No more "running" for me!

[Bazza1234]

After 2 years and 1600 klms of running - C25K, B210K and 49 parkruns - mostly done non-stop but with some longer Galloway style "races" - 14K and 21.1K - I think that I have decided to use run/walk, wogging, Scout's pace (call it what you want) for all distances from now on. I have in the past achieved an under 30 minute non-stop 5K parkrun, but increasingly I am feeling that I am not enjoying the seeming neverendingness of non-stop running - a slow 30/30 10K run/walk last Thursday left me feeling accomplished and happy. This week's 5K non-stop parkrun at a pace 2 minutes per Klm slower than my PB (it is summer and hot here!) left me feeling unhappy.

I have been increasingly aware that mixing with many runners who frequent parkrun and my local running club has been both a delight for me and a bit of a "trap". I have attempted to utilize both run/walking and running non-stop for longer/shorter distances - but it seems to me that they are basically incompatible. So - having now turned 69, I do believe that adopting run/walk as the "style" of my exercising, I will be able to keep it up far into the future.

After Christmas, we are doing a long 7 week cruise which will mean that I will have to run almost solely using a treadmill - but I now have a direction for the future - have signed up for a 10K "race" that I ran non-stop last year and intend to do my second HM in July -- and am eyeing off the extremely remote possibility of the Honolulu marathon next December (but would have to talk to some 5-6 hour marathoners before I could dream any further of that)

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

I think that sounds really sensible, and I also think you need a bit of time out to get the love back.... I think running has seasons in our emotions and you need to just find the love again... Really good plan about Galloway.... I know it suits so many people 😄

[turnturtle]

Join the jeffing converts Bazza! I enjoy running so much more now I stick to this. It's so much kinder on the body and you can still get good times!

[Bazza1234 Graduate10 in reply to turnturtle]

I have been very happy doing it when training for a HM a month or so ago - but I just felt that I wanted to keep the ability to run at least 5K non-stop ( especially after all the effort and energy we put into C25k and B20K which basically encourage us to run -non-stop. . But I have lost the enjoyment of even doing that - however I feel that I can happily run/walk until the cows come home. Of course, there are not only different ratios of running to walking that can be experimented with - but also different paces when running. My aim is to do more longer and slower runs at lowish Heart rate numbers - and shorter much faster repeats (say around 400 metre repeats) maybe just once per week.

[turnturtle in reply to Bazza1234]

I have given up on the heart rate monitor. It scared me! So far, the 150 second run 30 second walk split has served me well. I feel really comfortable doing it, don't get exhausted as I did when continually running and my times keep improving. When/if I plateau I'll think of something else to try. That for me is the joy of running without a coach telling me what to do. I'm free to listen to myself and pick and choose from various books and articles things that I think might be applicable to me. I have tried the 30:20:10 technique that Juicyju suggested and quite like it. I think doing occasional speed work like this for training is fun and probably helps build strength/endurance. Chacon a son gout!

[Anaverageman]

good for you... its so easy to be pressurised by what others are doing,,,

at the end of the day its whats RIGHT for you...

[Katie204 Graduate10]

I used a run/walk training programme while I was training for the Royal Parks HM last year, and got on pretty well with it. I could keep going for miles doing that.

During the actual race, though, I got swept along in the crowd and started doing all running - with the result that I tired myself out too soon and ended up doing a lot of walking later on in the race. Moral of the story - do what feels good for you and ignore the pack!