I've managed to do 5k of running or walking most days of the challenge with the odd 30min of something else. I eeked it up to 6k a couple of times but the last 3 runs have been horrid, my breathings bad, gasping for air and trying too hard to get a lungful in, my legs are killing me, screaming for mercy especially my shins. I thought by now my fitness would be at a place I would be able to do 5k a Little easier but I seem time be going backwards its like this all the way to about 4k then the last half is ok ish I need a holiday x
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Souki
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Are you placing too many expectations on yourself? Is it worth doing weeks 7 to 9 again? You are neither broken nor weak as you would not have graduated otherwise.
Perhaps you need to have a gait analysis, again if you have already had one, If your shins hurt your stride may be too long? as for the breathing, you may need to relax in to the run as bit more.
Sorry, I am no expert and not very well versed on sports in general so I can only guess at the problem.
I do hope you can find the answer you are looking for and get back in to the swing of things again.
We all have bad runs, some seem much harder than other, they really do, I've done a couple now where the first 10/15 minutes have been sheer hell in comparison and I'm sure every runner also experiences this at times, so you're not alone there!
Take the pressure off yourself, remove all expectations so that there can be no failings, no timings, no distance tracking, just go out and have a run but more importantly have fun. If you feel yourself getting tired or breathless then slow it down, slow it right down until you've recovered a little, remember not to panic, keep it very calm. Enjoy it!
Sending you Happy Running Thoughts, I hope you get your Mojo back!
Great advice from OlsBean! Why not try a day or two of something like yoga or Pilates to give your body and legs a rest. Why not split the run or walk into two parts or spread across the day, it doesn't have to be all at once to count for the challenge. A couple of achievable short runs may get you out of any negative mind set like saying you are weak and broken! You are not Souki!!
With the challenge going on it's more than likely that is why your running is tough, it's a lot to do so ease it back, be gentle on yourself and be positive! You will get your mojo back and running will be fun again, promise!
great ideas from olsbean and Sue, be gentle with yourself, it sounds like you are overtraining, just back off and do something different. Do you cycle, that's also a nice way to cover the 5K and you don't have to do it fast, take time to look around, see the world.
Otherise, I'm totally with the yoga idea, and that will support your running, not just give you a change.
I've been there and totally understand. Take all the advice given by my friends above, but most of all, just wait and listen to your body. It will eventually just fall into place again. Chin up and good luck, Delia
I agree with what's being said above - I think you're over doing it. You have done so fantastically well to get this far, but you don't want to break down at this point. Can you do something gentle for the next week? Could you walk instead of run, and do some yoga or pilates or *shudders* swiss ball? Cycling, swimming - anything to do something different and give your poor running legs a rest.
You don't have to run 5k every day, and mixing it up might mean that running becomes fun again. Take a deep breath and look at all you have achieved so far. You're doing great, right? Right! Be as kind to yourself as we would be to you! You are doing brilliantly, so don't worry about not completing the challenge. You can, and you will.
You sound just like me about 3 months ago. What I did in the end is go backwards and started using podcast from about week 7 onwards it helped so much and now I am back in the running saddle and considering getting up to 10k.
I agree with everyone else. You ain't broke! Just a bit over-trained.
I've found I can't keep up 5k daily running/walking, it just drains me too much. Last week I had several days with yoga/strength and flex and I now feel I've caught up with myself again. I don't know about you, but before 5x50 started, I'd just about got used to 30 min exercise every other day - then suddenly bumped it up to nearer to 60 min exercise every day. So, 200% increase - a wee bit more than 10% increase a week. Not surprisingly, I got over-tired!
I can identify. I'm not doing the 5x50, so m only trying to run three times in a week, but my last four runs now have been horrible. Just hard work from the first few minutes, and no chance of getting through even 20 ,oms without a walk, never mind 30 or more
No advice at all, but I just wanted to empathise and say you're not alone in the struggle.
Thank you all for your replies, you all gave really good and helpful advise, I thought it easier to to write one reply so sorry for the short few words
I've been sticking to my 3x a week running with walking on 3 days and 'other' on the last,
my running is really no more than 5k maybe on 2 occasions I made it to 6,(when running with the canicrossers)
My walking, I walk to and from nursery and a little extra with the dog later in the day to make it up to 5k so very broken down, I treat these as my 'rest days'
My other is swimming (once) cycling or trampet.
So really I don't think I'm over doing it, in comparison to many of you I'm being lazy
I can't believe I'm going to moan about the sun but I find it difficult to run in the heat its very draining, I'm also getting stitch half way through oh moan moan moan, listen to me,
This aside I'm still glad I'm doing it, I'm sure ill get my oomph back x
We are all doing so well, I'm just glad I haven't quit x
I can't do a 5k run (ie about 50 minutes for me) more than once a week without beginning to feel overtired - it's taken me a while to really figure this out. 5k walks are no problem as a one-off, but several of them a week and it builds up. I know I'm a bit old and feeble (!) but maybe those three 5ks are taking more out of you than you realise, with the other exercise in between?
Plus vixie's comments about food intake sound really helpful.
Hope you manage to figure things out to work for you, so you can exercise and feel happy too!
Souki, maybe it's worth looking at your diet, how you are fuelling. Are you trying to lose weight or cutting back at the moment? If so, that could also explain some of these feelings. Nice little protein (couple of scrambled eggs, fish or piece of chicken) immediately after your running, if you are not vegetarian, (otherwise a suitable alternative) will help to rebuild muscle and make sure you have carbs the night before a run, nice excuse for pasta
You are not moaning and, in any case, you are entitled to, we are hear to listen, so don't apologise. You could be coming down with a bit of a bug (I didn't want to mention before) so just try to grab rest when you can (possible challenge with child/dog, I know). I know the feeling about the heat. Much as I have missed the sun, I hate to run when it's warm, I loved running in the snow and cold (except for my lungs, which weren't so keen on cold air).
Good luck, hang on in there, you are doing great xx
Your right I'm going to give my diet a big think, I've just got back from my Saturday morning run with the canicrossers, I'm running attached to my two large dogs they pull me along, I'm with a group of others so you don't think about it too much just run and have fun so before you know it you've done 5k. But today I got terrible stitch again had to run through it as didn't want to hold everyone up (they regroup often and didn't want to spoil it for them) got through it but was lagging behind the entire time puffing and panting I've always eaten a little something an hour before going out, but today they were suggesting I didn't!!
Last night the lamb rogan josh, nan bread, shed lad of rice and ****g&ts may not of helped
Yes I'm trying to lose weight but I'm so weak my hubby is a great cook and I like to eat, he hates salads and on it goes.....
I am sertainly going to rethink my diet x and dare I say alcohol intake :-0
Many years ago I was body building (don't ask, I was such a skinny minnie and hated myself without clothes) and I realised that alcohol (just one or two small glasses of wine, so one glass by my current standards) would affect my training the next day by about 40% i.e. my performance would be down by 40%. That was before the % of alcohol in wine crept up to modern levels (it is almost double now), so that is definitely something to look at. I get around it by having a glass of wine on days that I have already run, figuring that I can afford less energy/power on my 'rest' days, after all, we need some pleasures in life
As someone else said, you are upping the ante a huge amount recently, by adding quite a lot to your weekly calorie 'output'. Diet or not, you need to fuel for that extra work your body is under, otherwise you will be more likely to catch bugs, etc. You can still avoid the sugars and fats, but eat more of the good stuff.
Its worth experimenting with eating before running, etc. I like to have a barely ripe banana about 45-60 minutes before, with some water. Unripe bananas are slower burn, more ripe will give you more sugar, so a high then a bit flat (good for after a run, if you didn't eat before, though). I generally run in the morning and almost always run better on a relatively empty stomach, but that's just me.
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Really really struggling!!!
Struggling with treadmill! 
Struggling !!
Advice - struggling to run
