Up hill struggle

[Trish_h]

Hi. I completed week 3 tonight (first time I have run in the rain!) I changed my route during week two as it was too short but this week I have struggled with all of the second 3 minute runs on my new route. I couldn't understand why until tonight - I looked behind me after the final run and saw the (slight) hill I had been running up all week without realising! I was not looking forward to week 4 and the 5 minute runs because I found 3 minutes difficult. I am going to change my route next week to make sure its on the flat. Don't want to make it harder than it should be!

[Hidden]

Well done for getting out there Trish. I had the same issue when I was on the C25k course but the problem I ran into (pun intended!) was that the longer I ran the more I simply could not avoid the hills. In the end someone whispered into my ear 'hills are you friends'! So I am passing that on.

Seriously, if you are feeling up to it, do try and include a hill in your run. It will help your endurance.... Best of luck and keep going.

[Nellyharte Graduate]

Look on the bright side you have done extra hill work so you should find week 4 easy peasy if you are on the flat! Like kingfisher said try and include a small hill later on in the programme as it is fantastic for stamina. Well done on getting this far.

[PrincessStef Graduate]

I did exactly the same. I couldn't work it out. but then noticed I had been running up hill. Not a big hill, one of those sneaky hills that look flat until you really look at them. I carried on and found that in different weeks I came to the hill at different times and it has helped my stamina

[Debih191 Graduate]

I have 3 different routes, 2 with slight slopes and one dead flat.

I try and do one of the sloped ones at least once during each week, though as I'm doing week 5 next week I think I'll stick to the flat route!

[Hidden]

Well done for getting out. All top easy to stay in.

If you train on hills, when it comes to running on the flat it is a doddle. That is why so many runners do fartlek and interval training; to build stamina.

I am impressed that you are out, but why not try hills~ they are GREAT, and this can lead to a serious condition called fell running. Highly contagious and addictive.

[Trish_h Graduate]

I don't think I have any hills as friends at the moment but maybe in the future.....and I think the fells are out of my league! Seriously though, the comments about including hills in the route are a good idea which I would never have thought of doing. I agree it's difficult to find a route that hasn't got a hill! I am now thinking about having an alternate route for the first run of each new week as a test to see if I can cope on the flat first. Ideally I would like to have a choice of a few different routes but there are just far too many traffic lights to contend with! Thanks for all the ideas. Week 4 run 1 is tomorrow!!!!