Running????

What is the best way to learn how to breath better so I can run longer than a minute straight without being winded?
-Slow down. I know you think you're going really slow, but don't worry about what your pace is. You should be running slow enough that you can talk in complete sentences.

What is the best way to increase my speed so I can finish in under a half hour like 80% of the participants do?
-Increasing your mileage will make you faster. Gradually build your distance (or you'll likely end up with injuries).

And what do I need to do to prepare myself, because I want to participate in my first 10k in June, and my first half this coming September. How often should I run per week to train for them? How long should I make my runs last in order to be ready for them?
-I suggest you just look up a training plan for a 10k (and then a half) that you feel that you can follow. A lot of people go for Hal Higdon's plans, and he has a variety based on your existing weekly mileage. Just go through them and pick the one that suits you.

Comparison is the thief of joy in running. There will always be someone faster than you. I'm not saying don't try, but don't be discouraged if you're not gaining speed as quickly as you'd like. It'll come with time and miles. Look at how far you've already come! From 10 seconds of running to completing 5Ks! That's awesome!

TheRatorGade wrote: »

If you practice running all the time on a regular basis, doesn't your body get used to the runs~~~~ making a 10k, or half normal?

Yes and no. I practice running all the time, and running 6 miles is normal. Running 13 miles is not out of the ordinary. But running a 10K, or a half marathon, is different than a training run because I will run them *fast*. That beats up the body more than the slower training runs will.

You may ask, "What if you run your training runs as fast as you race?" It would be possible to do that, for while, until I got injured. And I *would* get injured if I ran fast all the time. Been there, done that, had to learn to run slower to avoid injury.

You may also ask, "What is the point of running if it's normal and your body is used to it?" You need to find your own answer to that question. My answer is, I love running and want to keep doing it for the rest of my life. That's a common answer for a hard core runner, but it's not the only possible answer. Some people say they run because it lets them eat more. [FWIW, I need to eat about 600 more calories per day to support my running habit than I would if I were only walking and getting 10K steps per day in. But that's not why *I* run.] Other people run because they have a specific race goal. And some people run until they find it's just not their thing to do. One size does not fit all.

Listen to mellow paced music with words. Sing or breathe them - this is a conversational pace and the singing will help you in hale all the way. The tempo of the music will help you slow down

I'm learning to run (again). It's all about breathing. Best book ever is Running: The Complete Guide to Building Your Running Program, written by John Stanton, Founder of The Running Room

TheRatorGade wrote: »

What is the best way to increase my speed so I can finish in under a half hour like 80% of the participants do? And what do I need to do to prepare myself, because I want to participate in my first 10k in June, and my first half this coming September. How often should I run per week to train for them? How long should I make my runs last in order to be ready for them? Any suggestions are welcomed

So I appreciate that C25K didn't work for you in the past, but you've now worked up a fair amount more stamina by walking and it may be a useful tool to move on with now.

Six months is more than enough time to prepare for a 10K, but you'll benefit from some structure.

The main thing that you're looking to achieve is run continuously, so with that in mind don't worry too much about speed. Use the plan to develop your ability to run, then once you can do that for 30 minutes you'll find that your speed has increased anyway.

A good guide to your running pace is something that you can sustain whilst talking out loud. Just short sentences, nothing too grandiose. From what you describe I suspect you're trying to run too fast.

Take a look at http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/30-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k for advice and support.

It took me a while to run mellow music even though I run so that I can zone out. I used to use an elliptical a lot with dance/club music and I basically played the same music in a different environment so that my body and mind wouldnt freak out that I was actually running. I dont care much about speed. I looked at my personal records - 5k 9/min mile, 10k 9/min mile, 13 miles 9/min mile. I know I do get somewhat faster though running slow. I still get the high

TheRatorGade wrote: »

Good to know.... As a new runner~ I'm not sure what are realistic goals or not..... I just know, most people that run with my local running store all run on average six minute miles.... I can't ever imagine getting that fast, so I compromised with the ten minutes~~~~~ but maybe that is a stretch for me!

Most folks do NOT run 6 minute miles. Even seasoned runners commonly run 10 minute miles or slower. I've been running for several years, and my mile times range from 9 to 12 minutes per mile, depending on what I'm doing (long run, tempo run, something else)

When I got back into running, I started with C25K, hated the 'structure' and downloaded Zombies, Run, which was fun and I liked it enough to stick with it until I remembered what endorphins felt like and why I love running. Some advice you've already gotten that I think is important:

Run SLOOOOOOWWWWWWWW. In some cases, you may even be running slower than you walk. It's not the speed that will help you get better. It's the running motion (bouncing).
- If you run slow, you'll be able to run for longer distances.
- If you run for longer distances, your speed will increase.

You need lots of very slow 'miles' or minutes running. You'll be amazed at how quickly your ability to run as well as your pace will increase. Just take it very very slow.

TheRatorGade wrote: »

This is a group photo of the beginner class of runners from the local running store.... We were invited to run with the seasoned group after week 12. So from weeks 13-18 I ran with them, and the seasoned runners had three groups 1st group was under six minutes runners. That group had about 15 participants in it, and they run 7-10 miles depending on what the coaches have planned for that weeks run. The second group is 7-12 minutes runners. That group has about 20 participants, and they run between 3-7 miles. And my group is the smallest. My group is anyone running 13-16 minute miles. There is only me, the coach, and two others in my group. And we tend to run between 1.5-3.5 miles.

There's a piece of the puzzle missing here. The group that runs 6 minute miles - what kind of run is it? I have run a mile on a track in perfect weather in a timed race at 5:50. Today I ran a 5K at 28° F in 17 mph wind, at an average pace of 6:31. My PR half marathon came in at an average pace of 6:46, and I couldn't hold all the mile splits under 7 minutes. I ran my only marathon at an average pace of 7:40, and I hope to be faster for my second marathon. But I train my long runs to a target range of 8:00 to 8:30 per mile.

If your coaches haven't explained the use of different paces for different purposes, and the importance of keeping the pace slow for most of your training and particularly for long runs, they aren't doing a very good job of coaching. The most charitable way I can think of that is that the coaches may be assuming a lot of background knowledge that you don't have, i.e. they aren't coaching for beginners.

I can tell you from personal experience that around here the group of runners targeting an 8:30 pace for long runs is small. Sometimes it's only me. If it's only me and one or two of my Boston training buddies, we'll let the pace creep to 8:15. But we aren't going to be doing any 6 minute miles on long runs!

There is a bell curve of paces that are appropriate for long runs. I'm in the tail on the fast end of the curve. You may be in the tail on the slow end of the curve. Locally, the peak seems to be about 10:30; the local training program had to split the 10:30 pace group into 10:30 and 10:45 because there were so many runners that the group could not be managed on a common route.

. . . and based on today's 5K, I'd say 6 minute miles aren't the rule even among race paces. At a 6:31 average pace, I finished 39th out of 1693 people beating the cutoff. It looks like only 94 people (5.6%) finished with an average pace below 7:00 per mile, and only 12 (0.7%) finished with an average pace of 6:00 or better. Yeah, today's weather wasn't conducive to running really fast. But I'd be shocked to see a 5K as popular as this one have 2% of the runners average 6:00 or faster, even in perfect running conditions. (FWIW, the break between sub-10 minute average and 10+ minute average was between 729th and 730th place, out of 1693. So only 43% of the participants beat a 31 minute finish, which is a 10 minute mile average.)

I'd suggest you take a look at the results from some local races that you may have run or may have considered running. I think you'll find that a 6 minute mile is much, much faster than average.

Set smaller goals for yourself. When I trained for my first 25k I went from barely being able to get through 1 mile to running 15.5 miles.

There's a couple things you can do. To increase the duration you can run for, make your running intervals longer. If you can run for 1 minute this week, run for 1:05 next week. Keep the break time the same, 1 minute. You have plenty of time to be ready for a 10k in June. If you're already doing a 5k with your walk/run start adding some distance 1 day a week (your long run). You have 6 months, so add slowly to help prevent injuries (shin splints are the worst!!). Since we know you can get through 3 miles, I honestly would look up how many weeks you have until your half and divide 10/ # of weeks. That's how far is add to my long run. In fact that's how I'm training for my next 25k

I absolutely love running, but I will be the first to admit it can suck so freaking much! You're hot, sweaty, out of breath, the chaffing, the blisters... It's just all stuff you push through. Just increase your time/distance goals slowly and don't give up! It gets better and you'll get faster

OK! I didn't read every post on here but I didn't see something.

What I am gathering is that you are doing a run/walk interval. Run a little bit then walk a bunch. Then run a little bit, then walk a bunch.....

First thing I will suggest. When you do run, don't sprint. Don't run hard. Run about as slow as you can. Take little steps. Not big ones. Like literally make the steps shorter but quicker or just quick enough. Try to run at a pace that is conversational. Don't worry about pace. Just try to make the running part as long of a duration as you can even if the pace is just a little faster than your walking pace. Walk when you begin to get out of breath and begin running (slow pace) when your breathing becomes controlled again.

Also, 6 min/mile pace is really fast. So that is not a realistic goal for you right now.