HELP! I'm regressing!

Andiebeanluvsu

Hi everyone!! I just graduated C25K on Friday, so I wasn't sure if I should post this here or on the C25K board, but here's my issue:

Today was my first attempt at W1D1 (or W9D1, according to my 0-10k app). It had me running 20minutes, walking 3 minutes, and running another 20 minutes. I'm not sure what got into me, but I only managed to complete the FIRST 17 minutes of the run before completely hitting a wall. I walked for 6 minutes and told myself that I would try again for the next 20min segment. I had to walk/run the last 20 minute segment and I was only able to run that about 1-2 minutes at a time.

I don't know what's going on. I was able to run 35 minutes straight on Friday!! My pace has already gotten slower by 2 minutes in that last week of C25K (I was running about a 13 minute mile by the end of it). What in the HECK is going on??

Is it too soon to be trying B210K? Should I do a 5k improver app first to condition myself a little better? Or is my mind just messing with me during my run?

romyhorse

The further you run the slower you will be, initially. You will speed up again once you have gotten used to the distance. Was the weather warmer than it has been? Maybe you started out too fast? Could be a few different reasons. I would stick with the program, you have completed c25k and should be ready for this, just remember run slow, and then slow down some more ????

PaytraB

I agree with Romyhorse. You're ready for B210K. Slow down and keep trying. It'll happen.
You finished C25K last Friday, meaning you can run 30 or so minutes. B210K has you running 40 minutes. That's a big jump in time. Take it easy.

Sometimes we just have bad run days, too. Perhaps it was just one of "those" days.

Andiebeanluvsu

It has been in the mid 70s in the morning here lately, so not too bad heat-wise. I did my first mile in 11 minutes, so maybe I was too fast. I've been feeling sleepy and a little queasy all morning today, so I'm thinking maybe I wasn't hydrated enough pre-run. Anyway, I'll take it for what it is and try again. Was it short enough if a run that I can try again tomorrow? Or should I take my rest day?

PinkNinjaLaura

If you were running a 13 minute mile at the end of C25K and bumped up to an 11 minute mile today, that's a lot of your answer. The same rule applies to 10K training as it does to C25K - if you can't complete the workout, you need to slow down. And as Romy said you will probably need to go slower than you were before as you increase time/distance. If you need to drop back to a 14 minute mile, do it.

The first time I tried to run 4 miles I hit the wall at 2.5 miles and ended up walking the 1.5 miles back to my car. I had run 3 and 3.5 miles previously (I did a mileage version not a timed version) so I should have been able to go at least that far, but I didn't. There were a few things going on. I was under-hydrated. It was warmer than I was used to running. I let the mental aspects of running get to me. Once I started thinking about how miserable I was, I was done. If you're running in the morning where it's hard to hydrate well before you run, make sure you are hydrating well the day before you run.

I guess I'd recommend waiting another day before trying again. You ran as far as you could today so even though it wasn't as long as you were thinking, you still expended maximum effort if that makes sense.

Andiebeanluvsu

I'll try to go slower, then. It's hard to gauge my pace since I only use runtastic and I don't like to look at my phone when I run. Consequently, I only know I'm running that fast when the app tells me my mile time.

After feeling sluggish and run down all day today, I finally checked my BP. It was 100/68, so I'm betting that the bigger issue was under hydration. I did drink a big glass of water about an hour before going out this morning, but I will have to really pay attention to my water from the day before. I also went out and bought a water bottle with a hand strap to take with me. Maybe a little Gatorade would help.

pmur

I had this after run exhaustion too. I think I posted here about it a while ago. I was told to look into my post run meals. I was not eating the right recovery meals. I was not eating right, period. I just let my diet slide. Now I'm back to getting my proteins and eating right and I do feel better. Also Gatorade is helping. It's in the 80s and 90s here late evenings when I run and I'm having to replenish a lot with nuun or Gatorade. Hydration the day before is a must for me these days. Else I end up with a headache.

taeliesyn

I'll try to go slower, then. It's hard to gauge my pace since I only use runtastic and I don't like to look at my phone when I run. Consequently, I only know I'm running that fast when the app tells me my mile time.

Congrats on finishing the C25K, you'll figure all this out as you go along.
A few points that might help
1) I don't use runtastic, but check the settings to see if you can change when it gives you your pace. You might be able to get a pace update every half mile instead.
2) With experience you'll get better knowing how fast you're running without your phone/gps watch etc. I know it's a fairly large range, but I can usually tell how fast I am running within a 30sec/km window just by how my stride/technique feels.

And the final rule which I am sure was repeated ad nauseam when doing C25K. Slow down! Once you 'know' how far you're likely to run in a certain time, or how long it will take to run 5/10/etc km's then worry about speed.
I'm still going through the B210K app, and every time I increase my run times, my speed drops and then it picks up again on the next 1 or 2 runs.

PinkNinjaLaura

Good tip from taeliesyn. I have a Garmin now but used Endomondo when I first started 5K-to-10K. I upgraded to the $4.99 version because I could have it verbally tell me information at the distance I picked. If I was running 3 miles and was doing an out & back I could opt to have it tell me my distance when I was a mile and a half away so I knew when to turn around. I can also have it tell me my pace, how many calories I've burned, or several other options. I still often use on my long runs even though I have my Garmin because I like it for the verbal cues. I typically just use the mileage option because I don't always hear my Garmin beep and I try to switch what side of the road I'm running on every mile, or fuel at certain mileages on my long runs.

Definitely try the Gatorade. I bought a small bottle with a strap and that's nice for my mid-range runs.

likitisplit

I'll try to go slower, then. It's hard to gauge my pace since I only use runtastic and I don't like to look at my phone when I run. Consequently, I only know I'm running that fast when the app tells me my mile time.

After feeling sluggish and run down all day today, I finally checked my BP. It was 100/68, so I'm betting that the bigger issue was under hydration. I did drink a big glass of water about an hour before going out this morning, but I will have to really pay attention to my water from the day before. I also went out and bought a water bottle with a hand strap to take with me. Maybe a little Gatorade would help.

I never check mile times, I gauge by effort. You should be able to carry on a monologue easily while running. Try reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or any other statement about that length.

If you are doing something like "I..pledge allegiance (puff, puff) to the flag (puff) of the United (puff, puff) States of America." you should slow down.