Runners please!

thatjessie

Ok so this business of running is kicking my arse. My pace is decent but I can't get the mileage down. Any pointers? I have tried slowing down and I actually do worse and die faster.

exictedbride

My only real advice is to stop when you need to, catch your breath and then start up again. You will start to build up your endurance over time and not have to walk as much. Don't beat yourself up too much about it. Listen to your body and do what you can, don't burn yourself out.

Aspersia

How long have you been running? I started running and have now stopped since becoming pregnant - it was a new exercise, so they did not suggest I continue - and I had been going for about a month...2 or 3 days on, 1 day off. I was consistant with 0.7 mi in 7 minutes, and even if I felt I was doing better, I couldn't go further than that. My husband has been running for about 11 years and he does at least 3 miles a day (he can go further, but he doesn't usually have the time and does a lot of physical work with his dad which makes up for it); he told me not to worry about it because when my body is ready I'll know and just push through it one day. Remember, even if you don't go far, at least you're running and that's a lot more than most people do

shauni27

Jessie, what pace are you running at and for how long?  

first, it is good to know that some days you will have good days, and for no reason what so ever, a day or two later you might feel like you cannot even run two miles. there isn't much logic behind it, but it happens to everyone.

also, i find it helps to use a treadmill sometimes--i can set my pace (usually it is 5.7-5.8 mph) which i feel is slow, but it works for me.  I know i am running a consistent speed the entire time.  but when i feel like even that is not working, i know i can kick it down to even 5.5-5.6 and i though it is a small change, it really helps me last longer.  

lastly, what is it it that feels like it is kicking your a$$?  do your legs feel sore?  can you not breath?  do you feel all over tired?  can you usually talk normally and breath normally again within a minute of stopping?  usually for me between mile 2 and 3 of however many miles i run, i just feel so tired, and i keep saying "i dont want to do this!" but then i know i can keep running through it.  its not like my legs are going to fall off or i am gasping for breath, so i keep going.  and then by mile 3.5 i feel good and can keep going for another few miles.

it also isn't shameful to run as far as you can (however long that is) and then stop and walk for 1 minute and then run again for as long as you can.  it is called intervals and after doing them for awhile you will not need to stop and take walking breaks. 

thatjessie

Im crazy slow but I've dropped from a 12:20/mile to 10:15/mile in like 5 runs so Im not too worried about that as I can keep dropping it. I can't for the life of me make it past 3 miles though. I feel like I've just smoked a pack of cigs and tried to climb Everest! My lungs burn. My elevation here is pretty high but I've always lived here so it's nothing new to me. My legs feel fine and after 1 mile I feel glorious (I feel like Im gonna hurl right before I hit 1mile for some reason).

shauni27

your pace is great!  it sound like after you do the three miles, you should walk for one minute and then see if you can run again.  that's what i used to do and it has really helped.  sometimes, it is also totally psychological.  like after i was able to run 3 miles, my brain was saying "well it took you over a month to get to this point, so it will take another month to get to 4 miles" and so on.  but once i realized that was bullshits, i was able to break through and just run.  i can comfortably run 5 miles, and i knew if i really wanted to, i could run 6 tomorrow, i just have to push myself.

good luck, and also, ask the girls on health and fitness, they seem to know EVERYTHING about running!

thatjessie

Thanks Shauni!

leolyns

Late on this but are you staying hydrated during the day with water? You could still be acclimating to running at altitude. Even though you're used to living at that level, running is a different ballgame.

thatjessie

Im trying to drink water during the day but Im horrible at it and hate water (flame away). I cut out soda though so Im hoping that helps.