Discouraged with my running

davisrl0

Im trying not to be too discouraged just yet by the way my runs have gone this week. I know Im just getting back into running after taking a couple months off (but still doing Insanity)...so Ive lost a considerable amount of running endurance. I just know Im capable of running with a MUCH bettter pace than Ive been getting this week. I'd have thought, that even though I took a few months off running, I was still doing Insanity, and had no idea I'd lose that much endurance!! Plus, Im sore!! Running is different this time because Im actually training for a HM, so I feel like there's more pressure. Following the Hal Higdon training schedule and so far its all I can do to make it the 3 miles for the short runs. Im one week in. ONE...WEEK. Someone please tell me Im completely ridiculous to be discouraged! Ive got 12 more weeks of training!

714rah714

I'm struggling also with my runs, but I blame it on the heat and/or humidity. I've gone back to the gym to do my cardio just until the weather improves, then I'll be back to running outdoors once again..

Deedsie

You are completely ridiculous to be discouraged! It's week one! Give yourself a break and if you feel like 3 miles is killing you slow it down or do walk run intervals. You'll still hit your distance. Mostly make sure you like it because you don't want to do something for 12 weeks that you hate.

I'm training for my HM and I'm on week 9 of a 20 week program. It gets better even when your distance increases.

artbkward

Give it time, I agree with the idea of doing run/walk intervals.

I actually just signed up for a HM yesterday and thought I might try to use that same plan this time. I'm starting on week two though, I only have 10 1/2 weeks until the race.

Vansy

If you've taken a couple months off and were doing insanity during that couple of months you really shouldn't have lost a whole lot of endurance and you SHOULD get it back within a couple weeks. I've found that when I switch around routines I'm tired for the first 2 weeks of the new routine and then my body settles in and I have more energy and my endurance gets right back to where it was.

Give yourself at least 2-3 weeks to get back in the routine of running, by then I bet your endurance is right back where it previously was.

LorinaLynn

I did walk-run intervals during my last 5k because I mentally felt all defeated and that my pace absolutely sucked, so why bother to keep running...

My PR running the whole 5k was 24:59 in October. My time with those walk intervals because I felt "so sluggish" was 25:30 and I won 1st place in my age group. On one hand, yeah, I would have likely had a new PR if I'd kept running, but I still got the job done... and it's not like I'm an Olympian or anything winning or not winning or finishing 30 seconds faster or slower is going to make any difference in my life.

Plus... you're one week in. You know it's going to get better.

davisrl0

If you've taken a couple months off and were doing insanity during that couple of months you really shouldn't have lost a whole lot of endurance and you SHOULD get it back within a couple weeks. I've found that when I switch around routines I'm tired for the first 2 weeks of the new routine and then my body settles in and I have more energy and my endurance gets right back to where it was.

Give yourself at least 2-3 weeks to get back in the routine of running, by then I bet your endurance is right back where it previously was.

It took me a long time to build up endurance in the first place (back when I started running) and I'd gotten up to running 5-7 miles at a time. 7.2 miles was the longest I'd ever done. And I never stopped to walk. I never ran super fast, but kept a sub 10 min/mi pace....usually between 9-9.5 min/mi. I ran 3-4x a week. If I did a 10 min/mi, it was because I was taking it easy. I thought Insanity would improve my endurance and pace. But it didnt. I didnt do Insanity specifically to improve my running...I did it to change things up. Over the 2 months of Insanity, then two more weeks of a p90x/Insanity hybrid...Ive lost a lot of endurance. I can only keep a sub 10 min/mi for the first mile. Then it slows WAY down. Today, my last 2 miles were over 11 minutes because I had to stop and walk. It was very disappointing to me. I thought I'd at least be able to go right out and do a 10 min mile the whole time. Not so much.

I do love running....I hate when it hurts. But I always feel accomplished after I finish a run. Im not going to give up...I want so badly to run this HM. I know it'll get better....I just expected more from myself from the start. Good thing tomorrow is a rest day because my calves are S.O.R.E!!!