Is this cheating.... and what next...?

[TryingSoHard]

Well, amazingly, COMPLETELY amazingly, I find myself having completed Week 5 Run 2. I genuinely cannot believe I've got this far. But I have, ME???!!!!

Very early on in the programme I realised that I can't do / won't do hills, which is difficult as everywhere around me is quite hilly. We're not talking mountainous, but enough of a slope to give me grief. So, my cunning plan was to run down the 'hills', then turnaround and do the walking stints up the 'hills', turning back downhill again each time I had to run. Possibly cheating, but heck, it got me through.

So, now, next run (Yikes!) I am looking at a 20 minute stretch. And as if that's not scarey enough, after about 8 minutes of that, both directions will be uphill. Eeeek. What to do????????

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Well done on completing Week 5 run 2 I hate hills, and live in Derbyshire, which ain't flat. I have found relatively flat routes but still struggle to run up hills. The only advice I can offer is to take small (tiny) steps. I don't consider it cheating, but the way, just sensible Hills can come later.

Take it slowly, keep breathing deeply and see how it goes. Best of luck with it, and let us know how you get on.

[bikergirl Graduate]

Lol sounds like a conversation i had with my other half a few days ago, i also live in a hilly area, and i find myself thinking ahead on ways to avoid the hills, and ways that i can go so that i just so happen to be going down the hill and walking up the hills. I live on the top of a hill so no matter where i go i have a mountains climb to do on my final 5 minute walk back. lol But found it makes walking up them going about my daily business, so much easier now not cheating at all imo

[loulou51 Graduate]

I sympathise with the hills. I live in Norfolk which is supposedly flat but even our tiny slopes are enough to cause me grief running or cycling though I am finding them a little easier now I'm a bit fitter. I've even put off doing the local parkrun because I know there is a hill, quite a big one as Norfolk goes, and I'm not sure I can do it.

[marden1 Graduate]

Hi I had the same problem. Couldn't face the hills so I had to combine my run with a trip to work where it is much flatter.

[greenlegs Graduate]

If you can't avoid hills (which is what I did if at all possible until after I'd completed the 9 weeks), as Anniemurph says, the best approach is to accept that you won't go as far/fast, and just make your steps shorter so the overall effort is about the same as going along the flat.

The programme is to get you running for 30 minutes - it really doesn't matter how far you go in the time (it's nice if you go 5k, but most people don't anyway, so why worry about it) - and if you go up hills really slowly you *can* keep going.

[TryingSoHard Graduate]

You're all so lovely, thank you so much for your words of empathy and encouragement!

Today was rest day, so it's The Big Twenty tomorrow. I went for a scout around after work tonight and have found a route I think might be a bit flatter, so fingers crossed.

8 minutes to 20 seems such a massive jump...!

[wilmacgh Graduate]

Hills are hard to all of us so don't worry too much.

How about finding a local park or school grounds with a football pitch or running track you can go round and round.

The main road near me is on a long hill but luckily there's a path through the woods which runs parallel to it. I find running in the woods easier because you can't see how much of a hill you are tackling and you can split it up in your head (up to the path junction, round the yew tree, past the drain cover on the path etc).

[TryingSoHard Graduate]

The ridiculous thing is, there's a canal not far from me - which would be a perfect 'flat' course. But there's no tow path, and I'm terried of losing my footing on the rough ground and twisting an ankle (or worse). Such a wimp!