, I started working on it again, this time outside using RunDouble so that I could do it by distance. RunDouble keeps all my runs, so, I have records of my pace since then and I've gone all the way from a pace of 14:59 on W1D1 of C25K to yesterday's 13:40 on W3D2 of 5K to 10K. But I've improved so much in all other ways that it doesn't matter to me. The 10K I want to enter isn't until next Memorial Day, so once I finish the 10K program in a few weeks, I'm thinking I'm going to switch back to C25K but jog when it says to walk and try to push my running speed when it says to run. I'm mainly planning on that because I know I need to keep pushing myself, but running 10K several times a week is so time consuming that I want to do something that pushes me without taking so long. But, it may help with my speed, too.
RunDouble includes a couple of "Improver" plans you might want to look at. (At least my version includes those.)
I've glanced at them, but I'm not sure. I'll decide once I finish the 10K plan.
Use C25K like you're intending once or maybe twice a week, and NOT every week if you're doing twice a week and only running 3 times a week. You'll find the speed coming on. With your other runs just do 10K comfortably, or an hours comfortable running, with whatever distance you end up doing
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Thank you all so much for your advice! It's very encouraging. I'm definitely going to keep on running. I'm actually heading out for a run now, and after that I'm going to look into RunDouble. Having a guided program definitely helps, and I think it will keep me going when I finish C25k.0
