Need running friends...desperate!

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sarnoldm
sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
edited May 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all. I'm on week 7 day 3 of couch to 5k. Now running 25 minutes non stop. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of myself but have got a bit caught up worrying about pace. I'm doing a 12 minute mile average and feel a bit despondent. It's slow, isn't it? I've tried upping the pace but just can't. Anyway, runners, please please add me as a friend-I need motivation/advice. I'll try to give some in return if it helps! Thanks in advance
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  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    I mean 25 minutes not 35
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
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    No, it is not slow. That is middle of the pack for a typical 5k race.

    Don't worry about speed. Purposely trying to go faster will lead to injury. Plus, you get faster by running slowly for longer distances. Keep the pace slow and steady.

    Good luck.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Twelve isn't bad at all. I slacked off a bit during the winter but I usually start at about 9:40 mi. and end up at 11:10 mi. Granted I am not working on speed right now but instead working on my distance. I am at 6.6 miles most days and wondering if I have a ten mile run in me for the weekend. I say just focus on increasing distance as you feel comfortable and when you have that, worry about pace if that is what you want. I have several routes and seek out hills to go up for fun. I use headphones for music and have an app (Runtastic) that will verbally announce my miles, my pace for that mile, overall pace and calorie burn. It also logs my history so I know when to replace my shoes at 425 miles. When you decide to work on pace a heart rate monitor will help too.
  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    Thank you both. I am doing just over 2 miles every other day, when I finish couch to 5k I'll focus on increasing distance. I had started feeling down on myself...thank you for helping
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    dewd2 wrote: »
    Don't worry about speed. [...] Plus, you get faster by running slowly for longer distances. Keep the pace slow and steady.

    This sounds backwards, but it's spot on.

    It takes a lot of energy to run 3.2 miles. Takes less to run 1 mile; to do a 5k, you have to run a mile, then have enough left in the tank to run 2.2 more. When you increase your fitness to the point that you have that much energy to spare, you'll be able to run 1 mile (and then stop) a lot faster. Until then, running a lot of slower miles is building up your fitness level. :)
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    12 is just fine. I thought doing a 12 in the beginning was huge. I set myself mini goals like running one mile non stop, then two, then three, etc.. Then there are days when I am faster and days when I am slower. Nutrition plays a huge role for me each day I run and how I will run. So make sure you eat right the day before or if you eat before your running, it is quality foods to fuel the run.

    Do not increase your running more than 10% a week. You need to give your body a chance to adhere to the demands you plan to put on it for running longer and longer distances. This will allow your muscles, ligaments, joints and more importantly your bones a chance to adapt and prevent injuries.

    I have used MapMyRun, Strava. I now have a Garmin Forerunner with soft strap heart monitor. Runtastic is an ok app.

    I run 6 days a week, I have an 8K charity run next week. Not planning any fast laps, just running for fun and for a good cause.

    You will get there, take it easy each week. If running is or will be your thing, you might want to get a running watch. It can be really helpful when you get advanced on meeting personal records such as pace, distance and speed.
  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    Wow thank you. I love mfp for the help it can give you with things like this! I was so down on myself a few hours ago...you guys have given me new focus. I'm aiming for a 5K by July 10th (have signed up for a cancer research sponsored run). I won't panic, I have 6 weeks to improve. Thank you, all x
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    If you are currently running for 25 minutes, you will have no problem at your 5K in 6 weeks. Just try not to get caught up in the excitement and go out too fast. As far as motivation, I believe there is at least one group on here for couch to 5K. There is also a "Monthly Running Challenge" group that has members that run anywhere from a mile to a marathon. There is no required goal, it's just whatever you set your goal to be. The group is very active (almost too active, sometimes hard to keep up!) and they talk about all things running, all day, everyday. You should check it out!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10381153/may-2016-running-challenge/p1
  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    Thank you! I will look at the monthly running challenge. I could do that in June :-)
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
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    sarnoldm wrote: »
    Wow thank you. I love mfp for the help it can give you with things like this! I was so down on myself a few hours ago...you guys have given me new focus. I'm aiming for a 5K by July 10th (have signed up for a cancer research sponsored run). I won't panic, I have 6 weeks to improve. Thank you, all x

    By July you will be not only be running longer, but faster as well.

    Start off slowly and make note of those who pass you. As you get to the last 1k, be sure to acknowledge them again as you pass them up with a smile on your face. :)
  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    You made me smile, dewd2! I love that thought, and it's made me feel better about starting slowly and staying true to my (snaily) pace. Thank you :smile:
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member
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    You can also check out c25k group - people are very friendly and supportive there.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/30-couch-to-5k-running-program-c25k
    And, yes, 12 min/mile is a very decent pace. Many long distance runners run at about this speed. Check out this topic:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10315143/any-slower-runners-here/p1
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member
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    sarnoldm wrote: »
    I'm aiming for a 5K by July 10th (have signed up for a cancer research sponsored run). I won't panic, I have 6 weeks to improve. Thank you, all x
    You'll be just fine! By the way, I usually do much better during the races - probably all the people cheering make me run a little bit faster :)
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member
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    sarnoldm wrote: »
    Thank you both. I am doing just over 2 miles every other day, when I finish couch to 5k I'll focus on increasing distance. I had started feeling down on myself...thank you for helping

    Increasing distance will lead to increasing pace eventually. Just be careful not to increase it too much to avoid injury. !0% as someone suggested above is a standard recommendation. After I finished my c25k I ran 5k three times a week for 2-3 weeks and then slowly started to increase one of the runs ( adding maybe 0.5-1 mile each week) keeping the other two runs at 5k.
  • WillypipMom
    WillypipMom Posts: 7 Member
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    Just thought id throw in my 2 cents! I started losing weight 6 years ago- over 130lbs. Was overweight and unhealthy all my life. Why mention this? Because I am NOT a runner. By nature. But, in January, I decided I wanted to train for a marathon. (Go big or go home, right?) anyway. Every mile was hard. Every. Mile. I was worried about my pace. 11-12 minute miles would wear me out. But I kept trying. And probably looking ridiculous all over town. But then, literally overnight, everything just changed. 3 weeks ago, I ran 7 miles and fast. And it felt, well kinda easy. The next weekend, 10.5. No prob. The following weekend? 17.5. In under 3 hours. (I should mention I was running 3-4 miles 3 times a week in between). I only say this because I am suddenly a believer in progress. Keep it up girl. It will get easier. And you will get faster if that's what you want. You just need to be patient. This took me 4+ months of feeling like a failure but still trying like a crazy person. Lol. It seriously trips me out to think I'm a runner now. The mind sometimes takes longer to catch up with our goals than our bodies!
  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Just went out on another 25 minute run. I definitely felt less like I was going to die when if finished, so something must be working. Still a 12 minute average, but I feel better about that after all your support. Thank you so much
  • rldeclercq4
    rldeclercq4 Posts: 269 Member
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    sarnoldm wrote: »
    Thank you both. I am doing just over 2 miles every other day, when I finish couch to 5k I'll focus on increasing distance. I had started feeling down on myself...thank you for helping


    You got this. I'm on week 2 of C210K now. Why seemed like hell running 25 mins at a 12-min mile pace is now 15 minute intervals of 11:00-10:30 minute mile pace. I also run a 5K three days a week now in between the days I do the program. I focuse my 5K on time and my C210K program on achieving longer distances. Seems to be working. For context Im a 29 year old male, 280 lbs, lost almost 90lbs so far.
  • sarnoldm
    sarnoldm Posts: 42 Member
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    That's amazing!!! Are you enjoying c210k? I guess that's my next challenge...
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,267 Member
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    Don't worry about your pace. I started just like you, about three years ago. Now I sign up for 10ks when I want (can't really go longer due to injury). It's a process. Just keep at it. You're avoiding injury. If you get out of the gate too fast, you risk injury and burnout. Besides, now that you know that you'll get faster eventually, enjoy the process and all of the runs in between. Like an earlier poster said, one day you'll get home and see a fast pace, realize that you had NO IDEA you were running that pace, and that it wasn't even that hard :heart: You'll get there!
  • Pam_Shebamm
    Pam_Shebamm Posts: 167 Member
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    12 min/mi is a great start. It's about where I started this time last year. Now I'm running about 8.5 min/mi, and it's just happened naturally as I got better at it. If you stick with it, you will get there.

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