My running isn't improving

I've stalled a few times and even regressed some as well. It happens. One of the first 5ks I ran back in February is still listed as my fastest according to Endomondo, but I just ran 9 miles last Sunday. I really don't worry about the times anymore, I just run and then check when I get done. If I set a PR, cool. If not I still get to have ice cream because I just burned a bunch of calories off. Win win in my book.

Try taking a few extra days off in a row and then eating a bit more when you're ready to run again. If you were already in a deficit while running 5x per week and now you're trying to increase the running while consuming the same calories it could be a case of your body being drained.

^^ This

i'm still very slow, too, but I've worked up to about 2.5 miles without stopping if I am on flat terrain and its not too hot. (took me about 8-10 weeks, i started barely being able to run for 30 seconds) I'm not very experienced in this but i wanted to put in my vote for SLEEP and FOOD!

Am I the only one that thinks the OP is overly ambitious??? It takes me at least 4 months of consistent running to cut 15 seconds off each mile. Endurance takes time...

Sometimes it takes less, sometimes it takes more. Depends on your level of fitness. If you are trying to go from 13:45 to 13:30 miles, yeah you can probably do it rather quickly. But if you are trying to drop from 6:15, to 6:00, that could take years (if ever).

Cut back to every other day. Beginning runners usually are not fit enough, and their muscles don't repair quickly enough, to handle the strain of consecutive running days.

Also, slow down. If you get to a mile and you can't go any further because you are out of breath, SLOW DOWN. You should be running at a conversational pace. If this means you are running at a shuffle like pace, so be it.

Lastly, drop the sprint, jog, walk routine. At this stage of your running career, that is doing more harm than good. Those sprint sections are tearing down muscle tissue to the extent that it probably needs two days to repair, it's causing lactate acid buildup in your muscles making your more sore and it isn't contributing to your aerobic fitness, which is what you should be working on right now.

^^^ This

I've been running for over 5 years and it's only been recently that running back to back days has been feasible, for a long time it was every other day (3 days one week, 4 the next).

Slow down and enjoy the journey, you have a lifetime of running ahead of you, make sure you're having fun.

Best advise I can offer is to change your routine. Run with a spouse, friend or whomever. Change your routes. Running for me and others is a huge mind game. If I don't think I am able to run for miles but as soon as I start playing mind games its over and I start thinking about quiting and going back home. Stick with it!

I'm not really concerned about speed for now, I just want to increase my time/distance.

Here's your answer. Go slower. No, slower than that. NO, EVEN SLOWER! Once you're going at a speed you feel like you can keep up forever, then you'll get round 5K. Even if it takes you 45 minutes to start with, the speed will come naturally with time, I promise.

That's your weekend "long run" sorted. You need two other session a week. Make one intervals. Not "so fast I'm going to puke" HIIT type intervals, just ramping up the speed until you're properly stretching your legs. Warm up for 10 minutes, do 1 min fast, 2 mins slow (walk for the first of you need) for 10 more minutes then cool down for 5.

At your level, I'd make the other a half-hour recovery session. Just go out for half an hour, trot round or walk if you need. Try fartlek - run to the next tree and jog to recover, etc.

Try the Zombies,Run! app, it's very good at distracting you from how far or fast you're going, and you can add in zombie chases as you get better. Now, those REALLY speed you up!

Don't forget to stretch, and even if you do no other resistance training, look into running injury prevention bodyweight resistance training.

Good luck, and do come back and let us know how you're doing! :flowerforyou:

I'm a slow runner, too.

My running efficiency changes depending on what muscles are activated during my runs:

Quads only - I max out my speed quick and I'm going to tire quickly ... but at a very slow speed, this is a "I can run for hours at this pace".

Quads, glutes, and flexors (front hips) - I run much more quickly, but also max out my endurance pretty fast. This is my "sprint" style for now, and I'm working on building my efficiency.


I read "Run Less, Run Faster" and it is helping. Each month or so my recovery "pace" is a bit faster than it was before. The authors recommend one hill workout, one speed workout, and one "long" run each week. However, each run is hard! I guess with this, the long run is the easy run. :huh:


If you want to keep up your running frequency, you probably need to make a couple of those runs really easy. Your "recovery" runs, where your body is not stressed.

Great book - recommended!

bump. no time to read this atm

Ok, here are my thoughts. I needed to run 3 miles for a physical in a set time, after not having run in years A little different than you, but I think the things I was told, that helped me, might help you. Now admittedly I push myself, running with occasionally breaks at a brisk walk. (Run to me is 7.2-7.5, brisk walk is 4.5, but I am tall, so my gate is long.) At first I was lucky to hit three minutes at a run, then 5, then 7, and I am probably (3 months later) at about 15 minutes, before slowing for a minutes then run for two or three.

I was told not to run more than 4 days a week, (doubling only once a week,) basically every other day. On every day, except for the double and track day, run/walk the entire distance that you are working towards, even if you are walking the last mile. Keep a small notebook, and writedown your times, because this gives you something to look at. And once a week to get to a High School track. The track is important, because there you want to stretch out then go "full out running" for as long as your can. At first this was less than a lap for me, after that , I walked for a 100, then back to running as much as I could, after you slow down, etc. After that start a sprint, walk, where you sprint the straight aways and walk the corners. The idea is that you will push your body and lung capcity sprinting and push your body's recovery walking, while you are at the track, which will help you get faster and longer in distance. (The temperture outside will affect you, so plan accordingly. And know yourself, if you need to stop, do so, but do not be afraid to push yourself.) The key though is only do the distance of your goal, and then cool down and you are done for the day.

Also if you find the distance is no longer the challenge, add a hill, or two, or trying to push your speed a little. (I do a lot on treadmills, so I can monitor speed easily.)

At first I was probably doing 3 miles in a little more than 40 minutes. I am down to 27.5 minutes in a period of about three months. (Speed went from 5.2 to 7.2-7.5) I would love to drop it even more. The notebook was key to me, because I never felt like I was making much progress, but looking back just about every week, I could see my times dropping. Admittedly there are days you might not push it as hard as others, and that happens.

Instead of speed try focusing on your heart rate. Do you have a HRM? If so check out this link:
http://philmaffetone.com/180formula.cfm

I use this formula and it has served me well

Great advice. While I do some runs where I'm trying to hit a target pace I think the majority of the time I focus on heart rate more than my speed. On my longer runs for instance I typically try to stay under 160 for the majority of the time so it's a bit challenging but not something that leaves me out of breath.

I concur, 12-minute miling is a speedy run for me! When I started back after a break it was closer to 14, which is barely more than a fast walk. I thoroughly recommend reading anything by John "The Penguin" Bingham, a great advocate of slow running.