Running...is so much inconsistency normal?

runnercheryl
runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
edited December 23 in Fitness and Exercise
Looking for a bit of reassurance from some experienced runners with many miles to their name.

I started running in late February this year. Instantly fell in love with it. On 12th April, I managed my first full mile, and by 21st April I'd worked up to two.

Did my first 5k on 30th April. Got ill not long later, and had to take a couple of weeks off. When I got back to running, I was barely managing a mile again. Not long later, I suddenly and unexpectedly managed a 10k on June 7th.

Since, I've barely been managing a mile again. On Monday I managed 1.24 miles and tonight 1.77 miles.

Before I could run 5k, I signed up to an official 5k race thinking it would be a challenge. Once I could manage a 5k, I signed up to a 10k. I've not even done the official 5k yet - it's not until November. At one point, I thought I'd be fine and could just work towards total consistency and hope for a good time, now I'm less sure of it.

Is this level of inconsistency normal, or is there something I need to work on? I'm still enjoying my runs and want to be out there for longer, but it's like my body is just crashing out there. I've been doing a few short sprints on the way home once I've walked for a while, just so I can feel like I'm doing something a bit more meaningful, but I'd love to be able to run 5ks again. I'm not sure what's happening - no changes to eating or drinking habits, and using all the same equipment.

That said, I noticed the very mild first signs of shin splints as I ran tonight. Not sure why, as my shoes are a pathetic 64 miles old. Will see how those go, but any chance the two are linked?

Replies

  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    When you say barely manage what do you mean, physically becouse your body is hurting or mentally becouse you just cant get yourself going. Maybe you just need to take a week off for a recovery period?
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
    How often are you training? It sounds to me like you might not be resting enough between runs.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Consistency is the key to gaining running fitness. You build aerobic fitness by the accumulation of mileage over time. You don't mention the frequency of your running, but I suspect that it may be inconsistent, which is why you are seeing inconsistent results. When you take time off, you lose fitness. When you start back up, you can get back to previous levels faster than you initially got there, but it will still take some time. The key is to consistently get out the door and run, whether that means 3 days a week or 7 days a week(not recommending 7 days for a beginner!). You just have to do it. It doesn't have to be fast, it just has to be done.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    When you say barely manage what do you mean, physically becouse your body is hurting or mentally becouse you just cant get yourself going.

    Can't work out if it's physical or mental. It's like I'm running, start getting tired physically and then just have to stop very suddenly. It could be mental, but I can't work out what to do if it is because I'm enjoying my runs and want to be out longer, but there's an equal chance it's physical as far as I'm concerned - it feels it!
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
    Did your weekly mileage increase by more than 10%? Has your running surfaces changed? It doesn't sound like the shoes since there are so few miles on them.
  • Lane1012
    Lane1012 Posts: 211 Member
    you have to consider other variables too .. what kind of fuel did you body have for the run, what was the weather like, how are you feeling pre-run. I have days where I can hit a 7:30/mile over 10 miles with no problems and others where I labor to hit 8:30. Consistency is key but make sure to consider everything.
  • DGK12
    DGK12 Posts: 117
    There are already some great points on here, but one other thing to keep in mind is to let the body rule the mind, not the mind rule the body. For me, 70% of running is a head game. I have to take my mind to other places when I run, or I talk myself out of being fit. :) Probably sounds morbid, but there's my .02. Good luck!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    It is normal to have and ebb and flow of good runs and great runs. I have the same sort of thing happen. I ran 5.5 and 6.2 and then another 5.0 in one week. The next week 2.0 miles was tough.

    Here is what I would do.
    - Make sure the shoes are good for you. Get a running analysis from a good store.
    - If those check out, take a few days to deal with the shin splints if that is what they are. Rest.
    - Take a week or two to do some leg strength training. IE: Squats, lunges, and maybe some burpees.
    - When you are feeling rested and strong, get out and walk the distance you plan to run. Try a mile. Walk, then run it.
    - Be sure to warm up for at least 5 minutes and some stretching AFTER the warm up. Then cool down for 5 and do some light stretching.
    - Add 10% per week to your walk runs until you are up to 3 miles (about 5K) about 12 weeks.
    - Plan a 2 or 3 mile easy run on the weekend.

    You need a plan where you do longer runs once a week, get rest and do some speed work. Then do some tempo runs before your races.

    All sounds like too much too fast.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    Did your weekly mileage increase by more than 10%? Has your running surfaces changed? It doesn't sound like the shoes since there are so few miles on them.

    No change to running surface. I run around my neighbourhood just to be around quiet streets where I can lose myself without traffic or risk, so I'm covering the same streets a lot, usually a circular route but with a bit of variance depending if I feel like 'exploring'.

    I was doing about 9 miles a week but it's dropped down to about six this past couple, since I've struggled to do the longer runs. Usually running three times a week, for those asking that. I was hoping to start increasing it and just running whenever I felt like it and taking time off when busy, but now I'm thinking that's not such a good idea.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    I personally have a lot of inconsistencies, but nothing where I couldn't physically run 3 or 4 miles (which is my normal running) if I had too. I think if you physically can't do something that you have been doing on a consistent basis then you either were going over your expectations in the first place because of adrenaline, or maybe you aren't eating enough, and just don't have the energy. If you are having inconsistencies where your legs just feel tired, and that mentally stops you then what I do is just take a break from the distance running, and switch to interval training, and it works wonders! I will walk for 5 minutes then alternate between a slow jog of 2 minutes, and sprints at 85% for 30 seconds or if I'm on a treadmill, I will sprint at 8MPH, and work my way up to 10MPH by the end. This way you are working a different muscle group, but still keeping your wind. I usually do this for a week to 2 weeks at the most, and then back to running.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    Also if it is just one week you are having a problem with don't worry about it, just keep at it, and it will come back even better then before, just keep moving, by doing other things to keep you going instead of just stopping all together.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    Also if it is just one week you are having a problem with don't worry about it, just keep at it, and it will come back even better then before, just keep moving, by doing other things to keep you going instead of just stopping all together.

    Thanks. No giving up here, I know I'll get there eventually and be able to run a 5k as standard, I'm just confused as to how one day I can do a 10k without thinking, and feel like I could carry on, and other days I'm struggling to do 1.5 miles.

    Not letting it get to me, as ultimately I'm running because I enjoy it and because I feel fit, strong and healthy from it like I never have with any other exercise, but I thought I had the 5k sorted, then lost it, then gained it back, and now I've lost it again. :tongue:
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
    You will get back into the groove again. Just don't worry about speed yet, be consistent, don't increase weekly mileage by more than 10% and have fun! Good luck!
  • joannezuk
    joannezuk Posts: 153 Member
    First thought: as you've become better at running, you've started to push yourself harder. Unfortunately, you don't yet have the capacity to run quickly for longer distances.

    Our natural tendency is to go out harder than we should. If you notice your breathing is laboured (your chest/throat might even start burning), you're running too fast. Next time, try going out really slowly. If it feels good, after a couple of minutes, pick it up just a bit. Without a heart rate monitor, you'll need to get to know your body very well. Once your chest is burning, you're in the anaerobic zone and your body is producing lactic acid. At that point, you have less than 2 minutes left in the tank. If you run slower, you can definitely go longer. You might consider a training plan of some sort. I really like Hal Higdon, and have used his free training plans for a couple of half-marathons. Just google him.

    As for shin splints, try landing on the ball of your foot rather than on your heel. When you land on your heel, you lift your toes, which engages your anterior tibialis (the muscle that sits on the front of your shinbone). Too much movement in this muscle causes it to swell. Unfortunately, it has very little wiggle room (it's tucked into a compartment between two bones...thus shin splints are also called "compartment syndrome"), so when it swells, the muscle starts tearing away from the bone. Think about running light on your feet, landing on the balls of your feet. Your calves will hate you the first few times out, but your calves aren't prone to injury like your shins; they can, and are made, to withstand lots of engagement.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    You will get back into the groove again. Just don't worry about speed yet, be consistent, don't increase weekly mileage by more than 10% and have fun! Good luck!

    Trust me, worrying about speed is the last thing I'll be doing. I've been watching my PBs but I'm short and stubby and never going to be fast. :laugh:
  • dawlschic007
    dawlschic007 Posts: 636 Member
    It sounds like a lot of it may be in your head. I know I go through periods where I feel like 'I can't' go that far even though it's not my body saying that, but my mind. Do you have a training program you are using now? I found it helps me if I have a specific goal I need to work towards for the day. I used this site when I was training for a 10K and it worked out very well for me. http://www.marathonrookie.com/10k-training.html

    Also, switch up your running route as much as possible. Boredom can set in and cause you to want to stop or slow down. Try running your route in reverse or go another way. On the weekends, I like to do a long run and try out different spots like around a lake or near the beach.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    First thought: as you've become better at running, you've started to push yourself harder. Unfortunately, you don't yet have the capacity to run quickly for longer distances.

    Our natural tendency is to go out harder than we should. If you notice your breathing is laboured (your chest/throat might even start burning), you're running too fast. Next time, try going out really slowly. If it feels good, after a couple of minutes, pick it up just a bit. Without a heart rate monitor, you'll need to get to know your body very well. Once your chest is burning, you're in the anaerobic zone and your body is producing lactic acid. At that point, you have less than 2 minutes left in the tank. If you run slower, you can definitely go longer. You might consider a training plan of some sort. I really like Hal Higdon, and have used his free training plans for a couple of half-marathons. Just google him.

    As for shin splints, try landing on the ball of your foot rather than on your heel. When you land on your heel, you lift your toes, which engages your anterior tibialis (the muscle that sits on the front of your shinbone). Too much movement in this muscle causes it to swell. Unfortunately, it has very little wiggle room (it's tucked into a compartment between two bones...thus shin splints are also called "compartment syndrome"), so when it swells, the muscle starts tearing away from the bone. Think about running light on your feet, landing on the balls of your feet. Your calves will hate you the first few times out, but your calves aren't prone to injury like your shins; they can, and are made, to withstand lots of engagement.

    Thanks for all this. That's the thing - I'm going at the same speed I have been all along and when I think back, I don't feel any more out of breath. Checked my running tonight and I land with my foot flat, mid-foot, which is as I've always done since my first or second week when I got my posture how I wanted it to be. Will just have to see, I guess!
  • kylTKe
    kylTKe Posts: 146 Member
    Consistency is the key to gaining running fitness. You build aerobic fitness by the accumulation of mileage over time. You don't mention the frequency of your running, but I suspect that it may be inconsistent, which is why you are seeing inconsistent results. When you take time off, you lose fitness. When you start back up, you can get back to previous levels faster than you initially got there, but it will still take some time. The key is to consistently get out the door and run, whether that means 3 days a week or 7 days a week(not recommending 7 days for a beginner!). You just have to do it. It doesn't have to be fast, it just has to be done.

    This. If you want to improve you need to run several days a week, each week. For a beginner who isn't very disciplined I would suggest making a weekly schedule (as opposed to simply setting a mileage quota for the week). You'll improve rapidly as long as you get your training on track. Good luck.

    ETA: How many days a week do you run (exactly)?
  • ashleyfritzchampine
    ashleyfritzchampine Posts: 5
    I like doing interval training....I'll walk a tenth of a mile to warm up, and then run at a "leisurely pace (for most avid runners)" until I find it's difficult to carry on a conversation....then I walk a tenth again, catching my breath, drinking some water, and then start running again...I find (for my body and skill level), that I see the most progress this way....when I first started this back in college as a couch potato I could only run .2 before having to stop....it kept increasing every time I ran, and I never felt TOO sore or suffered from shin splints...
  • cubizzle
    cubizzle Posts: 900 Member
    When you say barely manage what do you mean, physically becouse your body is hurting or mentally becouse you just cant get yourself going. Maybe you just need to take a week off for a recovery period?

    This was going to be my first question as well.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    Thanks everyone. Rather than doing three days a week with two sometimes consecutively, I'm going to get myself to a strict schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Friday runs until I see more consistency with it all again. One I'm back to where I was, I'll add in another day.
  • iluvprettyshoes
    iluvprettyshoes Posts: 605 Member
    I experienced the exact same thing. Was running about 3 miles at a pop...then struggled one day to get in 2. So I took a few days break from running. And bam...out came a 10 K run. My legs just felt so light so I just kept running!! I think maybe just giving the body a break may help? I don't know why this has happened, but wanted you to know you are not alone!
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    I experienced the exact same thing. Was running about 3 miles at a pop...then struggled one day to get in 2. So I took a few days break from running. And bam...out came a 10 K run. My legs just felt so light so I just kept running!! I think maybe just giving the body a break may help? I don't know why this has happened, but wanted you to know you are not alone!

    Thanks! Great to see someone that's gone through exactly the same. I just miss those earlier days when I could do a 5k each time I went out, and it just worked. No aiming for more, just a nice 5k and a return home to relax. :flowerforyou:
  • cubizzle
    cubizzle Posts: 900 Member
    as an aside... Running a 10k or 5k as an event run and comparing that to a run by yourself really isn't fair to that run you do alone. Jast having people running the same distance at the same time as you provides momentum and motivation that you'll never get running alone. Not to mention if that event has spectators. Point being....if you can manage a 10k event but not 2 miles alone, odds are it's psychological. Overcoming the negativity in ones head is a HUGE part of distance running. Anyone who has logged long mile runs and spent more than an hour or two running more than once a week can attest to this. Just keep moving those feet and before you know it you'll plant the seed in your head that you can and then you will.
  • AMANDALOU4546
    AMANDALOU4546 Posts: 9
    I definitaley think its in your head, happens to me often. Change your route, take a friend (itll challenge you), and break up what you do so the excitement doesnt wear off!!
  • terbee
    terbee Posts: 72
    If it is more of a mental block, try telling yourself what distance you plan to run when you walk out the door. If you do have to stop short, promise yourself that you'll get back out the door to "finish" the run that same day. For me, the hassle of getting another set of clothes sweaty and showering is enough of a mental push to get it done the first time.

    Of course, stop if you are feeling pain, etc.
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