It's true, I really do! Maybe it's because we are all heading in the same direction albeit in our own ways but the goal is kind of the same I think and the support is fantastic. Anyway, enough of my ramblings- can anyone tell me if and when (and please say it's the latter) does 5k begin to feel easier?!! Been religiously doing 5k 3 times a week and it still feels like a Herculean effort! Average pace is 6.4 and it's taking me between 33 and 35 mins depending whether it's a good day or not so good (there are no bad runs - I have learnt this from my forum chums). I'd like to get down to 30 mins but at the moment I just want to be able to achieve 5k reasonably comfortably.
I've no time goals or races entered so I can keep plugging away. First park run planned for Saturday so perhaps the company will make it feel better?
Will I ever get to 10k? Does it matter if I don't so long as I'm off the couch and running? Suppose not. Main thing is, I'm having fun and it's free!!
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Your last sentence is so true. That's what matters.
I love this forum too, came on here four years ago and never left 😀. Your doing great, I would love to have your pace. I'm slowly gaining pace. The last year I have been having fun with speed work, I have been really enjoying short bursts of speed and it has made a difference. I find the runs after speed work feel a little easier, it has taken me ages to have different paces but I can really feel the benefit.
Parkrun will certainly help you to run faster. As for running more comfortably, I've recently discovered that running with someone else with a slower pace than you helps a great deal. I seem to have one speed when I go on my own.
I'm with you on this one. Graduated late June and trying to run 5k three times a week but it still seems hard and somewhat unnatural. I have yet to have my "Road to Damascus moment" after which I will just love to run, for now I can honestly say, I love running... except for the 90 minutes a week that I do it!!
I love the fact that I do it, I love the self satisfied way I feel between runs, I love the improved mental attitude to every part of my life and I love this forum and all my cyber running buddies, but I can't say yet that I actually love to run. There, I said it, my confession for today!
You maybe should mix it up a bit. Speed sessions,slow pace running, intervals, fartlek, hills, distance. Are you also varying the route? Just run for fun too! It does not have to be a fast 5k run every time, likely to get very boring I would say.
I think you may be right Jacs-W. Perhaps I do need more variety as i only really have 3 routes and I have to repeat one of those twice to get the 5k. I tried the speed podcast and it was ok but I didn't really get on with the run to the beat thing. A bit of experimentation required and I'll try not to see a shorter distance as a backward step.
Shorter but faster is a good move..... also a good interval session will be more tiring than a 5k lol!
Enjoy!
Hey I am on the programme because I used to do 10k 2 years ago and lapsed big time. I was slow then and am slow now. But it does get easier and that's quite a tidy pace you already have there. I guess maybe you have some decisions to make do you prefer the distance or do you want to be a speedy machine? I think once you have decided that, then your training and practice will change to support your new target. But no one is judging you, you enjoy your running wherever and in whatever time it takes you. I read somewhere in this glorious place that it cantake a year to find your running legs, so if it's less than a year, maybe that's why you and Hercules are still friends! Whatever you choose I hope you enjoy it and especially your first Park run. Good luck and happy running
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I only started at Easter and I made quite good progress. Stuck to the programme and didn't over do anything. I think there's an element of frustration in that we seem to come on in leaps and bounds (albeit creaky ones) in the early stages and you achieve something great every week and now I'm not or at least that's what it feels like! I take heart from what everyone says about it taking time to build running legs as as I said, I'm still enjoying it so that can't be bad !thanks for your support . It's nice to know my new chums are out there!
You've just said exactly what I'm feeling! I still feel like a twerp and that everyone is laughing at me but I don't care as much now!
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Us twerps make up quite a significant number of folk. If nontwerps are laughing then I am too, at their ignorance of how good running can be...
You are doing brilliantly, because you are getting out there regularly. If you want to reduce your time, then as others say mix up your runs a bit. Look up tempo, fartlek, etc. You are aware of interval running. But instead of walk/ run intervals do slow run/ fast run.
Also, as per suggestion, try running in company, it is addictive: park runs, colour runs, charity runs. This is a good place to check for your local area: timeoutdoors.com and of course parkrun.org.uk
Also, if you set yourself a goal of say 30 mins for a PB, then look at what you need to do to achieve this, i.e. 6 minutes per K or roughly 9.5 minutes per mile. Compare that to where you are now and you will know what you need to achieve to get there. Then each run becomes a work of progress.
That's sound advice. I'm going to work out the pace I need to be averaging and then try to maintain it even if it's a shorter run. I've tried it once but tried a bit too hard and it put me off. All good practice though.
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I love this site BUT!!
This is why I love running!
I love coming on here !
I said I was in love, make that AWE!
Will I ever start to feel the love?
