Am I really unfit??

bex1086
bex1086 Posts: 75 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am by far from a couch potato, I weight lift 3 days a week and I was doing body pump/other bits of cardio 2-3 days a week. My job is fairly active and I usually do a 4 mile walk once a week although it's not fast paced since I'm taking small kids to school.

I've been trying to complete couch to 5k on and off since 2012 but never succeeded. I've recently taken it up again and I'm on run 3 of week 5. Absolute flop, I can't even run for a minute without feeling like I can't breathe. I wanted to do 2x 10 minute runs since I did 2x8 the other day and the raccommended 20 minute run would just be too big a jump.

I do have breathing issues but I don't know if they are caused by being seriously unfit but I don't see how I can be that bad. The doctors said there was nothing wrong with me so I don't know what the issue is.

I'm not overweight so it's not that but I probably am skinny fat. Why do I suck at this? I also suck at weightlifting, only just lifting a bit over my body weight for squats, not deadlifts, my row, bench and overhead is a bit less than half my body weight. Can't do a single body weight pull up either.
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Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,108 Member
    A classic mistake, one I made several times while attempting c25k, is trying to run too fast.
    Have you tried slowing down?

    I started my latest c25k attempt 3 years ago at a speed barely above fast walking, felt 'ridiculously' slow but it did work, I'm now running around 30km a week and at a decent speed.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
    It may just take you more time. You'll get there, just be patient. When running you can try "Powerwalking"--first 5 min normal walk, second 5 min medium speed, and 3rd 5 min a slow run. Repeat until your time is up. I do 40 min cycling these speeds. You can up your game as you get stronger and better--faster for longer.

    Another suggestion is to work on your breathing. There are breathing exercises. I swim and used to sing in a choir. All that gave me great lungs.

    Good luck. You can do this.
  • bex1086
    bex1086 Posts: 75 Member
    I think I'm going fairly slow, I'm making a conscious effort to keep it slow and not go too fast and burn out.

    I'm going to try again Tuesday and see how I get on, hope today was an off day. I scrapped the proper running and just did a minute of running and some walking on and off and for longer than intended to make up for the lack of actual running.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
    bex1086 wrote: »
    I think I'm going fairly slow, I'm making a conscious effort to keep it slow and not go too fast and burn out.

    I'm going to try again Tuesday and see how I get on, hope today was an off day. I scrapped the proper running and just did a minute of running and some walking on and off and for longer than intended to make up for the lack of actual running.

    You know, being fast or not compared to others doesn't matter. You say you can't catch your breath while running. This means you are too fast. So slow down. Go really, really slow if you have to. There's no shame in that.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    +1 for slowing down.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    bex1086 wrote: »
    I think I'm going fairly slow, I'm making a conscious effort to keep it slow and not go too fast and burn out.

    I'm going to try again Tuesday and see how I get on, hope today was an off day. I scrapped the proper running and just did a minute of running and some walking on and off and for longer than intended to make up for the lack of actual running.

    As others have mentioned, you may just want to slow down your pace and be patient as your body becomes used to running. As far as the bolded portion: You have identified a very effective tool for building run fitness - The Run/Walk approach. This is a great way to build run fitness while minimizing chance of injury. By using a planned run/walk workout, for example 4 minutes running/1 minute walking, you are building your aerobic and muscular endurance while allowing time for your heartrate to recover during the walk breaks.

    This method works for all levels of runners, not just newbies. I'm using this method currently as I return from an injury and don't yet have the run fitness to keep up with my running friends. Many in our larger training group do a run/walk long effort on Sundays following a hard run or long bike ride on Saturdays. The run walk is very sustainable and helps us build mileage without undue pounding as we train for marathons, ultra events or long course triathlons.

    Again, the ratio is up to you. Just be consistent in your easy paced runs (you should be able to speak your name and address while running or you're probably going too fast) and you will see improvements fairly quickly. Good luck with your intro to running. Let us know how you progress.

  • Rockmama1111
    Rockmama1111 Posts: 264 Member
    I have tried to be a runner several times in my life. Even when I was in top shape—and I mean strong, not just thin—I could not run without hating every second. I was huffing and puffing and it felt like my whole skeleton was taking a pounding. So I slowed down. Way, way down… to a walk. 🙂

    While I like to claim that I’m not built for running, I often wonder if I could have done better with someone coaching me on how to be a proper runner (form, breathing, etc.) If you REALLY want to run, maybe get someone to coach you?
  • herringboxes
    herringboxes Posts: 259 Member
    Some time ago I seem to have come down with some type of post viral syndrome, and it seems to have affected my heart. I was not “fit” but I took walks and stuff regularly. But after the virus, suddenly the hills I walked up no problem left me huffing and puffing.

    People said, oh, you’re out of shape, but it didn’t make sense that I would suddenlybe unable to do something I was doing regularly. Furthermore, no matter how much I pushed to “get in shape” I kept huffing and puffing, week after week, with no progress.

    Doctors found nothing.

    Not saying this happened to you, and I have no advice, but I did want to say I could relate to that frustration. Maybe you’re just dealing with something perfectly normal, or maybe you do have a heart or lung issue that doctors aren’t seeing and may not be able to help.

    In my case, after many years I am not what I was before the illness but I have improved! I think some of the damage healed and while my ability to recover from exertion is still abnormally low, I can now make progress on physical goals.

    Good luck to you!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
    I kind of have the feeling you might not believe us, even though we all say run slower. Let me go a bit more into detail.

    In order to get better with running you need to run, not walk.

    Why?

    When you walk there are always 1 or 2 feet on the ground
    When you run there is always zero or 1 foot on the ground

    The difference is that running is more similar to jumping than to walking. You propel yourself into the air and both feet are off the ground. Go on, walk 100m and evaluate how difficult it was. Now jump 100m with both feet. How much more difficult was that?

    It's a lot more difficult, and it's a completely different way of moving. Hence you won't get better with running by walking. You need to run. And in order to get better at running you need to run longer. You won't get better by running 300m and getting all out of breath. Hence, in order to run longer you need to run slower. Once you're getting better at running you'll also get faster automatically.

    A good measure at running slow is still being able to talk. This might be a bit too difficult in the beginning, thus you might also adjust your breathing to the steps. Depending on the size of your lungs you might try inhale during 3 steps, exhale during 3 steps. Or do this over 4. If you can't keep this up then you're too fast. For my slow runs I usually do 4/4 to 3/3 for the really fast ones or fast intervals 2/2.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,329 Member
    Has your doctor ever tested you for exercise induced asthma? It may be that you are absolutely fine in normal circumstances but that cardio causes asthma. It could also be that you’re going too fast or (unpopular opinion) you might just not be a runner. I flogged myself a few years ago to do a 10k, just to prove I could. I could out-swim many of the men in my swimming club but I cannot run to save my life. I sound like a wounded hippo.

    I do have asthma which is a tiny part of the issue, but I’m just pants at running. And cycling actually. But I can swim, could train martial arts for hours and now weightlift for hours.

    You mention that you aren’t happy with the weights you are lifting either: are you following a good progressive programme?
  • Sinisterbarbie1
    Sinisterbarbie1 Posts: 712 Member
    I agree with all of the above votes for doing a run /walk program. That is how I started when I trained for a marathon. I was an accomplished mountain hiker (at altitudes - so no breathing issues) but totally terrible at running. Most couch to 5K to marathon programs start you that way anyway.

    The other part that was crucial both for climbing and running is maintaining core strength and spine flexibility. I am devoted to pilates for both but also did weight training when running to make sure I was properly keeping my core strong. If your posture sucks you get more tired and are more likely to injure yourself as well. At least I am ….
  • fatty2begone
    fatty2begone Posts: 249 Member
    One persons slow is another person fast. One persons fast is another persons slow.

    +++ for the you are going to fast. It really doesn't matter if you think you are going slow already. If you are going too fast, you will not be able to go the distance. Go even slower than you think you are already going.

    C25K is not a race for speed/time. Endurance is what the goal is. Improved speed will come later.

    It is ok to repeat days of the program as needed.

    Best of Luck
  • bex1086
    bex1086 Posts: 75 Member
    I just did a mini practice run before I hit the weights. In 4 minutes my pace was 8"2km, don't know if that's about right. I am short with short legs so my stride isn't very long at all.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,108 Member
    You're running at 8.2kph, am I understanding that correctly? If so, you definitely need to/have plenty of margin to slow down.
    I started running 3 years ago at 6.2kph, 8.2kph was my precise speed yesterday for a long run.
    Not saying you need to start as slow as me, but slower than 8 kph definitely.
  • bex1086
    bex1086 Posts: 75 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    You're running at 8.2kph, am I understanding that correctly? If so, you definitely need to/have plenty of margin to slow down.
    I started running 3 years ago at 6.2kph, 8.2kph was my precise speed yesterday for a long run.
    Not saying you need to start as slow as me, but slower than 8 kph definitely.

    No according to my watch my speed per hour was 7.17kph.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,108 Member
    OK, so a pace of 8min20sec per km is what I didn't understand properly. You ran at that pace for 4 minutes. Could you carry a conversation at that pace?

    If not, I'd try a 9min/km pace (6.67kph) and see if that helps, or even slower

    As I said above, I started running at 6.2kph and I'm not even particularly short (5ft5/166cm). I know I have zero innate athletic/cardiovascular ability. I was the first one to drop out at school when we did the shuttle run/beep test.
    And while I'm sure I'm still a slow runner now comparatively, I actually enjoy it now (my main type of exercise), my speed has increased vastly over the last few years (slow run pace 8.2kph, 5km personal best is under 28min) and I'm very proud to be able to run well over 10km (20km is my personal best).
  • bex1086
    bex1086 Posts: 75 Member
    I find it really hard to go slower, I'm already making a conscious effort to slow down! I'll give it a go tomorrow and see how I get on.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,108 Member
    I hope it helps :smile:

    I know it contradicts what Yirara said above, but if slowing down doesn't help, I would suggest speedwalking/incline walks: I found it very helpful as a way to build up my fitness level.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    I hope it helps :smile:

    I know it contradicts what Yirara said above, but if slowing down doesn't help, I would suggest speedwalking/incline walks: I found it very helpful as a way to build up my fitness level.

    Please, do contradict me Lietchi! It's mostly based on personal experience I guess. A few years ago I was playing Pokemon Go every day, speed-walking around 6-15km each day. Then started running again after a break. And while I was fit enough I noticed my body just wasn't used to the movement anymore and I basically started from scratch. I also notice the same right now, starting to run again after an injury break. And I do have to force myself to go really, really slow.

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