Advice

[Chapman25]

Would anyone recommend going to gym to do extra training to build up leg muscles because I’m struggling to keep up with length of runs

[ArthurJG Graduate]

I can't answer your question directly as I'm not knowledgable enough about the gym side of things but what I do know is that slowing your pace a bit can make a surprising difference to how far you can run. It's not always easy for a beginner to slow down at the start of a run - I found it really hard for a long time anyway and was finished C25k by the time I found it comfortable to start off at a slow pace rather than wait till my body forced me! But I did learn that if I had gone off too fast, slowing down BUT STILL RUNNING (rather than slowing to a walk) was easier, and more effective in helping me recover and complete the run, than I thought it would be. I'm not one of those who can run slower than they walk, but my slowest run isn't that much faster than my fastest walk. As I say it took me a while to learn to run that slowly by CHOICE, but before that I found myself slowing naturally to that speed during a run if I'd pushed too hard, and found to my surprise that I was then able to continue much further than I thought - despite being close to stopping and walking before I slowed down.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Not particularly. I’d recommend joint strengthening exercises and yoga on the legs... neither need a gym. You can build muscles in many ways... but what the plan does is conditions the muscles to running... which I can’t see being done any other way than running.

You don’t say which stage you are at... but slowing down is usually the answer... if you look at elite runners you’ll see that when they go up a distance they run slower, so if a 3 minute run is tough it may be impossible to do 5 at that pace... slowing makes it easier.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Also - looking back at some of your other posts - are you sure your footwear is right? Everybody is different and the right shoes for one person can be totally wrong for another, but a lot of the things you have mentioned would be consistent with having unsuitable shoes. If you haven't already done so it might be worth getting a gait analysis done at a proper running shop. It's usually free if you plan to buy the shoes there. Good running shoes can be pricey (tell them if you're on a budget) but they make a huge difference and you need the right ones for YOU - asking friends what they wear is of little benefit unless you are planning to borrow their feet

[Hidden]

I do my running on a treadmill at the gym, but on my rest days, I stay at home and do some core strengthening exercises as recommended in this video:

youtu.be/ioELqxr-Q_w(Not working as expected?)

No special equipment required

[Agentmay Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I watched his tips for new runners video on YouTube and found it helpful when I first started.

[Hidden]

Maybe lower your pace? I’ve tried this programme many times before and have given up by week 5. This time I’ve slowed my pace right down. Almost to a fast walk (7.4kph on the treadmill; before I was doing 8.6!) and have made it to week 7 without having to repeat...

[Runners Graduate]

Slowing down was the best advice I received