FRUSTRATED...HELP...Running advice
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TwinsRaGift wrote: »Thank you everyone! Keep the ideas coming! This is really helping! I think I get so frustrated because I want to be able to run those 5 miles without walking and I just can't seem to do it. It just seems to come so much easier to others and it is discouraging. Thanks again!
I just ran a quarter marathon this past Sunday (6.55 miles). Some of that time was spent walking. It's actually a strategy a fair amount of runners use...your muscles "relax" a bit during the walking and you make the time back up by being able to run a bit faster pace in the jogging sections.
As others are saying, I don't use my race pace (currently hovering in the high 10 minutes) during my training runs. Typically I "run" anywhere between 11-13 minutes for the training runs.
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TwinsRaGift wrote: »I started jogging in February and got to a 5k in 38 minutes around the beginning of June which I know is slow, but I have never in my adult life exercised. Anyway...since then things have been getting worse and not any better. My times got slower and I got frustrated. I start out with my runs all motivated, but about two miles in to a five mile run I am just done.
That's because it's summer and the temps are much higher now. I easily add 1 - 1.5 minutes per mile to my time during the summer. Know that running slower when it's warmer doesn't mean you lost fitness. It takes a lot of effort to stay cool and that takes away from your endurance. Keep doing your workouts and when the temps cool off again you'll be that much faster. You'll see.
ETA: A week ago I did an 8 mile run and did the last mile under 9:00 and it felt easy. Yesterday I walked 3 times on a 7.5 mile run. I was shot. It was 68 that morning and 81 and humid yesterday. It makes all the difference.
there is so much truth to this it isn't funny. Last week it was TORTURE- like I felt like I haven't been training at all. This week- flying through my runs.
slow- down - keep at it- just keep putting one foot in front of the other.0 -
TwinsRaGift wrote: »I feel like I must be missing something. Am I doing it wrong? Are there ways to make it easier? Is it something you just have to push through and everyone struggles, but makes it seem easy? Please any advice is extremely helpful!
Hard to say without knowing more about your overall training plan. Sometimes I've struggled with this. It can be hard to tell whether I'm just physically tired or just experiencing low motivation because I'm a little burned out.
Here are some general recommendations that have worked for me:- The suggestions above about pacing are good. I didn't see anyone mention using a heart rate monitor. This is a VERY good way to judge how hard you are pushing your body. Find the target heart rate and adjust your pace to stay in that zone. You'll find that you have a slower pace on hot days or hill courses.
- You don't say how many times per week you are running. Some people like to run every day, but I find that 3-4 times per week works best for me. Resting (or cross training) a day in between runs helps me recover and feel good for the next run. Hitting it hard day after day just tires me out and makes me more injury prone.
- Cross training is a great idea. I find yoga to be a nice complement to running since it builds core strength and also works on flexibility. (Flexibility is an issue for me and many runners.)
- Don't make every run the same - same time of day, same place, same distance. Boring! Vary your distances. Do a shorter run and maybe go a little faster. Do at least one longer run per week where you focus on a steady, comfortable (even slow) pace.
- Keep track of your runs with an app or website. I have been using runningahead.com for quite a few years. It is motivating for me to see the facts about what I'm really doing. It also helps me to see how my weekly mileage varies.
- Don't just keep driving up weekly mileage. Take a step backwards during training and build back up from there. For example, take a week and drop your weekly mileage by half. Another idea is to do some runs where you do run/walk intervals (say 3 minutes running and 2 minutes walking).
- Find ways to change things up to keep it fresh. Once in a while, I buy a new piece of gear. Rarely is it a big ticket item (like a GPS watch or new shoes). Sometimes it is just a new pair of socks, a hat, or a new water bottle. Sometimes I make a special effort to go run somewhere, or with someone, outside of my usual.
- I get worn down when I've been hitting it hard while training for a race. After the race is over, I'll take several weeks and do other fitness things besides running. Taking a break is a worthy strategy.
- Finally - the best way to get my motivation back it to sign up for a race sometime in the future. Knowing I have a commitment in the future gets me motivated to train again.
Good luck!0 -
repsrequired wrote: »peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!
I have never ran before and read your post.
I have a treadmill and would prefer to start with it before I venture out. I have tried a couple of times but can't even run for 30 seconds
If you can't run, walk. That's how I started on my path to running. I walked for a good 4 months before even attempting to run, and then only at 5 MPH for a few minutes. Start off walking at a pace you can sustain for 30 minutes. If you are very out of shape, ramp up your time to 30 minutes at something like 2.5 MPH. Once you can repeatedly walk for 30 minutes, increase your speed by 0.2 or 0.3 MPH. At some point you will hit the limit at which your legs will let you walk. Instead of turning to running right then, start increasing the incline on the treadmill. If you can walk for 30 minutes on an incline of 3.5 degrees, you're ready to starting running. Probably more than ready, actually. Turn off the incline and try 5 MPH. You'll be able to do it.0 -
no matter how far I'm going, I always hate the first 1 to 2 miles the most. Grrr. all miles after the first 2 are cake
Ideally, I'd run on a slight downhill slope for my first two miles. And, on an interesting trail instead of a routine route. Makes those 2 beastly "warm up" miles easier and go by quicker so I can get on to the fun miles.
I'm a big fan of a long warm up too. I find I go the fastest/perform best after the first 30 or so minutes of warm up whether running, cycling, hiking, etc.0 -
I think I must have an abundance of fast-twitch muscles. For me, the shorter the better and I prefer uphill.0
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peter56765 wrote: »repsrequired wrote: »peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!
I have never ran before and read your post.
I have a treadmill and would prefer to start with it before I venture out. I have tried a couple of times but can't even run for 30 seconds
If you can't run, walk. That's how I started on my path to running. I walked for a good 4 months before even attempting to run, and then only at 5 MPH for a few minutes. Start off walking at a pace you can sustain for 30 minutes. If you are very out of shape, ramp up your time to 30 minutes at something like 2.5 MPH. Once you can repeatedly walk for 30 minutes, increase your speed by 0.2 or 0.3 MPH. At some point you will hit the limit at which your legs will let you walk. Instead of turning to running right then, start increasing the incline on the treadmill. If you can walk for 30 minutes on an incline of 3.5 degrees, you're ready to starting running. Probably more than ready, actually. Turn off the incline and try 5 MPH. You'll be able to do it.
Been walking for nearly a year at 5-6mph guess I just going to have to start off doing 20 second run then walk
Thanks for the advice. Think my feet are the problem. I am not what you call light on them I stump0 -
Thank you all so much for the advice! I decided to try a little test this morning and went out around 6:00am when the temp was about 70 and it was not yet humid (I live in the south...brutal). The run this morning was so much better! I ran a slow steady pace this time and completed a 41 minute 5k. Though this is slower than I would like I did run the ENTIRE time! Yay! I feel like I could have gone farther, but I needed to get ready for work. So.....the humidity is definitely my enemy! Also running in the morning gave me the chance to have an energy gel with nothing else in my system. This helped with stomach upset! Thanks again!0
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Good for you! Just focus on how you are feeling. I used to really have the need for speed. I've now been running for 4-5 years and I not longer have that need. I use it for therapy and confidence. Keep at it!!!!0
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humidity is horrible. I have an issue with this as well.0
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There's also no reason you HAVE to keep running as a regular form of exercise, or that you have to do 5 miles. If you find yourself hating it (beyond the usual exercise hatred), find something else! Don't make yourself be miserable on a regular basis when there are other things you can be doing.
I used to run a lot in college and it was pretty much my only cardio, and then I started to hate it and dread it and eventually burned out and stopped doing it completely. It was good though because there's nothing good about horribly resenting something you do every day. I like to keep my resentment at more moderate levels. I started running again about 4 years ago and I still don't love it, so I never do more than 5 miles (usually 3-4 most days) and I only do it a couple of times a week, and mix it in with other things. It's good to push yourself even when you're hitting a wall, but don't push too hard! Sometimes it's just about finding other things to do that will still achieve a similar result.0 -
The heat definitely makes a difference. I slow down by 1 to 2 minutes per mile in the summer. Yes, it's frustrating while it's happening but I know that come winter, when things finally cool down, that I'll be that much faster for putting in the miles now.
The first thing I thought when I read the OP is "slow down". There's been a lot of information going around lately on running slower for most of your runs to improve speed and distance. The theory is that if you run 80% of your runs at a conversational pace (one at which you can carry on a limited conversation with a partner) you will progress faster. There are lots of articles, and even a few books, on the subject. Here's one: http://www.runnersworld.com/rt-web-exclusive/train-at-the-right-intensity-ratio.
In addition, one of the easiest ways to increase speed for your shorter runs is to run longer. train for a 10K to increase 5K speeds.
Don't get too frustrated. I've been running for about 4 years and while I'm slowly getting faster, I'll never be "fast" and I know that. I've also learned that the only person I should be competing with is myself. I'm built for things like gymnastics and softball, not running. Other people are younger, have longer legs and are naturally faster. Comparing myself with them only leads to disappointment and frustration.0 -
repsrequired wrote: »peter56765 wrote: »repsrequired wrote: »peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!
I have never ran before and read your post.
I have a treadmill and would prefer to start with it before I venture out. I have tried a couple of times but can't even run for 30 seconds
If you can't run, walk. That's how I started on my path to running. I walked for a good 4 months before even attempting to run, and then only at 5 MPH for a few minutes. Start off walking at a pace you can sustain for 30 minutes. If you are very out of shape, ramp up your time to 30 minutes at something like 2.5 MPH. Once you can repeatedly walk for 30 minutes, increase your speed by 0.2 or 0.3 MPH. At some point you will hit the limit at which your legs will let you walk. Instead of turning to running right then, start increasing the incline on the treadmill. If you can walk for 30 minutes on an incline of 3.5 degrees, you're ready to starting running. Probably more than ready, actually. Turn off the incline and try 5 MPH. You'll be able to do it.
Been walking for nearly a year at 5-6mph guess I just going to have to start off doing 20 second run then walk
Thanks for the advice. Think my feet are the problem. I am not what you call light on them I stump
In that case, I'd work on your running form first. You can do that just a couple of strides at a time. Get that right at the beginning and the rest will come much easier.0 -
GREAT ADVICE!!! I had to take notes myself!!peter56765 wrote: »Two words: Slow Down. The #1 mistake novice runners make is starting out their run going too fast. This isn't gym class and you're not doing the quarter mile or 100 yard dash. Chances are you are overly taxing your cardio vascular system which leads to exhaustion.
My advice is to learn to pace yourself. You can buy GPS watches or download an app that will tell you how fast you are going. Starting off, you probably want to aim for around a 12 minute mile. Personally I have found that the best tool to learn pacing isn't a watch or an app, it's a treadmill. Set the thing for 5 MPH and it will dutifully keep you precisely on pace. After using the treadmill for a week or so, you will become accustomed to what a 12 minute mile feels like and then you will more easily be able to transfer that to running outside. Map your run, note where the mile markers are and keep time. Even then you will probably still have to tell yourself to slow down because everyone's instinct when faced with a long stretch of open road is to want to cover it as quickly as possible. Good luck!
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goanothermile wrote: »TwinsRaGift wrote: »I feel like I must be missing something. Am I doing it wrong? Are there ways to make it easier? Is it something you just have to push through and everyone struggles, but makes it seem easy? Please any advice is extremely helpful!
Hard to say without knowing more about your overall training plan. Sometimes I've struggled with this. It can be hard to tell whether I'm just physically tired or just experiencing low motivation because I'm a little burned out.
Here are some general recommendations that have worked for me:- The suggestions above about pacing are good. I didn't see anyone mention using a heart rate monitor. This is a VERY good way to judge how hard you are pushing your body. Find the target heart rate and adjust your pace to stay in that zone. You'll find that you have a slower pace on hot days or hill courses.
- You don't say how many times per week you are running. Some people like to run every day, but I find that 3-4 times per week works best for me. Resting (or cross training) a day in between runs helps me recover and feel good for the next run. Hitting it hard day after day just tires me out and makes me more injury prone.
- Cross training is a great idea. I find yoga to be a nice complement to running since it builds core strength and also works on flexibility. (Flexibility is an issue for me and many runners.)
- Don't make every run the same - same time of day, same place, same distance. Boring! Vary your distances. Do a shorter run and maybe go a little faster. Do at least one longer run per week where you focus on a steady, comfortable (even slow) pace.
- Keep track of your runs with an app or website. I have been using runningahead.com for quite a few years. It is motivating for me to see the facts about what I'm really doing. It also helps me to see how my weekly mileage varies.
- Don't just keep driving up weekly mileage. Take a step backwards during training and build back up from there. For example, take a week and drop your weekly mileage by half. Another idea is to do some runs where you do run/walk intervals (say 3 minutes running and 2 minutes walking).
- Find ways to change things up to keep it fresh. Once in a while, I buy a new piece of gear. Rarely is it a big ticket item (like a GPS watch or new shoes). Sometimes it is just a new pair of socks, a hat, or a new water bottle. Sometimes I make a special effort to go run somewhere, or with someone, outside of my usual.
- I get worn down when I've been hitting it hard while training for a race. After the race is over, I'll take several weeks and do other fitness things besides running. Taking a break is a worthy strategy.
- Finally - the best way to get my motivation back it to sign up for a race sometime in the future. Knowing I have a commitment in the future gets me motivated to train again.
Good luck!
THIS IS EXCELLENT ADVICE!! THANK YOU FOR THIS~~
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TwinsRaGift wrote: »I decided to try a little test this morning and went out around 6:00am when the temp was about 70 and it was not yet humid (I live in the south...brutal). The run this morning was so much better! I ran a slow steady pace this time and completed a 41 minute 5k. Though this is slower than I would like I did run the ENTIRE time! Yay! I feel like I could have gone farther
Congrats!
@TwinsRaGift you've learned a couple things there. Heat and humidity do matter. But most importantly you've learned that pace matters most. That you felt like you could go further means you have built up some endurance already.
You should be able to carry on something of a conversation (talk out loud to yourself if you have to, or bring a dog, they never argue!) while you do your base-building training runs, and right now that's all you should be doing. You'll probably find it helpful to do a few minutes of walking / speed walking / active warm up to get your heart rate up a bit and muscles loose. While you are running if your pace drifts up try the *can I carry on a conversation out loud* test to see if you are over doing it, and back off if you find yourself gasping a bit between words.
Running at this pace will put your heart rate somewhere in the middle of your aerobic zone and allow you to gradually increase the length of your runs (no more than 10% a week is one guideline). As you run longer at this slower pace you'll continue to build endurance. After several weeks of this I bet you $10 you'll find that you are actually running a little faster while putting out the same perceived effort.
The other benefits of running slower include making it easier to run with better form because your stride will naturally become shorter - which is what you want. Running slower tends to translate to reduced risk of injury that would side-line you.
Counter intuitive as someone said already? You bet, but slower ultimately means faster and farther in the long run.
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TwinsRaGift wrote: »I decided to try a little test this morning and went out around 6:00am when the temp was about 70 and it was not yet humid (I live in the south...brutal). The run this morning was so much better! I ran a slow steady pace this time and completed a 41 minute 5k. Though this is slower than I would like I did run the ENTIRE time! Yay! I feel like I could have gone farther
Congrats!
@TwinsRaGift you've learned a couple things there. Heat and humidity do matter. But most importantly you've learned that pace matters most. That you felt like you could go further means you have built up some endurance already.
You should be able to carry on something of a conversation (talk out loud to yourself if you have to, or bring a dog, they never argue!) while you do your base-building training runs, and right now that's all you should be doing. You'll probably find it helpful to do a few minutes of walking / speed walking / active warm up to get your heart rate up a bit and muscles loose. While you are running if your pace drifts up try the *can I carry on a conversation out loud* test to see if you are over doing it, and back off if you find yourself gasping a bit between words.
Running at this pace will put your heart rate somewhere in the middle of your aerobic zone and allow you to gradually increase the length of your runs (no more than 10% a week is one guideline). As you run longer at this slower pace you'll continue to build endurance. After several weeks of this I bet you $10 you'll find that you are actually running a little faster while putting out the same perceived effort.
The other benefits of running slower include making it easier to run with better form because your stride will naturally become shorter - which is what you want. Running slower tends to translate to reduced risk of injury that would side-line you.
Counter intuitive as someone said already? You bet, but slower ultimately means faster and farther in the long run.
Great advice!
OP, I'm glad to see that you've had some success running more slowly. It's hard slowing down, I know that for a fact. I usually only have so much time before work to get in my runs, too. As the sun starts coming up later, and my runs get longer with race season training, I want to go as fast as I can every time I run. Once it cools down enough in the afternoons (which won't be for many more weeks here in Tucson) I can switch to running after work but for the meantime, it's frustrating, to be sure. I've always been an interval runner and I'm trying to increase my intervals so I'm trying to internalize all of the advice you're getting even though I already knew it was sound. 0 -
First of all, you're technically not running, you're jogging, which is the worst thing you can do for your joints, muscles, and soft tissue. You need to pick up your pace and get at least a 150-180 step per minute going. Even if you only go a mile, you'll thank me later.
Secondly how is your form? A lot of what you're describing can be due to poor form alone.
My advice would be to switch your shoes out if you have been in the same pair for 300 miles, pick up he pace and do some sprint drills0 -
lmaharidge wrote: »First of all, you're technically not running, you're jogging, which is the worst thing you can do for your joints, muscles, and soft tissue. You need to pick up your pace and get at least a 150-180 step per minute going. Even if you only go a mile, you'll thank me later.
Jogging? What's that? Made up word as far as I'm concerned. The OP is running.
Form is another matter
Increase **cadence**, not pace.
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lmaharidge wrote: »First of all, you're technically not running, you're jogging, which is the worst thing you can do for your joints, muscles, and soft tissue. You need to pick up your pace and get at least a 150-180 step per minute going. Even if you only go a mile, you'll thank me later.
Secondly how is your form? A lot of what you're describing can be due to poor form alone.
My advice would be to switch your shoes out if you have been in the same pair for 300 miles, pick up he pace and do some sprint drills
Sitting on the couch is the worst thing you can do for your joints, muscles, and soft tissue. Also running is anything faster than a walk. We don't have different words for driving a car 5 mph or 55 mph. It's driving.
A higher cadence (not pace) is helpful. Pace is your speed in MPH or minutes it takes you to run a mile. Cadence is how many steps you take per minute.0
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