Running less distance the more runs I do

[NikiJayne]

I am on W3R2 and I am covering less ground than I was on the previous 2 weeks. Has anyone else found this happening to them?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your progress.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

The running intervals in W3 are the same overall duration as W2, but the walking intervals are overall shorter.

Enjoy your journey.

[Hidden]

Hello NikiJayne, Absolutely yes! I somehow thought the distance I covered would increase with each run but this didn’t turn out to be the case at all. In fact in the middle of the programme I could actually walk faster than I could run when the time starting to increase! 🤣

So don’t worry, it’s the increase in time that you are running that counts and this will eventually lead to you running further but it may take many weeks to build the distance.

Take it slow and steady and it will come 🤗

[NikiJayne Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. I will continue as I am and follow the plan. At least I know I am not the only one.

[JarLo Graduate]

Yep that confused me a bit at the time too but it does pick up in W5 and beyond. Trust in the programme though because as strange as what you are noticing seems, it really does work. Today I have W7R3 and for the past three runs (all the same) I have gone further, faster and felt fitter. There should come a point where you want to stop the walking breaks and just keep on running and you’ll get your wish soon enough.

Good luck 👍🏽

[NikiJayne Graduate in reply to JarLo]

Hi, good to hear that it will all work out in the end. Got my next run tomorrow then on to week 4. Onwards and upwards.

[sTrongFuse Graduate]

Yes. It means you're doing it right as you are learning to control your pace and conserve your energy. In the early weeks, we all tend to go too fast (it's natural, running slowly seems counter intuitive) and push too hard. At some point, unconsciously, the penny drops and we just naturally slow down, and that's when the stamina and strength start to build and our comfortable pace increases.

It seems odd, but if you want to go faster (and further), first you have to slow down.

[NikiJayne Graduate in reply to sTrongFuse]

Thank you for explaining. I totally get it now. Nice and steady to build up for longer running