New runner

[Emma1978]

Hi I'm new to running and was hoping for some advice! I've worked through the c25k and can jog for 35 mins now without stopping which is a lot for me!! But I want to increase my pace as I'm soooo slow! Any pointers!?😄

[Spongecake7 Graduate]

Hi Emma - I finished the C25k a few weeks ago. At the moment I'm focusing on running 3 times a week and I've also done 2 park runs. My next challenge will be to listen to the NHS C25k + podcasts - there are 3 different ones : stepping stones, stamina and speed.

At the moment I'm going REALLY slowly and I'm just building up fitness, but I know that soon I'll need to move on to fresh goals like increasing my speed!

Realfoodieclub runs 6weekly challenges. You set your own goals but because you share them and report back, I feel that I'm accountable to the group!

Hope this helps x

[Emma1978 in reply to Spongecake7]

Thank you 😄 Have just been looking st the c25k plus and am going to give the stamina one a try! Bit nervous now I've had a look at it tho🙃X

[Beccym Graduate in reply to Emma1978]

Park run is for all, I did it on week 4. I guarantee you won't be the slowest runner.

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Fartleks. Fast and fun!

[Shivani05 Graduate]

I finished the programme in April and ran for 30 mins 3 times a week after that. I didn't do any specific speed training but I found the consistency of running itself helped...my speed naturally improved just by going out there and running regularly. Sorry I know that's not very helpful, but it is my experience...and I'm now going to train specifically for other goals (running longer distances).

[Emma1978 in reply to Shivani05]

Thanks 😀 Will have a look!x

[PippiRuns]

I graduated in May and haven't gotten any faster. But ju-ju- who is an experienced runner and such an inspiration to me (hope you don't mind, ju-ju), posted something a while ago about intervals doing the trick for her. Have a look at her posts.

[Emma1978 in reply to PippiRuns]

Great 😄 Thanks for reply I will have a look x

[Beccym Graduate]

Running with others will help your pace. Park run is good because it is 5k.I have joined a Running Club and we do intervals. I am still plodding along at 32 min 5k, occasionally under that.

[Emma1978 in reply to Beccym]

That is great!! It takes me 35 just to do 4k😳 I am going to keep trying tho and when I get a bit better look into park run x

[groovyforster]

One of the best comments that I've heard is that if you want to run faster, you have to run faster. At first, this doesn't make much sense but I've found a few programs that have you run shorter distances at much faster speeds than you are used to and over time you do speed up. However, for me it wasn't a good thing to speed up as much as I did. I was continually speeding up and now I've had to slow down because my heart was never trained for fast speeds so soon. I've been running 3 days per week (intervals, tempo and long runs). My speeds are improving again but it is a long and slow process but at least I won't be found on the side of the road. Good luck to you and your training!

[marco83]

I completely agree, if you want to run faster you have to run faster, but cannot be done al at once... it takes weeks and months to get faster... the risk is injury!

When running 3/4 times a week I find useful to go for one slow, one fast, one slow (or stop) and one long run. In the fast what I have done in the past (and it depends on how trained and in control you are) was this:

I found a loop or course of about 800 meters about 1 mile away from my house. I went there slowly to warm up, then I stopped and stretch for a few minutes and when I felt good I would start with some repetition. I think I have started with 1 loop fast (looking at the heart monitor to go into my red zone - anaerobic) and one slow (I mean it). the second time I would run half the loop fast and half slow and see how it went. over the weeks I have increased it to a couple of 800 fast and a couple of 400... take it as it goes and never push it too far (running should not hurt! or at least not too much

One thing I forgot from when I was young, healthy and fit and I remembered just a few months ago is that to run faster you should mainly use the muscles in your "gluteus maximus" and not only your lower legs (calves).

NB the first time you try it it hurts! watch some videos of correct running before you try

all the best and good luck with your training

[Emma1978 in reply to marco83]

Thanks 😀 Loads of advice there for me to think about - think I will try the slow and fast as running club I've joined said that too. Need to look up the muscle thing tho!!🙃