Slowing it down - a question of stride

[Steved110]

For one reason and the other I usually manage 2 runs a week, occasionally just one.

I did sign up for Ju-ju’s 10k plan but haven’t been able to follow it, so have been slowly increasing my runs from 30 minutes at graduation to between 5-7k right now.

I find this doable but not easy. My pace is pretty slow - I manage an average of just over 7 minutes per km and my toxic 10 is all uphill. After that I relax and speed up as it’s mainly down hill

I’m struggling to increase my pace but am hoping hat the shorter runs in Ju-ju’s plan will help with that - something I hope to get going with now the days are longer as my current goal is to reach the 10k mark over the next few months

But it occurred to me as I was plodding up my toxic hill today that I take very short paces when I slow it down

Should I be trying to increase stride length deliberately or just let it flow?

[AnnieW55]

Uphill means short steps and no over striding downhill (that way a trip to the IC beckons). So I reckon you are doing things the right way. Once away from the hill and presumably somewhere a bit flatter try doing intervals. If lamp posts are available (as easy markers) try running to one fast, recover to the next, then faster to the one after. You can also do the hill as repeats (uphill only) in a similar way once warmed up. Up one post or marker, down to start, up two post/markers, down one and repeat until you are at the top. Then you could trot down and start gain 😀. But intervals and hill training are hard so don't do every run.

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

If you want to speed up... use the shorter run to do the C25k Speed podcast. It’s really good fun and will help you with speed. Running form is tricky. I have been advised to go to running school as I have developed bad habits but watching you tube vids of good running form may be useful?