I Suck At Running

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Replies

  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    For those who could not see: 3.85 miles at a 16:48 miles pace, 1:04 total time average heart rate 122. Old Dude; how does that compare with previous runs? Is this a start or a continuation? The only person with whom you should compare is your previous self. There is always someone faster, with more endurance, than you. Unless it is your livelihood to "win", progress is the goal. What are your goals? You did beat everyone who stayed on the couch. Did you enjoy the run?

    I have been getting recommendations that most of my runs should be at a pace that i can have a conversation. So i tried that with this run, but had to run ridiculously slow to be at the point that i think i could talk while running. I normally run at a higher intensity that i can only get a few words out at a time, so i can't really compare to that.

    Plus it was so much slower than my power walking pace that it made me feel like a sissy... :)
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    @OldAssDude Old a** lady here is impressed. I can hike for miles up hill with a couple thousand feet elevation gain. Can't run a block!
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    Honestly, I think you are way too caught up in things like pace, heart rate and other details that just are not that important to overall health to the point it is stressing you out. Based on your user name, you are not a young guy and not training to compete. So, why stress out over these things.

    If you are hoping to get to some elite level of running performance at your age (says a 67 year old guy) that would be unrealistic. Enjoy running and speed walking. Strive to improve and have fun with it. You are improving your health at the level you are doing it. Get your ego out of the way.

    Just trying to increase my fitness level is all. I know i will never be at even close to an elite level, but i do want to improve my fitness as much as i can for my age, and make sure i'm doing it right and not wasting my time.

    For example, i am getting advice that i should be doing most of my runs at a pace that i can carry on a full conversation at. When i do that, i don't feel like i'm getting a good enough workout to raise my fitness level. I always trained using heart rate cause that's how i was taught back when i was in the army. I try to stay in zone 3/4 most of the time and when doing intervals i try to hit my MHR on the run interval.

    I figure if i push my heart and lungs, they will get stronger, and i have gone from barely being able to walk a mile and then having to lay down for an hour and only being able to run for 30 seconds, to being able to power walk over 10 miles at a 14:00 to 15:00 pace and being able to run 5 miles at a slower pace. So i know what i have been doing has to be working.

    I am trying to open up to new things and trying to take advice on running at a certain "perceived exertion" at a pace slow enough to be able to carry on a conversation, and i seem to just be having a problem convincing myself that i'm getting a good workout because it feels way to easy compared to how i normally do it. It feels like a recovery workout to me.

    I do have fun doing it, and i do it every day (including recovery workouts), but i also like the data, and i don't think there is anything wrong with knowing what my heart rate is while i'm doing it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    Honestly, I think you are way too caught up in things like pace, heart rate and other details that just are not that important to overall health to the point it is stressing you out. Based on your user name, you are not a young guy and not training to compete. So, why stress out over these things.

    If you are hoping to get to some elite level of running performance at your age (says a 67 year old guy) that would be unrealistic. Enjoy running and speed walking. Strive to improve and have fun with it. You are improving your health at the level you are doing it. Get your ego out of the way.

    Just trying to increase my fitness level is all. I know i will never be at even close to an elite level, but i do want to improve my fitness as much as i can for my age, and make sure i'm doing it right and not wasting my time.

    For example, i am getting advice that i should be doing most of my runs at a pace that i can carry on a full conversation at. When i do that, i don't feel like i'm getting a good enough workout to raise my fitness level. I always trained using heart rate cause that's how i was taught back when i was in the army. I try to stay in zone 3/4 most of the time and when doing intervals i try to hit my MHR on the run interval.

    I figure if i push my heart and lungs, they will get stronger, and i have gone from barely being able to walk a mile and then having to lay down for an hour and only being able to run for 30 seconds, to being able to power walk over 10 miles at a 14:00 to 15:00 pace and being able to run 5 miles at a slower pace. So i know what i have been doing has to be working.

    I am trying to open up to new things and trying to take advice on running at a certain "perceived exertion" at a pace slow enough to be able to carry on a conversation, and i seem to just be having a problem convincing myself that i'm getting a good workout because it feels way to easy compared to how i normally do it. It feels like a recovery workout to me.

    I do have fun doing it, and i do it every day (including recovery workouts), but i also like the data, and i don't think there is anything wrong with knowing what my heart rate is while i'm doing it.

    I thought a load of 'slow' running wouldn't do much...

    Then I PBed 4 races this year, so I figure slow running does plenty :drinker:
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    I thought I sucked at running.

    Then I tried swimming.

    I love it... I can sooooo identify with this..
  • melissafeagins
    melissafeagins Posts: 1,421 Member
    You can run and you do run. Don't beat yourself up. I miss running. (My doctor banned me due to a degenerative disc. Every time I try to take it up again, the disc bulges and I am all but bedridden.)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    I thought I sucked at running.

    Then I tried swimming.

    Funny enough, swimming improved my running.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    Today i tried to run at a pace that i could maintain a broken conversation with, and look how pathetic it is...

    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3148194239

    I SUCK AT RUNNING! :(

    No you don't. That's a good pace. We all run at our own pace. Age and fitness play into the equation. I've said the same thing about my running.....but only because I compared myself to others. Now I just run for my own pleasure and I realize that I can't compare myself to others because I only compare myself to those who are better.
    Your pace is good. It's you and that's terrific.
    Keep running. Enjoy the ability to run. Your pace is as good as any other runner's.
    You're doing great.
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
    The important thing is getting out and doing the run. Running for an hour is impressive in my book. I can only run for ten minutes right now, and that's a push.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    OldAssDude wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    For those who could not see: 3.85 miles at a 16:48 miles pace, 1:04 total time average heart rate 122. Old Dude; how does that compare with previous runs? Is this a start or a continuation? The only person with whom you should compare is your previous self. There is always someone faster, with more endurance, than you. Unless it is your livelihood to "win", progress is the goal. What are your goals? You did beat everyone who stayed on the couch. Did you enjoy the run?

    I have been getting recommendations that most of my runs should be at a pace that i can have a conversation. So i tried that with this run, but had to run ridiculously slow to be at the point that i think i could talk while running. I normally run at a higher intensity that i can only get a few words out at a time, so i can't really compare to that.

    Plus it was so much slower than my power walking pace that it made me feel like a sissy... :)

    Over time, with continued use, it'll get faster. Not easier, but faster at the same perceived exertion. Add distance, 10% per week, and it'll come. Just keep on, keeping on.

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