Mileage

Advise please I'm 44 started running in the last year or so, very slow to start, doing ten minutes, rest 10 minutes etc. kept this up until I could run a full twenty minutes and gradually increased this to 45 mins doing 8k which I was pleased with.

I would like to get up to 60mins at least, I would really like to do some races but for some reason I seem to be going backwards I literally am struggling at 2k feel like I can't manage any more,what am I doing wrong, went out today and just felt I couldn't contine after 1.5k my legs felt like lead.

What's the best way of resolving this do I start from scratch again? whats happening?

I was running 3 - 4 times per week average 30 - 45 minutes on each run but the last week or two has been hell.

slowww it down,

its prob just a blip,  keep it nice and easy - take a minutes walk break every 10 mins or so

You may also be coming down with the RW lurgy that appears to be going round !

Do seasoned runners suffer from this also ?

My husband says I'm just bull headed and won't accept just backing of for a while! If I'm not doing the same as the last run or more I'm not happy, he may have a point!

Think it's the distance thing you work hard for it and when it's not going the right way it just makes you feel awful!

overtraining??

you need to have a set back week every 4 weeks ..   give yourself a break!

Yes back off - yo uhave to allow for the benefits from previous runs to bed in. This can take as much as a week at least. If you dont give time to rest then this cant happen as easily.

Plus you could be coming down with something.

Also this time of year I struggle also. I was doing about 60 miles a week in the summer, but these past few weeks it hasnt been anywhere near as much.....in some cases 0 miles when ill. Im reasonably seasoned...although not as mcuh as some folk on here!

Hi Helen,

Its not uncommon to feel it for first two miles or so most runners, including myself, feel that way. Although I have heard it said that its because you dont warm up properly.

The reason your struggling to improve or finding it hard at the moment is usualy down to one of two reasons. 1, Simply that your unwell. or 2, and most common, you are doing to much for your fitness levels.

Your body will tell you in a shot if its not up to the level your doing and I suspect thats whats happeneing. Slow it down for a while but do the distance some days and speed it up but dont do the distance others would be my advice. Build your stamina.

I run six miles a day six days a week and I can tell you my best run is always without exception the one after my rest day so I think that says something.

The important thing is not how far or how hard you run, the important thing is that you get out there and do it. Dont beat yourself up about times or distance I know alot of runners who didnt see any great improvment for two years.

Keep it up and well done.

 Your husband does have a point.

However its not a bad trait to have....

Winners dont like losing.  

Think the moral of this story is for me to back off and stop being so bull headed!

Your comments have been great thanks for the wise thoughts, feel better already!

Thats About it Helen.

The beauty of this site is that why many of us are not experts, everyone on here as run god knows how many hundreds of thousands of miles between us. No expert i know of has done those many miles so between us we have enough knowledge and experience of bad runs, injuries and joys to help each other out.

Make sure you have enough energy and are eating enough a few hours before you run.

If you run on empty you will find it hard to run and your legs will feel like lead.

 Good Luck

I experienced this in the early days. Made a good start, then just lost the spring in my step. I was dragging myself around runs, not enjoying them -felt flat footed.

The answer for me seemed to be: rest in the short term, new trainers, then fewer but more focused runs in the week with greater variety, 1 long slow weekend run, 1 fastish run 5/10k, 1 take-it-easy leg stretcher with a few hills if I fancy it.

Its still giving me pbs for 5 & 10k distances.

Got myself out again, before I lost all confidence,(waited till it was dark!)  had a good plate of porridge couple of hours before hand, slowed the pace down and just relaxed, before I knew it I WAS 8 K DOWN AND FEELING GOOD!! managed to push on but left it at 10k and tried very hard to ignore the time it took me,(not easy)  that was enough and more than I had previously ran.

 Hope it was just a blip, and that I will just get stronger and stronger.

Like they say "Common sense aint always common"  I just couldn't see the wood for the trees! you just need someone else to tell you what should be obvious.

Thanks to everyone for there help.