Runners - what's the hardest part of running for you?

Ft.Worth, Texas girl here and I have to deal with the heat and humidity as well. Lucky for me, it doesn't keep me from running later in the day. I started out doing a mile in 20 minutes to a mile in almost 10!!! Major accomplishment for me. The hardest part for me is the breathing. I hear that if you can master the breathing, it makes it a LOT easier. In through the nose, out through the mouth... Anyways, I love my newfound joy of running. As a matter of fact, I'm doing my 3rd 5K in 3 months tomorrow morning. I've shaved time off of every run, so here's to quicker times :drinker:

Good luck on your journey. And yes, it does get easier everytime I hit the pavement!

Proven way to run fast.

1. run on a muggy day
2. pick a running trail in the woods that is surrounded by standing water
3. don't wear bug spray
4. try running slow, or slow down
5. Rest & Repeat

:laugh: That's why I love trail running more than hiking.

For me, it's almost purely mental. When the stars align and I can shut out the stupid little voice in my head, I'm unstoppable.

Sometimes Im not even sure why I want to run. It's torture

I have a knee problem . but that aside my muscles don't ache greatly, they don't seem to be my weak point simply having the puff the keep going is my problem. GPS has also shown I try to run much faster than I am capable - my pace is rubbish.

There are two reasons I stick at it, 1) Cos I am rubbish 2) I know from past experience it is the way to get a decent looking body

Scheduling is the hardest part of running for me. I have to be at work at 7:30 in the morning, and my evenings are usually full of rehearsals and such. That generally means that I either run in the early morning, which I can only do in the summer until it gets too dark, or on my very strictly timed lunch break, which means no time for showering and everyone has to put up with the post-run me for the rest of the day. LOL

Some day I will have a job where I don't have to be in until 9 or I'll work from home and I'll be able to run in the morning no matter what time of year it is... working on that.

my problem is breathing and the heat. I live in Texas where it's about 90% humidity and around 95 degrees when i run. ( not to mention, I was a smoker for a decade and only quit 5 months ago.) I go out for a run and about a mile into it, I feel like I'm choking to get air in my lungs. Does it ever get any better?

Yes, it is possible. I ran in those conditions in San Antonio, TX last week and I am from Northern Michigan. It was hard, but I ran 2.37 miles which was my farthest to that date. Just practice deep breathing...it may take awhile, but it is possible.

I have bad knees, a bad back and rolling ankles and I am about to graduate from the C25K program. I had every excuse not to run, but I started doing it anyway and now I love it!

The hardest part for me is probably heat/humidity but also my heart rate likes to sky rocket. I hope as I run more, it will get used to the activity.

As for the soreness, maybe get fitted for a pair of running shoes at a running specialty store. I had a lot of hip and foot pain as well as terrible shin splints, but the day I started running in specially fitted shoes, I lost all of that pain. My knees are also getting better (I can run without brace now).

Summer running blows big time, but for me its the soreness afterwards when I run double digit miles.

....would you be able to run as fast as you wanted to?

I want to run a sub 4 minute mile and a sub 2:30 marathon, so "no". I can't run as fast as I want to. Can I run as fast as I have the fitness to support? Yes.

The hardest part about running for me is taking a rest day when I need it.

DITTO!

Chaffed nipples!

Mine is opposite. Winter running motivation is tuff for me. I am a native Florida boy and now live in Kansas where it gets frog butt cold in winter. Every winter I can't seem to make myself run. I have vowed that this winter will be different. We'll see.

Ummm, so I live in Colorado. Yes, the mile high city. Want to talk breathing problems?? LOL

I struggle with a lot of the same muscle and tendon issues as other people. I feel like once something heals, another something starts up. So, I got a running coach. The first thing he did was evaulate my stride, my cadence and my speed. (or lack of). From there, he determined my shoes were wrong and that I overpronate forcing undo pressure on my left leg and my right leg overcompensates for it.

We changed shoes and he changed my running routine completely. Meaning, all the way back to the beginning. We started at one mile 'fun runs'. These consisted of running laps on a track. He had me push hard for two laps and lay back on others. It helped build my endurance and when I felt pain, I slowed down instead of pushing through it like I had done in the past. He insists, and I mean insists on stretching before and after every run. Even if it's just a mile. Every run. He also has me doing some basic strength training.

I have my first 1/2 marathon in September and am working on getting ready for it.While it's been a challenge and I haven't lost any weight yet, I can feel my body changing and getting stronger. It's a slow process and I'm very impatient. But I know it is working because I'm not in the crazy pain I was in before.

Good luck!!