Some advice please on hills and breathing

[TigerBiscuit]

Interruptions due to travel and an achy back from lifting case in and out of overhead locker means my W4 has lasted at least three weeks, and I've run the same distance at least five times. It's not getting any easier - I'm afraid to say, and just don't see how I can progress from here. Maybe I just need to keep going with W4 until I feel I master it. Anyway, my real question is regarding the walk intervals in each run. I've started to run outdoors agin and I love it. I live on a very hilly island but those hills kill me. So is it ok to lengthen my walks to coincide with hills and run on small inclines, the flat and downhill parts instead? Or is it key to just walk for as long as Laura says and not pause her? Do the intervals have something to do with building stamina? The other question I have relates to breathing. I try to breathe as Laura advises, but I can't keep it up and have to revert to huffing and puffing. Any tips to master this? Other than that, enjoying the early spring sunshine here in Norway. There's even a bit of warmth in that sun, and it's just lovely

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

You hit the nail on the head... you're building stamina. Wherever possible follow the instructions to the letter. Hills will make you a stronger runner in the end but this bit will be harder.

When going uphill only focus on the 6 to 8 feet in front of you and shorten your stride, right down to half a foot length if you need to. Try to keep the same tempo, just smaller steps. Before you know it you'll be up and done!

On hills especially huff and puff if needed. It's really hard to get your breathing "right" until much later on in my view. More important to just keep breathing 👍😉

[TigerBiscuit Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thanks GoGo_JoJo for the honest truth :-). Was hoping to be told I could walk the hills - but I want to do this right to get the most out of it. I feel that I am moving at at a snail's pace now, though I will certainly try taking smaller steps, even on the flat.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to TigerBiscuit]

Finding your perfect regular stride can be interesting too. We seem to have this idea of a sprinter in our heads covering long leaps with every footfall but we're not sprinters, we're more endurance runners. Depending on the terrain your average stride is probably going to be 1.5 to 2 times the length of your foot (I just tried to check mine running around the house... hilarious!🤣)

Learning to shorten and knowing when we can safely lengthen are really good things to learn. Lengthening at the wrong time can really overstrech the muscles at the top of the thighs and be quite uncomfortable.

Shortening has no drawbacks and can really help up and down hills. 👍

[TigerBiscuit Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I love this advice and I'll give it a go next time I'm out. Can't get the picture of you running around your house testing your stride out of my head. haha!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to TigerBiscuit]

🤣😂 it was quite a sight!! I am just in from a run and I realised it's actually easy to up the tempo without realising it uphill with small steps so be careful to check your tempo once back on the level to avoid unconsciously pushing the pace up when you don't intend to 👍😁

[BaddieThePirate Graduate]

I agree with GoGo_JoJo. Keep your steps at the same speed but make them much smaller. Lean forward slightly and if it’s a steep hill you can run on your toes. If people walk past you while you run up the hill don’t worry (yes it happened to me) just keep going.Breathing is impossible until further in to the program. I still huff and puff on hills, but it gets better as you get fitter, and if you’re paying attention to it you’ll notice that steady breathing is possible for longer with time and practice.

If you’ve managed to complete 3 x week 4 runs then go on to week 5. Don’t expect to be comfortable (then you won’t be disappointed) just aim to finish each run. Good luck!

[TigerBiscuit Graduate in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Thanks, BTP. Glad to hear My breathing’s not unusual. I’ll go for W5 so 🥴😁👍

[Collielovet in reply to TigerBiscuit]

That's really helpful for me too. My run starts on a hill and I can only keep up the breathing for a short time.

I had to repeat a few times to get the times without a pause.