Struggle to run
trabuzaid
Posts: 4 Member
I have been actively working out for over a year now and I can finally run on the treadmill but I struggle to run at a steady pace for more than 5 minutes??? What am I doing wrong here, I am 38 and in good health.
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When I started running I did a run walk program and gradually built myself up to running 30 minutes without stopping. Maybe you are pushing yourself too hard too fast. Unless you are training for a race jog at a good conversational.pace. If you are getting out of breath you may be running too hard and your body may no be used to that yet. Running takes time. Took me 3 months to do 5k and a good 6-9 for a half marathon. Good luck and don't give up!2
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Try running with a metronome, to keep your pace steady. Maybe start with 150 or 160 bpm. I didn't think I was running too fast, at first, I just thought I was so out of shape that I could barely run for 15 seconds, despite being able to walk for hours. But no, I really was just running too fast.2
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I have been actively working out for over a year now and I can finally run on the treadmill but I struggle to run at a steady pace for more than 5 minutes??? What am I doing wrong here, I am 38 and in good health.
You're probably trying to run too fast, pretty common in new runners.
Pick a place that you can sustain. That said, I can run for 30 miles, but hate a treadmill for more than 10 minutes at a time.4 -
Just keep trying! You are not good at running distance because you have never pushed yourself there! We are in the same place! I'll add ya as a friend and we can motivate eachother!! I so badly want to be able to keep my high speed up for distance, but I keep doing it and continue to break my own records!0
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I have been actively working out for over a year now and I can finally run on the treadmill but I struggle to run at a steady pace for more than 5 minutes??? What am I doing wrong here, I am 38 and in good health.
Maybe nothing. You might just not be building your running capability the smart way.
I thought I was in pretty good shape at age 55, 7 pounds from goal weight. I was out for a 5 mile walk, and decided to run a bit. Came home, found a 5K training program similar to C25K that called for starting with intervals of walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes.
Next time I went out, I tried to do the first workout. I walked my one minute, ran for one minute, and had to slow to a walk again. I was capable of walking 5 miles in 72 minutes, but I couldn't keep running for more than 1 minute.
So I built myself a week of walk 1 minute, run 1 minute. The next week I did walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes. The third week I started the first week of the program again, and I could do walk 1, run 3 intervals by that point.
Fast forward to age 61, and I'm a marathon runner. Running for 1 minute isn't even a warm up to me now. But that's where I came from when I started.
My advice: Get a 5K training program, and follow it. Don't do any more than the program calls for; there is a reason it has you quit while you're still capable of running more. Out the other end of the program, you'll regard a mile as a short run.
I concur with @MeanderingMammal that running slow enough is a key skill, and it's one that many new runners find difficult. But it is possible to train yourself up to the 5K distance without learning to run slow enough. Learning to run slow enough was a hard lesson that I didn't learn until some time after I'd run my first 10K.
And yes, like many distance runners I regard the treadmill as a last resort. I can run for 3 hours, but I don't think I could stand 30 minutes on the dreadmill.5 -
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It actually takes a little bit for your aerobic system to kick in. You start to feel worn out and then it kicks in. Often referred to as a runners high or second wind.0
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My advice? Listen to @MobyCarp ^^^It actually takes a little bit for your aerobic system to kick in. You start to feel worn out and then it kicks in. Often referred to as a runners high or second wind.
I hear about this mythical second wind. No idea what it is. I run marathons and can't say I have ever had a 'second wind'.0 -
I agree with all of the above. Being fit will help you learn to run, but you do still need to learn how. Lots of us (including me) learned to run with C25K.
I run half marathons and I can't make it a mile on a treadmill. If you can, run outside!1 -
Run slower
Try C25k2 -
I can't deal with the forced steady pace of a treadmill, either. I can do exercise that keeps my heart rate at 170 on the elliptical for half an hour, and I can run outside for a much longer period of time. I am currently doing C25K with my dog to increase the period of time that I can run for. My dog slows me down, which means I can get through the entire 30 min0
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My advice? Listen to @MobyCarp ^^^It actually takes a little bit for your aerobic system to kick in. You start to feel worn out and then it kicks in. Often referred to as a runners high or second wind.
I hear about this mythical second wind. No idea what it is. I run marathons and can't say I have ever had a 'second wind'.
My interpretation is that "getting your second wind" is the same thing as "having warmed up." When I do a long run with no formal warm up before, I frequently see my HR go up to a peak above the run's average during the first mile, then come back down and settle in where it belongs. Where that HR peak happens is early in the run, when it's harder than it should be for as slow as I'm running.
I guess better runners than me are good at running slow enough early to avoid having that peak, and "second wind" is a null concept to them.2 -
Slow down.0
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My advice? Listen to @MobyCarp ^^^It actually takes a little bit for your aerobic system to kick in. You start to feel worn out and then it kicks in. Often referred to as a runners high or second wind.
I hear about this mythical second wind. No idea what it is. I run marathons and can't say I have ever had a 'second wind'.
My interpretation is that "getting your second wind" is the same thing as "having warmed up." When I do a long run with no formal warm up before, I frequently see my HR go up to a peak above the run's average during the first mile, then come back down and settle in where it belongs. Where that HR peak happens is early in the run, when it's harder than it should be for as slow as I'm running.
I guess better runners than me are good at running slow enough early to avoid having that peak, and "second wind" is a null concept to them.
I agree that it is normally harder when first starting your run. But I always associated that with warming up or loosening up. The 'second wind' I hear about is similar to someone almost hitting the wall and then somehow getting the energy to run as if it didn't happen. From experience, if I'm about to hit the wall, nothing will stop it. My glycogen is shot probably because I didn't fuel properly. Even fueling at that point doesn't help.
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My advice? Listen to @MobyCarp ^^^It actually takes a little bit for your aerobic system to kick in. You start to feel worn out and then it kicks in. Often referred to as a runners high or second wind.
I hear about this mythical second wind. No idea what it is. I run marathons and can't say I have ever had a 'second wind'.
My interpretation is that "getting your second wind" is the same thing as "having warmed up." When I do a long run with no formal warm up before, I frequently see my HR go up to a peak above the run's average during the first mile, then come back down and settle in where it belongs. Where that HR peak happens is early in the run, when it's harder than it should be for as slow as I'm running.
I guess better runners than me are good at running slow enough early to avoid having that peak, and "second wind" is a null concept to them.
Also known as the hell mile. The first mile which makes you question why you are doing this! Why not just go home and put your feet up, just stop! Then your heart rate comes back down and you settle in to the rhythm of the run.
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »You're probably trying to run too fast, pretty common in new runners.
Pick a place that you can sustain. That said, I can run for 30 miles, but hate a treadmill for more than 10 minutes at a time.
This. Slow down and find a pace that you can sustain. As you push yourself to run more distance at this pace, you'll naturally gain the ability to run faster. I call it the pocket...it's the pace & rhythm where your heart rate is up but everything is comfortable and your mind can actually think about things other than how much you hate running and/or just zone out completely.
It might be that your current pocket is a pace not much faster than walking. That's absolutely fine. You can also break up your workouts into run/walk intervals. Run until you can't run any more, then walk for a bit, then run some more when ready, etc. If you make sure to regularly push yourself (that is, gradually extend the intervals or shorten the rest time), you should see improvement over time.
Also, I echo the sentiment that running outside is miles better than the treadmill. If nothing else, the breeze and ability to easily control/change your pace make running outside much more enjoyable.0 -
As many others have said, slow it down.
Its not unusual for beginners to run slower than a fast walk. Keep your back straight and take little strides whilst concentrating on slow deep breaths0
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