I suck at running. Discuss.
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TavistockToad wrote: »MsHarryWinston wrote: »I suuuuck at running these days. My cardiovascular fitness is so bad right now. Which is brutal because I used to have to run every bloody day as a cadet.
I'm working on getting better and my first real running goal is to eventually get to a 10 minute mile. Lol right now I'm still in the speedwalking with a touch of running intervals added in, so I have a long way to go.
It's really nice to see other ppl that love running but aren't necessarily great at it.
I don't think it's a case of being 'great' at it... at what speed or distance is 'great'? For me every mile, every run, every race is a celebration of the amazing things our bodies can do, what they may not have been able to do last year, last month or even last week.
PBing a race is greatness, running a farthest distance is greatness, getting out the door when it's 6am/you've been at work all day/ you've just put the kids to bed is greatness.
The numbers DO NOT MATTER because there is always someone faster out there. But you're not competing against them, you're competing against yourself.
It's true, the numbers shouldn't matter. I'm definitely not aiming to be the fastest, because I know I never will be! I guess "good" to me is being able to keep up with friends at races, who run pretty average speeds (in my mind) of 8 - 9 minute miles. I guess I'd like to be more in the middle of the pack than at the end.
I think that's part of the big struggle.. don't worry about where I am in the pack, just enjoy the run for what it is, and the fact that I can do it at all. If my ultimate goal is simply to live an active lifestyle for my overall health, what difference does it make what my speed is? We all have different body types and abilities. Mine just might not be cut out for fast running, and I should be ok with that.0 -
My new favorite Pinterest quote is, "if you suck at running, keep doing it."
So I do. And I continue to suck.
All joking aside, I really do struggle with running. I want to keep doing it so that someday, maybe even just for one run, it won't feel like such an impossible struggle. I'm 33 years old, 5'7", 130lbs (down from 150, yay!), and I exercise 4-5 times a week, including running, strength training, and yoga. Right now I'm working up to running a 10k, though I've done a half marathon in the past (the longest I've ever run without having to stop is 10 miles, just once, 3 years ago). When I run, I feel like an obese chain smoker. My heart rate is steady at 175-180 on flat ground, and 190-195 on hills, no matter what distance I run. I breathe SO loudly, I scare people if I come up behind them! I'm lucky if I can maintain a 10 minute mile for 3 miles. Usually I'm closer to 11 or 12 minute miles. Sometimes when I'm running a longer distance like 5 miles, my body just stops and I double over trying to breathe. I tell myself "keep going, keep going, you can do it!" But then I fall short. WTF.
Does it ever get better??????
I'm not really expecting an answer, I just needed someplace to vent.
I was really proud of myself for being able to do a 10 minute mile for 2 miles without slowing down or stopping...
Guess I suck and didn't know it lol.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »spiriteagle99 wrote: »I disagree with the above: running more miles will make the miles you run feel easier. You will also probably get faster. Training for a 10k will make your 3 mile runs feel easy compared to your longer runs. Same when you go back to doing HMs.
If you are breathing hard on all your runs, you are probably running too fast. You might also want to get checked out for exercise induced asthma.
It's mostly about not overexerting herself. And hey if all it takes is a couple of weeks, great.
The point is, your advice is contrary to pretty much every coaching plan out there. Improving pace largely comes from adding volume initially.
The OP has barely run before. She's starting from zero. Zero to 10K. In a few weeks. What awesome plan is that?
Fifteen weeks to get from zero to 10K. Quite straightforward really.
For new runners the greatest improvements in pace come from adding volume. Personally I wouldn't design speedwork into a plan unless the individual is already running at least 30km per week.0 -
KeithWhiteJr wrote: »My new favorite Pinterest quote is, "if you suck at running, keep doing it."
So I do. And I continue to suck.
All joking aside, I really do struggle with running. I want to keep doing it so that someday, maybe even just for one run, it won't feel like such an impossible struggle. I'm 33 years old, 5'7", 130lbs (down from 150, yay!), and I exercise 4-5 times a week, including running, strength training, and yoga. Right now I'm working up to running a 10k, though I've done a half marathon in the past (the longest I've ever run without having to stop is 10 miles, just once, 3 years ago). When I run, I feel like an obese chain smoker. My heart rate is steady at 175-180 on flat ground, and 190-195 on hills, no matter what distance I run. I breathe SO loudly, I scare people if I come up behind them! I'm lucky if I can maintain a 10 minute mile for 3 miles. Usually I'm closer to 11 or 12 minute miles. Sometimes when I'm running a longer distance like 5 miles, my body just stops and I double over trying to breathe. I tell myself "keep going, keep going, you can do it!" But then I fall short. WTF.
Does it ever get better??????
I'm not really expecting an answer, I just needed someplace to vent.
I was really proud of myself for being able to do a 10 minute mile for 2 miles without slowing down or stopping...
Guess I suck and didn't know it lol.
It's all relative. I have friends who can run a marathon 90 minutes faster than I can. All run the same distance though.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »spiriteagle99 wrote: »I disagree with the above: running more miles will make the miles you run feel easier. You will also probably get faster. Training for a 10k will make your 3 mile runs feel easy compared to your longer runs. Same when you go back to doing HMs.
If you are breathing hard on all your runs, you are probably running too fast. You might also want to get checked out for exercise induced asthma.
It's mostly about not overexerting herself. And hey if all it takes is a couple of weeks, great.
The point is, your advice is contrary to pretty much every coaching plan out there. Improving pace largely comes from adding volume initially.
The OP has barely run before. She's starting from zero. Zero to 10K. In a few weeks. What awesome plan is that?
Actually, the OP (that would be me) is a regular runner, and that is why the OP (again, me) is so frustrated at still being such a "slow" runner.
Though I'm feeling less and less frustrated the more everyone responds. You have no idea how helpful your responses have been! I'm doing a 4 mile run after work today, and I'm actually looking forward to doing it slowly. I'll do another short run in between, but I'm also looking forward to doing the same 5 mile run that inspired this post in the first place, but at a much slower pace. I'm quite sure I'm going to feel MUCH better this time than I did last week!1 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »MeanderingMammal wrote: »spiriteagle99 wrote: »I disagree with the above: running more miles will make the miles you run feel easier. You will also probably get faster. Training for a 10k will make your 3 mile runs feel easy compared to your longer runs. Same when you go back to doing HMs.
If you are breathing hard on all your runs, you are probably running too fast. You might also want to get checked out for exercise induced asthma.
It's mostly about not overexerting herself. And hey if all it takes is a couple of weeks, great.
The point is, your advice is contrary to pretty much every coaching plan out there. Improving pace largely comes from adding volume initially.
The OP has barely run before. She's starting from zero. Zero to 10K. In a few weeks. What awesome plan is that?
Fifteen weeks to get from zero to 10K. Quite straightforward really.
For new runners the greatest improvements in pace come from adding volume. Personally I wouldn't design speedwork into a plan unless the individual is already running at least 30km per week.
I went from 0 to 10k in 13 weeks... totally doable.1 -
I suck at running, so I roller skate instead.0
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I'm currently clocking in 16 minute miles. While running. MFP calls it a "brisk walk". I call it "brisk death". Don't give up! If you like it, then definitely keep going!
I would give you a high five while running *high five* because the fastest pace I have come close to (pre-injury) was a 15 minute mile and I am usually much slower than that. All these paces are irrelevant- go slow, then slower, then slow down more. This advice totally changed my outlook on running. And C25k is awesome, I highly recommend it as well.
Don't give up, OP, if this is your goal. If you don't like it and don't aspire to running goals, try something else
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I not only suck at running, I don't like it much, either. Elliptical is still my friend... I can crank it up nice and steep and not destroy my joints. People who run hours and hours on end amaze me.0
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Believe everyone who said to run slower. If you do that, your "easy" pace will become faster over time, not that your pace is important. Since you have a HRM, try running at 65-75% of your Maximum Heart Rate for most of your runs. My Max HR is much higher than the charts tell me for age, etc. The way I calculate my max rate is I go to the track to do a little speed drill. I jog two laps to warm up. Then I sprint ONE of the straights, jog to recover the rest of the way around. I repeat this running of one straight 8 times. Believe me, you will find your max HR by sprint 6 or so....jog 2 laps to recover. BTW you burn fat instead of carbs (from food) when you're running in an aerobic state vs. anaerobic. More comfortable runs and fat loss=win/win!1
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autumnblade75 wrote: »I used to suck at running and I hated it. Then I learned how. Now I'm good at it. And I love it.
If you are breathing hard, you are running too fast. As a beginner, the only time you should run hard enough to have trouble singing while your run is when you are racing a short race (5k or shorter) or a bear is chasing you.
You're not supposed to run from bears. They chase, like the predators they are. They're definitely faster than you.
You don't have to outrun the bear; you only have to outrun your buddy.
I run alone. Except for races. I ran a marathon in Alaska this year. There was advice about not running from bears in the literature from the Expo.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »spiriteagle99 wrote: »I disagree with the above: running more miles will make the miles you run feel easier. You will also probably get faster. Training for a 10k will make your 3 mile runs feel easy compared to your longer runs. Same when you go back to doing HMs.
If you are breathing hard on all your runs, you are probably running too fast. You might also want to get checked out for exercise induced asthma.
It's mostly about not overexerting herself. And hey if all it takes is a couple of weeks, great.
The point is, your advice is contrary to pretty much every coaching plan out there. Improving pace largely comes from adding volume initially.
The OP has barely run before. She's starting from zero. Zero to 10K. In a few weeks. What awesome plan is that?
Actually, the OP (that would be me) is a regular runner, and that is why the OP (again, me) is so frustrated at still being such a "slow" runner.
Though I'm feeling less and less frustrated the more everyone responds. You have no idea how helpful your responses have been! I'm doing a 4 mile run after work today, and I'm actually looking forward to doing it slowly. I'll do another short run in between, but I'm also looking forward to doing the same 5 mile run that inspired this post in the first place, but at a much slower pace. I'm quite sure I'm going to feel MUCH better this time than I did last week!
I never understood why anybody enjoyed running distance until I learned to run slow. Now I absolutely love my long slow run days and look forward to them. Faster workouts I can take or leave (but I usually take because running fast for short distances is it's own brand of fun).1
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