Losing motivation 1 year on

[GardenGirl52]

Hi all, my 1 year anniversary for running is a few days away and I was really hoping I’d have been progressing much faster. Still only managing 4K 2 to 3 times a week and not even the 5k that I was managing 6 months ago. I feel like the tiredness is all in my head - legs feel fine, lungs feel good. But why? Tried the magic plan at the end of the Summer and got to 50 mins but gave up. Any advice really appreciated. I don’t want to give up after a year but feel I might if I don’t get some plan in place that works for me.

[damienair Administrator]

Your doing great. 4K x 3 times per week is absolutely fantastic. So don’t be hard on yourself.

Running is a complete mind game. Your body can do so much and your mind screams at it to stop.

A nice way to get to 5K x 3 times per week is to break up your run. Run for 2.5K, take a little break and then when your ready run 2.5K. That’s it, you’ve just ran 5K. Do that for 2 weeks and then do 3K, break and 2k. Then 4K break and 1K. Then your mind will flip and as you get to 4K your mind will start saying that it’s just 1 more kilometre, no need for a break. This is basically what I did to get faster at 5K. I ran intervals. Training is basically a way of fooling your mind to push your body harder.

Damien

[GardenGirl52 in reply to damienair]

Thanks Damienair. I do love logical progression so this sounds like a great idea. Thank you for saying I’m doing great. My family were brilliant in the first 6 months but I suppose they just see me as a runner now and I don’t need the praise.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

Go for some fun runs. What floats your boat? Do you have a particularly nice route? Could you stop every now and then and take some photos and share them with us? Try a run/walk? Something even shorter than you are doing now? That's my advice, just mix it all up, don't focus on a particular goal. Running should be fun not a chore XX

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Curlygurly2]

I think I am still using the C25K mantra of keeping going for 30 mins. Got so used to doing this the thought of walking for a bit seems heresy 😱. It always helps if someone else tells you that you can. Thanks curlygurly2.

[Hidden]

Great advice from both damienair and curlygurly. You're running 1yr in that's fantastic 👍👍. Unclutter those runs don't set yourself times or distances just take yourself out for a relaxing run... Maybe a new route If you need a stop, then stop take on some fluids👍 we all have times when that running mojo is thwarted by the evil non running gremlin !!

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Hidden]

Yes exactly got me there lmc50! I’m going to try some intervals I think as Damianair suggested to try and break it up a bit.

[GardenGirl52]

I find it all so psychological with me. During the Winter I got my new Garmin watch. Ran a well known route and on the way back rather than stating i had done about 4K, I’d only done 2k. Couldn’t believe it and started to think my previous phone app had got it all wrong. So I ran faster and longer to make up for it. Then discovered I had the watch set to miles instead of kilometres and realised I’d managed 5k! Wish I could just trick myself like that every time 😊

[Katnap Graduate10 in reply to GardenGirl52]

😃🤣😂😅 the other trick Garmin watches can do is operate without GPS. It then guesses based on your averages of step length and time and is often wildly wrong!

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Katnap]

Really! I’m learning to know how long my favourite routes are now which has helped me not rely entirely on numbers.

[sTrongFuse Graduate10]

You are doing fine. Running 3x a week is good going; that's still pretty much what I do a year on.

As with what everyone else is saying, just try mixing it up. Go for some shorter (possibly faster) runs, change your route, do your usual route in reverse, try adding 500m or 5mins to one run each week or, if you are feeling really masochistic, take one of the early C25K weeks and do it sprint/jog instead of jog/walk.

The key is just to find something that you enjoy and not get too worked up over times, distances or pace.

Either way, you're doing great so just keep going.

[Bridget007]

Have you thought of signing up for some online medals there are ones that you can do where you can choose how many miles you will run in May or whatever month and when you’ve run them you send them the evidence and get a medal with the miles for that month engraved on it 😀 it keeps you going especially if you’ve paid for it and you only have so many miles or km left to do!

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Bridget007]

Never heard of that Bridget007. Can you give me more details?

[Trawa Graduate10 in reply to GardenGirl52]

Landmarks challenge llhm.co.uk/LLC-take-part

Plan B

findarace.com/plan-b-virtua...

This girl run virtual challenge

Just to name a three but there is so much more

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Trawa]

Hi Trawa. The local landmark ones look fun. Thank you.

[Noodle1991 Graduate10 in reply to GardenGirl52]

Hello Garden Girl52. You are doing really well. I finished couch25k in December and am struggling with motivation right now but one of the things I used a while ago was using week 6 run 1. Once I had run for the first five minutes, I felt I could walk if I wanted to but found I carried on running. Sometimes giving ourselves permission to slow down, allows us to keep going. Also Nike Running App is free and great for motivational runs. It’s worth checking out.

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Noodle1991]

I had forgotten about the Nike coach - thank you Noodle. Since I’ve had my Garmin I’ve just focussed on that. Definitely need to redo a few of those.

[Bridget007 in reply to GardenGirl52]

I use the websites ... Race at your Pace for the monthly mileage one ...... race the distance and medal mad ... they keep you going that’s for sure! There was a medal for the 100 miles of winter on the race your distance website which ran from mid December to mid March and I certainly wouldn’t have run so much in the rain if I hadn’t signed up for that! Have a look and anything else you need to know just ask 😀

[Summerlov]

Good morning just wanted to ask what is magic plan 😁

[AU510 in reply to Summerlov]

Here you go:

healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

[Trawa Graduate10]

I personally quite like to do few short sprint sessions during a run - running for 20-30sec giving it nearly my all and trying as fast as I can with recovery jog/walk for a 30-60sec in between. It gives me great boost of endorphins and motivation.

And trying new places to run. May be more tricky under lockdown but see what you can do. My personal super motivator became running off road on woodlands trails.

Fingers crossed you'll find what works for you!

[GardenGirl52 in reply to Trawa]

Yes I do love trails the most but so many families walking at the moment I worry about getting too close.

[itshelsbels Graduate10]

I really like NHS Choices Plus with AudioFuel podcast: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca...

Like c25k you have someone along on the run with you (Laura) and there are 3 challenges - stepping stone, speed, stamina - which focus on mixing up your cadence using the music beat and commentary. It really helped push me to try different speeds and I still use it from time to time if motivation dips or I know I only have a short time available and I want to maximise it. Good luck!

[Dozydora61 Graduate10]

Try setting new challenges time or distance, mix it up with different routes, push yourself for 1minute,a bit slower for 2 or something else. It's just one foot in front of the other, you are your own motivater.

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

Hello, I always think it helps if you are clear about your goals... what are they? It sounds like speed is important to you? If it is, find a plan where you can work on that? Why did you give up on Magic? Maybe it wasn't the right plan for you?

If it helps- these are my running goals, and have been for a few years now:

To run at least 5k everyday, and to go and explore trails. .... Speed is not my thing, although just recently I have made a new goal of doing my 5k's in 30 minutes or under by two years time. I am taking it v v v gradually as upping speed has to be done really carefully or it causes me injury, and as an everyday runner I don't have an option to stop.

Please do have a think and let me know what your goal is ( it helps to think ahead a few years and visualise how you would like your running to look), and I am happy to help you formulate them into a plan ( if that would be helpful ?)

[GardenGirl52 in reply to ju-ju-]

Hi there Ju-Ju. I’ve had a think about this and reminded myself why I started running last year. I suffer with bouts of extreme anxiety and needed an outlet for this along with the opportunity to get fit and live a more healthy lifestyle. I had given up the magic plan because it was making me anxious - having to worry about whether I would manage the next run. So I feel like I’m not progressing but I am fearful of pushing too hard in case I fail. I think long term I just want to run for longer and enjoy my runs whilst keeping the anxiety at bay?

[ju-ju- Graduate10 in reply to GardenGirl52]

Hello, I think its really good that you have had a good think about it. And running to beat anxiety is a really good goal. Can I suggest that you do just that.... no plans or expectations, but to just get out for your runs, and go for a period of time thats comfortable, focussing on your breathing, how your body feels, and listening to all of the sounds outside...Please don't be compounded by any external pressures to do anything other than what is right for you. We own our own run and are in control of what our bodies do.... keep posting and huge well done, remind yourself of how far you have come too

[GardenGirl52]

Just wanted to come back here and say thank you to everyone for your super advice. I devised a 8 week plan of running 4 alternate days with 2 days off and I have split the run up into chunks of kms up to 5k with 5 mins walk in between as per Damianair recommendation. I don’t rush or worry about the run because I take it steady and know I have the walking in the middle of the run. Being relaxed in the run has made my breathing so much more steady. I also watched some of the running club YouTube vids and realised my posture was getting worse so with the slower steady runs I’m finding it easier to improve that. I’m just really happy at the end of a run again. So thank you. I have re-read your posts and realised just how much you have all helped me. Thank you xx