Week 2 Run2

[Lovedobby]

Hi everyone, have managed to do week 1 and now on week 2run2. I just wanted to ask if anyone else felt like they were doing slow walking/ jogging rather than running. Feel like I should be running faster. Any help would be great. Thank you

[Feltip Graduate]

Go slow and when you think you cant go any slower slow down some more

That's the advice I was given.

Look at Japanese slow running, i was also told to look at that too

Better to go slow and manage it than to go fast and not cope

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Feltip]

Thank you for the help, just feel I should be running rather than plodding.

[Feltip Graduate in reply to Lovedobby]

I plod, plodding is good, plodding is better than sitting on the sofa

[Sooty85 Graduate]

Don’t worry about speed. It’s about endurance.

[Allbarron Graduate]

It seems too easy for everyone to say forget about speed when youre just starting out but honestly it's the best advice we can give. I've been running since January and managed to run 60 minutes today but it's still slow. Be kind to yourself. Lower your expectations and just build up as you go. Trust in the plan and the forum. You won't go far wrong . Good luck👍

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Allbarron]

Thank you for the advice, yes just think I need to carry on and enjoy the forum rather than thinking I can do everything quickly.

[Tendance]

All you have to do is to complete each session, if you want to jog fast then you can think about that later. Number one goal right now is to progress through the plan huh? X

[Lorena87 Graduate]

Dont worry about not being fast, the aim is to be able to cope with the runs,at the moment your body is building up stamina and week by week you’ll be getting more and more... keep a pace that you feel confortable.I’ve just done w5 r3, never run in 33 years of my life and just quit smoke 8 weeks ago!! And I did 20 min non stop!!Still dont believe it!! 💪💪Trust me, soon the runs will be getting longer and as long as you keep a nice pace you’ll be able to cope,its plenty of time to push yourself in the future, but still early days to worry about the speed, focus on the breathe and keep going 😉

[Hidden in reply to Lorena87]

Aw wow, I am week 5 run 3 on wed and wish I didn’t know it was 20 mins stretch haha x

[Lorena87 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

You’ll be fine, put your music on and go for it!! I manage to download a soundtrack and somehow Eye of the tiger was playing on my last 4 minutes of run and I went for it, proper high up like I am gonna do this shit 💪! Please dont stress yourself, I am well confident that if me, as exsmoker, only for 2 months, with overweight that has never run in her entire life has been able to do it you will do it!! Just keep a easy pace and do it!! 💪

[Hidden in reply to Lorena87]

Aw thankyou! X I’m excited to try, but I am making sure I have a nice rest today and tomo now and then boom Wednesday look out haha

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Watch this - might help you:

youtube.com/results?search_...

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thank you helped a lot, know I can just plod on and still feel like I am achieving something. Will definitely use this

[steviej99 Graduate]

Slow is great. The main reasons new runners stop running is fatigue and injury. Stick to the plan, take your rest days and go slow. These are the keys to avoiding injury. Just tick off those runs Lovedobby and you will get stronger and faster. Good luck and enjoy your running

[Dtay1978 Graduate]

Don’t worry, it’s really early days, your pace will build as your fitness does. At you stage it’s far more important to get the distance in your legs than anything else. We were all the same at that point, just relax and take your time 🙂

[Hidden]

Slloooooooowwwwly does it! Lol x I reckon I’m the same pace as a person just bouncy walking atm x but I don’t care as I am actually jogging myself and I am burning all those calories and building strength in my legs to carry me further next run and the next run etc etc x and who’s watching or timing you? Just relax and enjoy!

[ForestGrump63 Graduate]

Yeah but I'm at peace with it now. I'm moving 3 times a week which is more than I was 14 or so weeks ago when I started the programme. I'm slow but I'm doing it

[Blackberrypie Graduate]

I think the Couch25k version of the hare and the tortoise would have the hare having to stop halfway through with an injury while the tortoise plods on past!

[Eveningprimrose]

Jogging is ok! It takes a while for the body to get used to a different kind of exercise. I'm sure you will get faster in time. I've just started week 5 and I'm still jogging 👍

[zinza]

Trust the messages your body sends you. If you feel like you should go a little faster, then go.

If you feel any pain, give it some rest.

Sometimes going too slow it's harder than increasing the pace.

Have a nice week.

[BellaShh]

Thanks for posting this Lovedobby - I did my first week last week and felt the same till reading the posts here! I went with my two fit children on my runs and it was amazing to see how fast they can go- however they both slowed down and felt much better!! I’m excited for your next runs and mine too!! Slowly slowly is the message I keep hearing 👍

[PaunchyIan]

Yup, I too feel like I’m almost walking, but the coaches say “a slow jog”.... So that’s what I do!

Plus my calf’s really hurt and it’s about all I can do 😂

[Nilsam Graduate]

You have had some fantastic replies that I cannot really add much advice to. Just from the number of people saying the same you can see there is a lot of use ploddersin this running community. I think the aim of endurance without injury is a good mantra. Good health is our target. 🤸🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️👣👍

[AlfaRomeoSpider]

Just take your time but keep at it and gradually those little benefits will all add up. I repeated week 1 and 2 several times. I also got on Strava which gives you lots of details on your running speeds etc. Just the basic Strava no need to go ott and pay. My nephew in Canada is now following me Ha ha. He's just a serious cyclist.

[RunGirl1989 Graduate]

It is really important to go sloooooooow enough to be able to keep going and enjoy it!

You will get faster without even knowing, but it will come in later weeks naturally.

For now try to go really sloooow and work on your breathing so you recover faster after runs.

See if you can do some of the strength exercise programs on the days you are not running - with your muscles stronger you will be faster in no time x

[Minsy]

I am at week 8 but still quite slow. It’s your pace that matters not the distance. It’s being out there that counts. You are doing it and that’s great. Keep at it, slowly 🙂👍

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Minsy]

Thank you for the great advice will keep going

[Maximodad Graduate]

Slow is the only way to go. I did week 4 run 1 yesterday and having peeked a sneaky preview I was dreading it. There's a big step up from week 3. I'm slow anyway at my age. But I slowed even more to just a plod. Also I waited till the worst heat of the day was over. Laura's congratulations never sounded so sweet at the end!

So go slow- go forwards in the programme. Speed is not the aim.

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Maximodad]

Thank you for the great advice will keep going

[Tinytears60 Graduate]

Definitely don’t be running faster!

Your pace may even be too fast... sounds ridiculous but it’s true!

I thought I was running slow but I couldn’t sing to my tunes ... and that was my little test Of my pace ... so I slowed down even slower! (I didn’t think slower was possible without grinding to a halt!)

Plodding is fine hunni- take your time!...

the advice and support on here is fab tho..

Ps well done on week 1👏👏 and your progress week 2 so far!

Don’t doubt yourself!.. what you’re doing is working! 👍

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Tinytears60]

Thank you for the great advice will keep going

[Flattttt Graduate]

Running at a conversational pace, i.e. slow enough that you could have a conversation while doing it, will build more mitochondria inside your cells — think of it as building more engines. The more engines you have, the faster you will be down the road. It really does pay off.

A rule of thumb that I use, is simply if I feel that I could keep running probably forever, and certainly whatever length of time is in the training manual for today. I suspect that is also conversational pace, although I’ve never compare the two.

A few months down the road, and I run faster using the same amount of effort. It’s pretty cool

Also I didn’t burn out, I didn’t quit etc. etc.

Some people find this pace ‘boring’, because they don’t find themselves getting super winded or honestly even winded at all.

The tricks for alleviating that include:

- listen to music that you love. Especially at the exact tempo you’re running

- call someone and have a conversation. I.e. these first two tricks are simply to keep the mind engaged.

- simply remind yourself, slow is good, A little mantra like that can help

- Remind yourself that professional runners spend literally 90% of the time running at this pace. If you’re doing that, you’re being smart!

- like professional writers, fold in some challenging run time. At this stage, Maybe run the last 30 seconds or 10% of your run faster. Feels good 😀

When I exert this self-control, I finish my run feeling not exhausted, and it’s pretty cool to be able to move onto another activity instead of collapsing on the couch.

Sure is nice I really should do this more often. I’m pretty good about it. I Probably do it 70% of the time...

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Flattttt]

Thank you for the great advice will keep going

[Islandmacmum Graduate]

I’m still going slow at Week 7 but I’m doing it and so are you. 😊👍🏻

[Lovedobby Graduate in reply to Islandmacmum]

Thank you for the great advise.