Week 6 run 3 - was it a fail??

[Health2020]

At the beginning of June I completed my three week 9 runs for 30 mins but since then I haven’t been able to run 30 mins non stop. I had been doing lots of runs that were 30 ish and sometimes 30 + minutes with a minute or 2 of walking in between however, I wanted to get back to non stop runs so I went back to week 5 run 1 and have done the runs from there (and even exceeded the runs ie if it said 2 x 8 mins I’d do 3 x 8 mins) until today - week 6 run 3 was supposed to be a 25 minute run so I told myself I’d recently done a 20 minute run so not much further but I couldn’t do it (I got to 12 1/2 minutes and then walked for about 30 steps - would you call it a fail?? I try to slow my pace, say keep going to the next tree, lamppost etc over and over. Was it a fail?? I know on some levels I’m exercising, I’m getting out there and so not failing but would you call it a fail?? Should I just forget the non stop part of running and increase my timings/distance, with breaks as I feel I could probably do more time than I’m currently doing (I just need to walk at certain times?? Sorry for the long post. Any ideas/thoughts v welcome.

[Dodgylungs Graduate]

Sounds like there is something psychological going on. You are clearly capable of running for 30 minutes but something in you now stops you. What you should do is slow your running down to as slow as you can go and listen to your fav music as you run. Don’t put any pressure on yourself and enjoy it. See how far you get. Feels to me like the enjoyment has gone out of it for you.

[Health2020 Graduate in reply to Dodgylungs]

I think there’s definitely something in my head that stops me because the first time around I graduated with 3 x 30 minute runs , with 3 x 28 mins runs and 3 x 25 mins runs before the 30 mins ones, ad per the programme - so I told myself today before I ran, you’ve already run further than this - I’m just finding it frustrating

Thank you

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to Health2020]

Go slowly and you’ll do it again.

[Health2020 Graduate in reply to Dodgylungs]

Thank you

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

So what is making you stop?

Can you speak aloud, clear, ungasping sentences as you run?.........if not, you are going too fast.

An easy conversational pace equates to approximately 75% of your maximum heart rate, which is the perfect zone to build the solid aerobic base required to run faster and further, which is why it is the pace at which elite athletes spend up to 80% of their training time.

[Health2020 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

I do tell myself at the beginning and at various times to slow down but maybe I was still going to fast?!

Thank you

[Speedy60 Graduate]

I agree with the slowly advice.

I've also had a bit of an epiphany on the psychology front lately. I used to do exactly what you describe - push on to the next lamppost etc. Either that, or I would try to distract myself with music, or thinking about something else. Now if I'm struggling, I concentrate on the run and I count my steps. I keep my head up and count every time my right foot hits the ground until I get to 100. Then I start again with my left foot. It sounds like a small thing, but staying in the moment, not ahead (the next lamppost), or behind (my last run) has helped. Worth a try. Good luck!

[Health2020 Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Thanks for the advice I’ll give counting a try - I’m up for trying all sorts of things

And even though I thought I was going slow, I think I’m going to try to slow down even more !

[Speedy60 Graduate in reply to Health2020]

Apparently, it works for Paula Radcliffe (the counting, not the speed 😉).👍

[Health2020 Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Well if it’s good enough for Paula Radcliffe, it’s definitely good enough for me - cheers