Struggling with consistentcy

[AnonymousRunner1]

I guess you could say I'm a graduate of C25K at last but I don't really feel like it. I managed my 3rd 5k last last week in 39 minutes although it wasn't continuous running, I had to walk for a couple minutes a few times.

Any running I do leaves me heart pounding and totally exhausted. I should also add, I started C25K last August so it's taken me nearly a year to get this far, far more than 9 weeks.

I certainly couldn't hold a conversation while running, no matter how slow I go. Sometimes I go out and I'm practically dead on my feet at the first km so I wouldn't say I can consistently do 5km.

Not really sure what I'm asking here but I guess does anyone have any tips to get over this, I've never been particularly fit and a year ago when I started the idea I'd ever run 5k at all seemed insane so there's obviously been some improvement. Just seems like it's been a very long and hard road getting here and I still have a long way to go.

I'm still overweight so I'm sure that's not helping, but I'm 10kg lighter than when I started.

Thanks

[JaoJao]

I think you are either not running slow enough, and there is a faq article on this, or maybe you had massive gaps in your c25k journey which didn’t condition you as you would have done if you ran for 9 weeks solid.

The answer may be to either understand slow running or try the programme from a point which you are comfortable with, maybe W6?

You should be running continuously without the need to stop if you have done the programme appropriately, hope it helps and good luck x

[AnonymousRunner1 in reply to JaoJao]

Thanks. I've just been for a run and think I need to go slower yet. There have been a few gaps but I think I've averaged twice a week at least. I'll keep at it!

[DiscoRunner Graduate]

Hi there. I know you are running slowly already, but I am a complete convert to the Japanese slow jogging technique. I post this clip often, and people say ‘I already run slowly’, but I’ve sometimes seen other slow runners, and it looks like they’re exerting way more energy than they need to. There are a few aspects to this style of running - short stride, with a light mid foot strike, and in the short film posted before there’s also details about what to do with your arms, how to hold your head, and back. And the speed can be as slow as you need so that you can hold a conversation, sing or smile (it’s called nico nico in Japanese - meaning smile). It’s the combination of the various techniques that makes it light in the body, but with all the benefits of running. On the surface this may look like what you’re doing, but look closely, try the gentle jumping demonstrated here (is that how you land?), and are you running as slowly as they are?

In this heat I’m currently only doing 30 min runs, and with my warm up & cool down walk I’m only covering about 3k. But I can run for over an hour this way and as soon as it’s cooler I’ll be aiming for my first 10k. But you’ve done a 5k in 39 minutes - you’re a rocket compared to me! I’ve once done 5k in 45 but mostly 50 or a bit over. So there’s slow, and there’s Japanese slow jogging slow! Hope it’s of some help!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2...(Not working as expected?)

[AnonymousRunner1 in reply to DiscoRunner]

Thanks for this. I'll give it a go. After posting I went for a run and did just over 4k in 30 minutes while trying to go slow but clearly not slow enough!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Read this runnersworld.com/training/a...

That’s the coach I have in my ears on about half of my runs. Slow it down and run at an easy effort most, maybe all, of the time, depending on your ambitions.

Well done losing 10k and improving your fitness since you started this.