Increasing running mileage from 2 to 3 miles.

jlucy93
jlucy93 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I posted a similar question recently and got some helpful tips. But I'd like to be more specific. I've been running for the past 3 years. I started first to lose weight, then to maintain weight. It was never about anything more than keeping the weight off. But now that I workout regularly at the gym, I want to challenge myself more. My boyfriend and I did a 5k together, and I was DEAD. He's an army vet so he can outrun me any day. I always run at the gym or on a school track near my house. Never in like a neighborhood or just on the street outside. I typically run on the treadmill 2-2.5 miles comfortably at a 11-11:30 min pace, at 1 or 2% incline. For some reason, when I hit the 2.5 mile point, my body gets ridiculously tired. I'd like to be able to reach the 3.1 goal. I just don't know how. For years I've conditioned by body to run 2-2.5 miles. But never 3. I'd like to do more 5ks in the future, since it was a lot of fun, but I just don't know how to increase my mileage without tiring myself out. Advice?

Replies

  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
    Slow down.
  • cecekay19
    cecekay19 Posts: 89 Member
    Start by running a little longer, and slow down. Try running in intervals, parts slow, parts normal, but go farther. Push yourself to the extra tenth of a mile to 2.6. Do that for a week or two and then push yourself to 2.7 and so on. The thing is that it is probably your brain kicking out before your body really does.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    @allyphoe You nailed it. I know how much that sucks to hear, when you feel like you're already going too slow. I know it's the truth, and I hate to hear it. No matter how far you build up your long distance run you're not going to want to hear that you might need to slow down to go farther. It doesn't get easier at 20 miles. Even though you know that takes 4 hours, and you start thinking that if you can keep it up for that long, you should be good to go all day? Nope. Still have to go slower if you want to go further.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    slow down - if you can do 2-2.5 @11-11:30 pace; try 3 miles at 12-12:30 - or even slower
  • cameronheel
    cameronheel Posts: 191 Member
    Agree with allyphoe, slow down. I had a hard time increasing my distance until I learned that most of your running should be at a pace where you can hold a conversation without gasping for breath. I can now run a 5K in about 27 minutes, but most of my training runs are at a 11:30 to 12:30 per mile pace. Slowly your conversational pace will increase as your cardiovascular system adapts. Good luck and keep at it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    It's in your head... run a bit slower and you'll be fine getting to 5k
  • thewindandthework
    thewindandthework Posts: 531 Member
    I'm new to running, but all the research I've done indicates that you should work on either speed or endurance, but not both at the same time.

    So, as the others have said, slow down for now to work on your endurance. Once you have it where you want it, you can speed up gradually.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Just do it....when you get to your 2.5 mile point keep going. If you have to slow down or even walk that last .6, make sure you get to it. You need to prove to your mind that you can make that last .6 miles.

    I found that it is helpful in improving my 5k times to run farther than 5k during my training runs. With a regular habit of running about 4 miles per outing, the 5k doesn't leave me dead.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    also consider doing something like Galloway run/walk (all of my runs unless specific interval training) are done like this - you run for x minutes and then walk briefly to recover - rinse and repeat
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,748 Member
    Add 5 minutes to your run. Don't worry about distance, just add the time. If you absolutely CAN'T run any more, walk one minute, then run 5 minutes. In a week, add another 5 minutes.

    You might also want to start running outside, simply because it is a lot more interesting than a TM or a track. You can look at the neighbor's flowers, pet the dogs, etc. The view changes so time passes much more quickly.
  • cecekay19
    cecekay19 Posts: 89 Member
    May also be a good idea to try a C25k trainer and start in one of the advanced weeks, like week 4 or 5.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    Slow down, and if you think it will help, do intervals to add distance.

    But slow down!

    Speed will come with time. Unless you're old like me, and then trust me, you won't care!
  • jlucy93
    jlucy93 Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks everyone! - OP here. I'm going for a run tonight and definitely slowing down. Hopefully I can reach the last 0.6 miles!
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    If you're ready to quit at 2.5 miles, you've optimized your pace for 2.5 miles. You might be able to run a shorter distance faster, and you will certainly need to run slower to go a longer distance.

    That having been said, most people run faster in a race environment than on training or recreational runs. You may have run the first 2.5 miles of that 5K harder than you're used to, and then you have the extra 1000 meters before the finish line when you're already tired. That's very hard, mentally.

    Many of the suggestions so far are on point. If you want to improve your distance, the things to try are:

    1) Slow down till you *can* run farther than 2.5 miles at the pace you're running.
    2) Try some intervals. Run a half mile, walk one minute (two minutes if you need it), repeat 6 times. You've run 3 miles, and you shouldn't be dead on your feet. Over time, make the intervals gradually more challenging as you adapt to them.
    3) Get away from the treadmill and run more outdoors to prepare yourself for a road race. If you must run indoors [e.g., it's 5º F (-15º C) with 30 mph wind], an indoor track is better than a treadmill.
    4) When you get to race day, let your boyfriend run away from you. Even if he's trying to slow down to your pace, he's probably unconsciously pushing you too hard.
  • tomorrowistoday0000
    tomorrowistoday0000 Posts: 125 Member
    Just do it! By that I mean train yourself mentally. Start by doing what you can, run 2.5 miles, walk .25 and run the rest or etc. The goal is to do it and know that you can do it. That's how I trained my girlfriends and it worked. The longer you stretch your distance, the shorter a 5K becomes. I use to be scared until I tackled a half marathon, and now a 5K is just a normal thing. You can do it, it's mainly in your head!
  • senor_jeff
    senor_jeff Posts: 47 Member
    I ran the same pace and distance for over a year until i did the following
    1. Run more than once a week ( makes a huge difference )
    2. Mix it up. Do intervals one day mixed with long distance (at a very slow pace ) another day.
    3. Make sure you got the right shoes

    The reason you run the same pace and distance is just that, you train running the same pace and distance, so nothing much is going to happen :)

    Now i'm up to running a slow 10k in about an hour, which has helped me run 5k much faster than I used to run it.
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