Getting my mind back on the job!

[JoolieB1]

Since I had a pain in my calf muscles, my confidence was knocked and every time I ran, either my brain was telling me to walk or I felt so tired, or my leg was sore, I just kept taking breaks. This week, I did a long run (10km) on Monday, a 5k on Wednesday (both with walk breaks when I needed one)! Today I did 7k and feel listening to music and having planned walk breaks (ever km, I walked for 50 paces) was a big improvement and more like a real run. Trouble is, once I introduced breaks instead of running for the whole time, I feel like I am cheating! My aim is to be able to do 5k with no walk breaks. Maybe, then I can think about my September half marathon

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

Planned walk breaks aren't cheating! But I know what you mean and I have the same nagging doubts. If you read around though, it is a perfectly acceptable method of improving your speed. It seems to be working for me.

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

For me, it started with an injury but it is now more psychological and confidence so I am working on building those up. Pretty cross, made excellent gains in distance since graduating from C25K and now feel a bit stuck. Still, I am still running X 3 times a week and do 10k every week so shouldn't b so hard on myself! I ant to do my Half Marathon in September and that is my goal but not going to cause an injury

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to JoolieB1]

Really, only very a very intermittent ache rather than a pain, it is mostly in my brain, telling me I am tired, I need to walk, why am I doing this to myself etc! I am working towards running with no walking now, 2 X 5 and a 10 per week

[boptillyoudrop49 Graduate10]

Hi Joolie. Have you had any calf pain doing it this way? It is not cheating, it is training, you can gradually reduce the number of paces till you can run through again.

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to boptillyoudrop49]

I have been pretty much pain free so making progress

[boptillyoudrop49 Graduate10 in reply to JoolieB1]

That's fantastic. If you're pain free, you can turn it round. It is hard to be patient but I think that is the only way here. Gradual progress and stop as soon as you get pain. You can do this.

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I understand your thoughts JoolieB1 but then again walk breaks or run/walks are perfectly ok even more so if you are protecting a niggle or strain ..that C word is another one for the scrap heap!!

Do what you need to do , run your race and slowly but surely you will be where you want to be very soon ☺

[Mat30 Graduate10]

Don't feel as though it is cheating JoolieB1 the important thing is you are out there running for longer than you are walking and anyway who cares (other than you) if you have a walking section in there? As boptillyoudrop49 says it's training so go with it and follow your plan of reducing your walk breaks until you are able to go non stop! You will get there that's for certain.

[runswithdogs Graduate10]

Walk breaks, planned or unplanned, let you go further, give you time to stretch and relax and can help avoid injury. On any given race or run there are so many people walking at least part of it. I wouldn't write them off. That being said, if you're worried about them, either continue with the planned ones as you are, or allow yourself breaks whenever you want, but only for an allotted time, say 1 minute. I find that helps keep the forward momentum.

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

I am thinking you are doing just fine! Taking it steady and doing it properly, how can that be c*******?

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

I do a lot of breaks... It helps break it up and I don't ever feel guilty!!! No guilt allowed 😎

[Noaky12 Graduate10]

I agree with everyone else.

Walking breaks are allowed. Walking breaks are good (repeat often as a mantra).

You're doing great Joolie. Keep at it. X