Hi all, I’m Ted, a 69yr old Newbie. I’m into W3R3 and the 5min jogs are hurting.
I haven’t run in years and I’m only getting into it as I’ve signed up to a 5k charity run in memory of my sister who passed in Aug from Breast Cancer.....I’m really enjoying it and wish I did this years ago!
I’m getting really short of breath so I’m interested to know your thoughts re stamina building in between sessions?
Hi TedG
Well, you are still a fairly new runner, so don't worry too much about the shortness of breath. The easier breathing bit takes some time. However, the best thing by far you can do if you are struggling to regulate your breathing is to slow right down. Speed is not the aim here at all, so if you are practically walking you are going so slow, that does not matter. I don't think I noticed any solid improvements in my stamina until at least weeks 5-6.
As for hurting – are you doing enough stretching after? Again, I had quite sore muscles until at least week 6, then it just eased off a bit. I always take my time to stretch well after, and occasionally I would have a soak in the tub with epsom salts after my weekend run. It was around week 6 that I also started doing some knee strengthening exercises on my rest days. I have noticed an improvement already. These ones are good:
nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...
Walking is good for rest days, plus knee strengthening exercises.
Glad you are really enjoying it so far! And what a lovely goal to have, a run in honour of your sister.
Happy running. 
Thanks for the reply Sadie. The ‘hurting’ relates to my lungs feeling like they’re going to burst.
I’ve been doing stretch exercises and now doing a bit on the exercise bike....onwards and upwards 😊
Aw, I see Ted. Then try running super super slow. I am sure that in time, this will get better. You sound like you are doing good by cycling too. Mr Committed! Keep us posted. 😀👏
Hi Ted, well done on completing the run and what a great cause to begin this journey for. I suffered with muscle pain quite a lot in the first 3 weeks but by the fourth week it had gone. Have you heard the tip on the app yet about running along side a bush?! If not it was by far the most helpful piece of advice I’ve had. I thought I was going slow until I heard this.....if you are running on one side of a bush and someone is one the other side of that bush and all they can see is your head and shoulders, they shouldn’t be able to tell you are running. I was bobbing up and down far too much and once I stopped, the running was much more enjoyable and my breathing remained the same as when I was walking. Hope you see an improvement over the coming runs. Good luck!
If you can't breathe, then you are running at too fast a pace for your current fitness level. Slow down. speed can come later. you build stamina by running slowly, not by running fast.
You are doing great
It feels like if I run any slower I’ll stop lol
Exercise on rest days is essential.. try strength and flex...many of us used it on rest days.. swimming or cycling, walking or yoga or Pilates ..all useful!
nhs.uk/livewell/strength-an...
If you are short of breath... just slow down
Oh yeah, super slow. I found there is a kind of slower lope where I was way more relaxed, it really helped my breathing. See if you can run like the coolest kid around, time to turn your head round, lower sunglasses, and smile at the onlookers all before completing the stride....
Welcome Ted, and well done for getting to the end of W3, you're doing brilliantly.
I agree with the other replies ... slow, slow and even slower is the way forward.
Good luck and keep posting!
Welcome TedG 😊
Whenever you are out and about, you'll recognise C25Kers because we all look like this 🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌
Sloowww and steady. It is VERY sound advice from the wise ones and it works.
I had a frog hop past me whilst running the other evening - he may have been faster than me, but I convinced myself he couldn't have stayed the distance..!! 🙄
Good luck on your journey. Please keep us posted 😊
I have seen one, a runner not a frog, using a country lane I use. Seen her a couple of times, she’s 3weeks ahead of me, and we stopped walking to have a chat. She assured me it gets easier and I can relate to that. Wk1 I thought ‘No way am I going to do this’ ....I was puffing doing 60secs now, 3wks up the road, I’m running 5min stints and that’s just having the occasional walk on rest days.
I’m now getting the exercise bike into action so here’s to a considerable improvement.
Thanks for your comment, appreciated 😊
Ted
How lovely that you have met another C25Ker 😊 I'm sure you'll meet a frog soon 😄
Indeed, it does get easier. Of course every run is a new challenge - different day, change in weather, longer distance - but it 'feels' better and your confidence grows (along with your love for running).
I'm 50 and have always been an ANTI runner (in fact anti anything that involved exercise). Having started this 7 weeks ago, I am a changed person in so many respects.
Everyone here is amazing, you will feel supported, motivated, uplifted, inspired and loved in this community. We all deserve to feel that way 😊 and I'm sure you have a very proud sister smiling down on you 😊
I've no advice for you as I'm not an experienced runner but just wanted to pass on my admiration for what your doing for your sister ❤️
Just give it time I have two different kinds of Asthma but after about 8 months of "slow and steady" ran my first 10k.
I literally had never run more than a hundred paces in my life before June 1 last year because I let the Asthma and congenitally screwed up footbones "tell me" I could not run.
I'll never be able to chat merrily away when running, but God do I love to do it now
Slow, steady and at your own pace. You'll improve your stamina incrementally, that's for sure.
Thanks John, 10K is my target.
You, along with everyone else on here, are inspirational 😊
As you will be in turn to the newer group of Newbies Ted.
Overconfidence can hurt
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