Nicked this from another forum, but seems good advice...

[petraj]

Just found this on another forum. I don't know if I'm allowed to do this, but it seems very pertinent to the mental block I'm having worrying about speed+distance, so I'm reposting it here (it's in response to someone having problems with Week 7).

"My advice, which is from my sister who has completed many marathons, is that you shouldn't be focusing on getting faster, instead you should actually allow yourself to go slower. That is actually probably why it was harder to finish on the treadmill, which keeps you at a more consistent pace. My sister told me that when I feel like walking I should just run slower--I told her I was running as slow as possible, but she said that even if I could walk faster, making the running motions helped my muscles learn and develop. I've found it really works--especially at the end of a run when I want to give up right before I should be done, if I just lower the speed I can work through it.

The good news is that as you run more your speed will increase naturally. Maybe not as fast as you'd like to end up, but faster than you are now. I run with my phone to track my time and distance running and I can say that I completed the c25k in June doing 12-13 minute miles, or even slower for some parts of the run, and now I can consistently do 10-11 minute miles, even on a 6 mile run! I would like to be faster, but my understanding is that I need to get a good base of miles run--adapt my muscles, tendons, bones, etc to the strain of running before I push too hard. The one tip for speed I have adopted is to add a few hills into at least one run a week. Not hill workouts, just varying the incline."

Isn't that brilliant advice? well.. it's made me feel a lot happier anyway!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

We do bring so much baggage with us into the programme don't we when all we have to do is listen to Laura and do what she tells us - just occasionally she mentions going a bit faster at the end if we've still got some oomph but she doesn't talk about speed otherwise, or distance and yet we get all these ideas....

A nice explanation there.

[Ejbirdy Graduate]

Phew good to hear thanks for reposting

[Slookie Graduate]

Little steps. Really, really little steps and especially going up hills. Sometimes that helps me when I believe my last breath would come along if only I had the energy to draw it

[Hidden]

Thanks for posting that. I'll try running slower rather than walking next time I'm feeling it mid run.

[paul2014 Graduate]

Brilliant advice indeed and thanks for sharing

[suzybenj Graduate]

Thanks for sharing - given me something to ponder on - when I want to walk...

[Nerdio Graduate]

I would agree with the 'run slower, don't walk'. You will still get your breath back, takes a little longer, but you will feel better for not stopping running. It took me a long time to work that out, then when I did it was fairly obvious.

I have just started running again after a couple of weeks convalescence, and am making a real effort to start out slower. It has made a difference, my run takes longer of course, but I feel better afterwards.