Hard time improving distance

I was never a runner, but I started using Podrunner Intervals with their First Day to 5k program. I've since 'graduated' the 10 weeks and I'm onto the next program, Gateway to 8k. They have other programs to increase speed and distance. I could barely run around the block but now I'm running untimed 5k in my neighborhood and don't feel like I'm going to die any more when I'm done.

It's all free. I have no connection with it other than being a satisfied user. The intervals help you build up strength and cardio endurance to stretch out your distance. I went from week 1, barely finishing the 60 minute runs, to week 10 and running 35 straight minutes.

Running for me is not sustainable long term due to knee problems, but until I can't do it any more I'll be keeping on.

For me, the speed came after I started doing two things:

Strength training (calves, quads, hammies)
Cross-Training

The cross training in my case was cycling, where I worked on increasing my cadence. The side effect was increased cadence in my running stride,

Just have to push through.
I have days when my muscle are sore for the first 59 laps of my planned 90 lap swim. But at lap 60, the ache stops and I feel better than at the start.
I was stuck at 36 laps(~1 mile) for years. Then I started adding 12 to 18 laps. Now I can swim 220 laps (10km).

I suspect runners experience something similar. Aching muscles to a point where they are about ready to call it a day then something kicks in and they can just keep going.

intervals.

i started out not being able to run two minutes at a stretch. set myself a goal of three miles. alternate running/walking the whole route. (ie start at run 2 min/walk two min) slowly increase running time and decrease walking times. and then you are running the whole distance. i would say it took me maybe... a month and a half? to get up to running the whole distance... but then i when i would just run "as far as i could" repeatedly after that i couldn't run much further. i stopped running on and off over and over due to laziness but recently my max distance started increasing again (up from 6 to 8.5 in three weeks!) and i think its because i started incorporating sprints. i set myself a 30-40 minute run, and in that time (after 10 min jog to warm up) sprint as hard as i can for 10-20 seconds. then i walk/jog until i feel recovered and sprint again. i always make sure i do 6 sprints. currently working on improving how long i can sprint in those intervals and trying to jog more/walk less while recovering. it is really hard work. but it makes sense to me. when i first started running i spent a lot of time feeling like i was about to die... once i trained a little running wasn't that hard for me and when i wasn't working as hard i wasn't improving as fast. by forcing my body to work that hard again even for a short time i feel like i am getting that level of improvement again. maybe its psychological for me... but i feel like its really helping.

I started running a few months ago. When I started I could barely run for 2 mins without panting and hurting. I have improved and can run for 20 mins, about 1.7 miles. However, I can not get better. I have been stuck on that distance for a month now. I try to go 25 mins and I just can't. Please offer advice on how you improved your distance.

I have no idea where you are geographically, but starting a running program in the summer is tougher than if you picked cooler weather. My first suggestion when you are hitting a wall is to find a running pal. You will be surprised to see how much further you can go when you are suffering with someone else. Misery does love company.

Also, you don't have to run non stop. It is perfectly fine as a beginner to take a short walking break until you develop greater endurance. You probably know when you are used to feeling tired, so I'd stop someplace half to 2/3 of the way through and take a 30 second walk break and then pick it up again. After awhile you won't have to stop, but we all do this at times. No one runs every workout straight through.

Running in the mornings works better for me. The weather is cooler and you s/b well rested. In the evenings after working a full day is tough to run. I did it when I was younger, but after 25 years of running, I can't recall the last time I laced them up after work.

When I started running, the biggest obstacle for me was breathing. I wouldn't say I was running too fast, but I was certainly running harder than my body was used to. But running started with walking.

I walked about 3 miles everyday for a couple weeks before I decided I would start running. I slowly worked in running, little bits at a time, until about 2 miles worth of running. When I tried to push it to 2.25 , I just said to myself, "3 is not that far off" ... and I pushed myself to 3. I plan on pushing myself to 9.5 this weekend now. If you can do it incrementally, that's the best way, in my opinion.

Alot of it is mental, but alot of it is the ability to breathe. I believe that it just takes time to train yourself to be able to go that long at an increased pace. I'm not even close to an expert, I've only been running since June, but I think that's what they refer to as "aerobic fitness". As you increase your aerobic fitness, you're on your way.