Running - am I only one who struggles ridiculously?

I thought I hated running my whole life...until I was 43 years old. I started walking and over a year, I got a little bored and needed to speed up the time I spent exercising but I still wanted to burn the same calories, so I just gave it a try. I ran my first 5K on my 44th birthday!! My time really doesn't bug me. And I can be quite slow!! My goal is to finish and try not to be last!! Lol!! Past that, I don't care. Try not to let that bother you. Just enjoy the process.

I worked up to a 5k distance a few years ago. Lost my stamina and never quite got it back. C25k never worked for me. I have many friends who run anything from 5ks to ultra-marathons, and mad respect for them, but all I can think is "meh, I'd rather lift."

I'm trying to get back some running endurance for fun, but even if I get up to a 5k distance it'll never be more than that.

I started running last June. After spending about 6 months walking, faster and faster, p to 4mph. Got bored w walking. Started at 5 mph on the treadmill. Pushed to 5.5. Had a hamstring and a quad injury at different points, was running a lot. Had to take about 6 weeks off behind the hamstring injury. Switched to strength training during that 6 weeks, worked really well to heal the leg.

The best thing about running was how open and clear it made my lungs feel. That, and the fact that I'd never been able to do it before in life. I was amazed I could run at that 5 mph for 3-4 miles - never had done it, had always been trying to go too fast. Had this idea you had to run at least a 10 minute mile to be in the realm of acceptability. Learned to go slow.

More recently started to do intervals, walk 4 mph for 2 minutes, run 6.7 mph for 2 minutes - make your heart pound, then take it all the way back down for 35 minutes, keep switching back and forth. Switched my focus to weight training, but now able to run 1.5 miles at a 6.0 pace, at the end of the weight lifting workout. Adding a minute or two each time. It's been 9 months of ups and downs w running. Best advice I can give is don't worry about how fast you go, just go. Work your way up at your own pace. Hey, at the age of almost 50, I'm not gonna be an athlete supreme - the idea is to just keep pushing a bit, but to enjoy your body feeling better. Don't ruin the experience with too much pressure or comparisons. I also do a longer slower run between 5.5-5.8, about 4 miles, once a week.

I figure the people who run really fast mostly started running when they were young. Most but not all. But still, I'm not a natural runner, my body is not ideally designed for running, but it's great to be able to progress and achieve more than I ever thought I could....and really enjoy it. That experience is totally worth it. Hope this helps!

I have wanted to run a 5k for 10 years. I have tried many methods - couch to 5k programs, overdoing it, etc. I have now started running 1 mile. It's at an embarrassing pace on my treadmill that no one else can see.... But it's still a great achievement for me.

I'm a reasonable weight and age, I don't know why I struggle so much! I cannot stay motivated or energized. Anyone out there going through the same thing?

Treadmill and track running is probably not your thing. You should look at cross country running (trail running) before you give up on running completely.

I didn't exercise at all for 20 years so when I picked up running it sucked. Now three years later the first 10 minutes still stinks every time. It's like I have to have this conversation with my body: "you are not hurting as bad as you say, stop whining, stop lying to me and just keep running." The second mile is always better than the first.

I would encourage you to keep it up. Get good shoes and get outside. Just try to work up to 30 minutes a run four or five days a week. And don't worry about pace. A slower pace is great for your heart and great for weight loss. I actually lose more weight when I run slower.

Just remember, your body is lying to you. You can do it. And don't give up.

This might sound strange, but are you sure it's not just that you struggle with the first mile?

I ran a 10k cross country race last weekend, and honestly on that first mile I feel awful sometimes, like I can't run at all, then by mile 3 I'm flying lol.

Could you be hitting the wall early on? Or could it be maybe a mental attitude (like feeling defeated) that you're struggling with rather than physically?

I'm a runner who didn't start running until I was 53. Loathed it. Take your run outside. I love running now, but will do just about anything to avoid running on the treadmill.

I've never been able to run, even when I was fit and skinny with intact joints. I didn't care because I don't like running. I like yoga, pilates, weights, swimming and cycling, so that's what I do. Why waste time doing things you hate?

I love to run. But then I hate to swim. I tried taking up swimming a few times. Still hate it. If I never swim a length of a pool again that'll be fine by me. Just find something else.

It could be (and could not be) that you are expecting too much out of yourself when running. Running is hard--especially with so many people saying that they are slow. Which is true, when you start out everybody is slow. It takes lots of time to build up speed and endurance and you do that by running lots of very slow miles.

I think so many people try out running, compare their pace to others, and feel like it just sucks that that person can run an 6/7/8 minute mile and yet they are struggling to run a 10/11/12/13 minute mile. So they would rather do something else.

I think if I compared my running times to other friends I have on this site, I would quit. I try to not be so competitive and just compare to where I was a year ago, when I just started to run. I also keep myself entertained while running (everybody does their own thing here).

And some people just would rather do something else, which is fine. There are lots of other activities to do for fitness.