In a running slump...Help!

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JMCade
JMCade Posts: 389 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been running for about a year and a half. I started out running a 5k in about 35 minutes. This past winter I was down to 25 minutes. Now I'm almost back where I started. I weigh the same so that's not it. I don't know why I am running so much slower. I've tried speed work and that seemed to make me worse I think. I'm so frustrated! Anyone else been here?

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  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    What does your weekly running routine look like right now? How far, how fast and how often are you running? How does it compare to what you were doing last winter?
  • wolfgate
    wolfgate Posts: 321 Member
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    That is a huge change. We're talking 3 minutes per mile. Times during the heat and humidity are significantly slower, but not that much typically. Though I guess it's possible your body is responding to the weather by shutting down any speed. Has your training been consistent or did you take time off or have you increased? Was the drop instantaneous or can you correlate it to anything (like rising temps and humidity)? Are these race times or training times?
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
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    3 min per mile is a huge change. What is going on when you are doing the 5k? And let's get some more information here, are you RACING this 5k all the time or are you stating that you ran 3.1 miles? Big difference in racing/running and you shouldn't compare the 2.

    If you can't find a reason with temps, course, etc, consider something internal. Are you having issues with iron, etc?
  • JMCade
    JMCade Posts: 389 Member
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    I've been running 6 days a week. In August I ran 64 miles total. Most days were around 3 miles. 3 days were around 4 miles. In the month that I had my best time, I ran a total of 70 miles with most days being about 2 miles and 4 days were about 7 miles. I can't get in the distance in the heat that I could in the cold.The only time I took off was in April for 3 weeks. My back was out and I went to the chiropractor for 12 weeks. I still go once a month just to keep in alignment.
  • JMCade
    JMCade Posts: 389 Member
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    The 25 minutes was a race, but at that time I was training at 27 or 28. My last race was 30 on Saturday.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Looks like the 7 mile runs contributed to the increased fitness. Running an hour a day makes a big difference. Just run more and your times will come back down. Build slowly to stay healthy.
  • wolfgate
    wolfgate Posts: 321 Member
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    OK. While it's hard to know anything for certain on a message board, I think it's likely - given the level you are training - that it's simply the weather. Your race distance and pace are close to normal training distances and not far off from pace. So the biggest variables are weather and decrease of long run. And you've already stated the weather keeps you from doing the long run.

    IMHO, wait and see what happens when fall gets here.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    I found a weight routine that made me faster! I can't wait to try it for my next marathon.

    [links removed by mod]
  • planetrunner
    planetrunner Posts: 16
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    Another contributing factor could be environmental -- the weather.

    Summer running, for instance, slows me down by 10% at least. Running in the Fall and the Winter, on the other hand, is where I've logged my fastest times.
  • jaeysson
    jaeysson Posts: 41 Member
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    Try some cross-training. Give your running muscles a break. I cycle a lot and I've noticed when I run instead of bike for a week my biking improves. Just a thought.
  • pithole
    pithole Posts: 75 Member
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    I am in a similar slump and have attributed it to the HEAT. It is oppressive here in the suburbs of Philly. I went running this morning at 0600 and was still sweating after my cold shower. Just keep at it and you will speed back up again. That's one of the great things about running, it doesn;t matter how fast you go but that you are doing it. Winter running is always easier for me as well, damn heat!!!
  • k7n2w3
    k7n2w3 Posts: 241 Member
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    is there a lot of humidity or higher temps in your area? i was down to about 8-9 min miles in the winter and now i'm about 10-11 purely based on humidity... at least that was my determination because on cooler less humid days i'm back to my average (plus researching it found that out). I was getting SO discouraged at my pace until I figured that out!
    Hope that helps :-)
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    I found a weight routine that made me faster! I can't wait to try it for my next marathon.

    http://www.venusindex.com/ten-thousand-ways-that-wont-work/

    http://www.venusindex.com/roberta-saums-venus-index-transformation/

    This smells a lot like an advertisement and not much like something that will really help the OP with her running specific question.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I would wait & see how you do in cooler temps. This summer has absolutely killed my times and paces.
  • JMCade
    JMCade Posts: 389 Member
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    I live in IL and we do have humid summers here. I know that can't help. I have thought about some cross training or maybe strength training. I do go to a zumba class, which I think helps. I tried biking a few times about a month ago. That made me feel outta shape fast. I was wore out!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I would wait & see how you do in cooler temps. This summer has absolutely killed my times and paces.

    Same here. If it's above 70, I end up tossing in walk intervals after about a mile and a half to 2 miles. Can't wait for fall!

    Running less frequently might help, too. I run 3x a week, and lift weights 2-3x a week, but still get about 50-60 miles a month. I'm not as fast as I was last fall, but I haven't run any races lately, either.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    I had a similar thing happen with my running initially. I got faster for a while on doing nothing but running every day I worked out (six days a week), but I started to see myself backslide after awhile. My pace slowed, as well as my endurance. I kept trying to just keep running, increasing distances where I could, but my pace still suffered.

    Then I found a training plan by Hal Higdon that incorporated strength training two nights a week as well as switching up the cardio from being all running and encouraged cross train nights of non-running cardio. I started following that in preparation for upcoming 7-K and 10-K races and saw my pace move steadily back to the speed it had been before the slowdown and then get even faster.

    So maybe try mixing up your workouts with some non-running days as well as some strength training and see if that helps.

    (though I am not factoring out the weather - it has a huge effect on pacing as well, just typically not that huge of a difference so I'm looking at other possible factors as well.)
  • k7n2w3
    k7n2w3 Posts: 241 Member
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    biking the first time in awhile will make you feel like a grandmama!! i ran a half marathon then a week or so later rode my bike for 3 miles to get a tuneup and WOW i felt and looked so out of shape!! I ran the 3 miles back home but WHEWWWW!! After a few times the muscles will build quickly and the bike is a lot easier :-)

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