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Runners-how long did it take you to get "good"?
I'm feeling really down right now because I'm at a plateau (borderline getting worse!) with my running.
Back story: I'm a true beginner. I just started running/walking in the middle of January and before that I did 0 exercise. To the point where playing with my toddler would get me winded.
My pace started off with 17:36 and lately it's been 15:42-ish. Although the last couple of "runs" have been back in the 17:00's and I know it's because of this stupid cold I have, which I CANNOT wait to get over.
I just want to be good already. And by that I mean be able to run 2 miles consecutively, without stopping to catch my breath-I don't think I'm asking for much.
Anyway, sorry for the rant. Do you remember how long it took you to get "good"? (run consecutively?)
TTC#2=July 2011: Surprise BFP: Chemical Pregnancy
Re: Runners-how long did it take you to get "good"?
Wow, give yourself a break, youre being really, really hard on yourself. it took me months just to get to one mile.
are you following a plan? to start from nothing is hard..its going to take time, you need to be patient and not get frustrated.
Yes, stop being so hard on yourself, you just started!
I've been running consistently for 5 years now and I still have days where I feel like I can barely go a mile. Even people that've been running their whole lives have bad runs, it's just part of running. You'll have great runs all the way down to super horrendous ones. You just have to forget the bad ones and move on.
I followed the Couch to 5K program, so over about 9 weeks I built up to 3.1 miles. It really worked for me, and I know a ton of other ladies on here have either finished it or are currently doing it.
You'll get there, just be patient and don't give up!
I started exactly like you did (at the same time too). I'm a beginner, so you probably shouldn't put any weight on my advice, but my goal for each week is to run a little longer than I did the week before. I went from running during the (4) 30 sec commercials in a hulu show (on my phone) to running for 2 minutes, every 5 minutes. I increase the running time by 30 seconds each week, so today I'll run 2:30 of every 5 minutes (unless my body indicates that it's too much-if so, every other running interval will be 2:30 and the rest 2min). I'm just now starting to see some muscle definition in my legs. Blogging has helped me because my progress is written down. I am going to walk/run a 10K on April 15. I'd love to be able to run the majority of that, but realistically I won't be able to do that.
Can you find a race to enter? Having a goal in front of me has helped motivate me, and being able to look back at my progress has given me confidence.
My Knitting Blog Bio Experiments With Running
I've given up charting but here's the link anyway.
Bonafide thread killah
It kinda sounds like a broken record here sometimes but the C25K program really helped - especially the mental aspect.
About a month into the program I finally began to have some confidence in myself - not that I thought I was even decent yet, but I could tangibly see the progress I was making towards not sucking anymore. Using those mini-goals and knowing the only thing I had to do was what was needed for THAT day made it seem not overwhelming.
Thanks girls. I honestly thought I wasn't being hard on myself enough. I read these blogs of women who run 6 miles at 10:-- pace and I think, "wow, and I can't even run a whole mile. I need to push myself harder.".
I don't follow a program right now, I figured I would just go my own pace but now I'm seriously considering following a C25K schedule.
TTC#2=July 2011: Surprise BFP: Chemical Pregnancy
Are you running on the treadmill or outside? i think it makes a huge difference for me to run outside.
I started running a little over a year ago and two miles took me 30+ minutes. i am now running around 10min/mile. Each run i got a little bit better by pushing myself to run just a little further than the last time before stopping. eventually you will build up the endurance. i think it took about 2 months for me to run the two miles with out stopping.
I ran my first half marathon 8 months later with only a couple 30 second water breaks. you can definitely do this.
Don't give up because once you get the hang of it you will see running is very therapeutic. you will miss it on the days you can't go. Good luck!
Thanks for your words of encouragement. My own personal goal was to run 2 miles in 30 minutes and I *almost* reached that last week but couldn't quite get there.
I run a combo of outside & the treadmill, depends on my mood. Although in my opinion, I think outside is much much harder than the treadmill.
TTC#2=July 2011: Surprise BFP: Chemical Pregnancy
I always ran but never considered myself a runner. I was never fast. But I also got the job done but always felt slow. I always called myself a turtle. When I had my daughter over a year ago I decided to make running a fun hobby (because I had a treadmill and there was no reason not to). My first mile after having her was 15+. I did a 5K and it took me near 42 minutes to finish it.
I followed training plans for a half marathon and just wanted to finished. Once I had my mileage down I then decided I wanted to be faster. I worked very hard and followed a training plan and brought my average mile pace by 2 minutes on a long run! It seems for me the more endurance I have the faster I get.
That being said, it wasn't fast or over night. I put in the work and effort but you will get there! Like others said don't be so hard on yourself. I always was. I felt like the last one in the group. The slowest. But at the end of the day I realized I'm doing better than the majority of Americans on the couch. I'm faster than them. I needed to be my biggest fan and supporter. If I didn't believe in myself who would?Even though I've been a runner my whole life, when I come off a break, it takes me a looong time. When I started after my last dd was born, I had to run one minute, walk one and do combos of that for a good month until I got up to 20 straight minutes.
If you're starting brand new, give yourself a break! You're doing fine!
Yes,I'm smiling...I'm a marathoner!
Bloggy McBloggerson
CO Nestie Award Winner-Prettiest Brain-Back to Back!
2011 Bests
5K-22:49 10K-47:38 Half Mary-1:51:50
2012 Race Report
1/1-New Year's 5K-22:11
2/11-Sweetheart Classic 4-mile-29:49
3/24-Coulee Chase 5K-21:40
5/6-Colorado Marathon-4:08:30
5/28-Bolder Boulder 10K
First, good for you for doing this! Stick with it even when it feels impossible. There will always be days that is just straight up sucks or is really hard. Just be aware of that and know that at least you are making strides in the right direction.
Second, I think you should google the C25K plan, it helped SO many people, myself included, become runners!
Third, everyone is going to be different. You should not beat yourself up because you cannot run 2 miles after a month and a half. Running is HARD work! Some people do it easily--and I envy them! But I am proud of the strides I have made and my running accomplishments and you should be too! The C25K program really helps with this.
Last year in Feb I ran for the first time (I don't count HS sports, because I sucked then too!) It took me a lot of work to run 1 mile. Any hill I walked. Even if there weren't hills (like on a TM) I would still take walking breaks. It took me a month to barely get up to 3 miles, but other friends of mine who also never ran could run 3 miles without training at all. I was discouraged that I was slow and needed to put so much effort in, but now, 1 year later, I am so proud of what I can do. I have ran multiple races, improved my pace and completed 1 half marathon. I have three more halves scheduled and I LOVE running. But it took MONTHS, adding only about 30 seconds each week, to be comfortable running multiple miles without stopping.
Blog
Last week, I was the worst runner ever. I cut a seven mile tempo run down to three, and felt like fart when I got done with that measly amount.
Today, I was awesome when I ran my first sub 9:00 minute mile.
Tomorrow, I might be fartastic again.
And try, try, try, try your hardest not to compare yourself to anyone else. I can get really discouraged thinking that my fastest mile ever is the pace my husband just ran an entire freaking marathon at. If I thought about that enough, I'd probably quit running.
You're doing an excellent job, you really are. Be easy on yourself and celebrate your accomplishments. You might not be able to run 2 miles straight yet, but compared to that first run you took in January, you're 1.75 miles closer to your goal now!
j+k+m+e | running with needles
THANK YOU ALL for your amazing responses! I'm feeling a bit better and I just need to realize that I can't be good overnight.
Tomorrow I'm going to do the C25K schedule and I'm actually excited.
Again, thank you for taking your time to give me your advice, input and encouraging words.
TTC#2=July 2011: Surprise BFP: Chemical Pregnancy