Gone to 6K effortlessly...

[Mochta]

I posted a couple of weeks ago about how my 5K runs always feel difficult and that even after years they never get easier. Well I took advice and slowed down and it's been amazing. I've ditched my music and started to listen to podcasts which means I'm focussing on the podcasts and not the beat of the music - this seems to help my breathing no end. I've settled into a pace of 42 minutes for six kilometres which I'm more than happy with. I'm thinking maybe once a week I'll go around the lake three times and cover 9K which would see me doing 21K a week. Thanks again for all the support I'll let you know how I get on with the 9K run.

[useitorloseit Graduate]

It really works for endurance runs! I listen to radio or audiobooks along with a metronome app clicking away. My 'perfect/comfortable' bpm for running nonstop seems to be 168, though everyone is different and I've got quite short legs. I think the concentration on something else thing is great, but for me it's the steady pace and not speeding up and slowing down which seems to make all the difference. If I go out with some music or with Laura again, I seem to need to stop for walk breaks because I inadvertently go a bit faster to start with, and wear myself out too soon.

[Mochta in reply to useitorloseit]

It is amazing really because I'm not focussed on the running it's so much better! I've run for years listening to wk 9 of Robert Ullrey's C25K - it was like a comfort blanket I suppose. Cannot think of anything better than listening to Melvyn Bragg and running at the same time!

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to Mochta]

Very cerebral! I had Tim Marshall Prisoners of Geography this morning. Brilliant stuff but had to go back and look at some maps when I got home .....