Bad breathing and very slow running

[lucylocket10]

I've just done week 8 run 1 and it went ok but I am concerned about just how slow I'm going. At this rate I am never going to be able to do 5k in 30 minutes!

I actually ran for 29 minutes because I felt I could keep going for a little longer but I only did about 2.2 miles. Will I ever get any faster?

I can always speed up for the last couple of minutes like Laura suggests but there is no way I could run at that rate for the rest of the run. I think I'm scared to try running faster in case I completely run out of energy before the end.

Does anyone else have this problem? I think I am going to have to aim for running for 30 minutes which will be 2.3 miles, then running twice up and down the farm track that I go on - which is about 2.76 miles - and try and build up that way.

Also I just can't manage the proper breathing that Laura recommends - I'm just huffing and puffing and trying to keep going. I dread to think how loud I am - I always have my music turned up loud so I can't hear myself.

[ClearlyAM Graduate]

Hello!

You are way faster than me! The most I covered in my 30minutes of week 9 was 2 miles 3.27km. So you're doing really well in my opinion.

I am now starting (having graduated) to try and increase my speed... yesterday I managed 6.5km/hr which would mean it will take me 45mins to run 5k (but i am not there yet)...

I quite like it in a way as there are "two goals" 30 minutes and then 5k - the 5k is something to aim for when you're already in a great routine going out running regularly.

Well done! Especially as I've graduated and you're faster than me!

Good luck

Anne-Marie aka ClearlyAM

[lucylocket10 Graduate in reply to ClearlyAM]

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I thought I was going far too slowly but I am reassured that you've found it the same. I'm so proud of myself for actually going running regularly as it is not something I ever thought I would or could do but I was worrying that it didn't really count as I was going so slowly. I suppose I need to remember that saying "no matter how slow you are going you are lapping everyone on the couch".

[Beckipeg]

I'm definitely a slow runner, my husband can easily walk beside me but - as they say - I'm faster than someone sitting on the couch! There's no way I'll get to 5k by the end of week 9, but I guess that's what I'll be working on after that. As to the breathing, one of the reasons I started all this was because of getting out of breath easily. Round about week 5 I concentrated on the 1234 breathing thing, it was a struggle, but comes easier now (I'm just about to start week 8) and people have noticed I'm not so breathless during the day so do keep at it.

[lucylocket10 Graduate in reply to Beckipeg]

I really can't get the hang of the breathing but it's great that you have managed it and can see the benefits generally too. I'll have to keep trying. By the way, I just found out towards the end about your secret-running scheme - it was very funny, I bet your husband is really impressed!

[Burstcouch Graduate]

I am at week 7 and feel I run slowly too but right now its just achieving the full run that matter, there will be time enought at the end of the 9 weeks to increase your speed.

good luck

[lucylocket10 Graduate in reply to Burstcouch]

Thank you - you are right and I feel much better knowing that other people are running slowly too - at least we're still running!

[juicydee Graduate]

I can absolutely agree with the advice above - I was doing about 3k in my 30 mins when I finished C25K (easy to remember: 10 mins per km!) but can now (3 weeks later) run 5k in about 43 mins - a bit less than 9 mins per km. Not fantastic but improving!! I'm upping my distance now to prepare for a 10k in May, so will be slower again on the longer runs, but I'm also working on the speed on the shorter ones. Watch out for Laura's new podcasts due out in May which will focus on building speed - but don't worry about that till you've graduated, and even then maybe spend a couple of weeks adding time till you get to the full 5k.

[lucylocket10 Graduate in reply to juicydee]

That's brilliant to have managed to increase your running time to 43 minutes in just 3 more weeks - that's what I'm hoping to be able to do - I'm just a bit worried about running without Laura!! I'm definitely looking forward to her new podcasts although I hope the music will be better!!

[ribena-berry Graduate]

As above, don't worry about speed at the moment, just concentrate achieving 30mins of continuous running. I don't think many people reach 5km in 30mins by the end of the programme, I certainly didn't!

[lucylocket10 Graduate in reply to ribena-berry]

Thank you - that's really reassuring, I was worried that I was the only one going so slowly. On the week 8 podcast Laura does say it doesn't matter about speed it's more about getting the kilometers run, but I was concerned that I wasn't achieving the distance because I was going so slowly. I'm still really pleased that I am doing it at all - it's a major achievement for me.

[Burstcouch Graduate]

Just chartered my 25 min run, it was 3.48km. So will not get to 5k in 30 mins by week 9, not too worried as long as we are fit.

[lucylocket10 Graduate in reply to Burstcouch]

Thank you - that's a good point! I'm certainly a lot fitter than I was 8 weeks ago - and a lot happier with myself too.

[StaceInspire Graduate]

Thanks for this post. I've been worried about speed too. I just ran run 2 of week 7 and I'm doing 2 miles in 25 mins and I've panicked a bit. Then I had a word with myself and remembered that I CAN RUN TWO MILES NONE STOP!! Amazing really. Hope to get to the 5K but all your comments have reassured me. I'll keep going and hope that my speed will naturally improve. Focus on the positives. We are all ACE : ) x

Follow me on Twitter @StaceInspire

[Mrs_Miggins Graduate]

Don't worry about it! I gasp and wheeze my way around the entire route! I'm slow too! There's no way I'll be running 5k in 30 minutes by the end of it but I don't care! I'm running and that's all that counts. Well, I say running............. it's more of a stumbling jog/walk really, barely faster than a brisk walk. But my way of looking at it is this:

I'll learn how to run for 30 minutes non stop first, then I'll get used to it and THEN I'll worry about how fast I'm going! You hang in there! You're in good company!

[angelmark]

Really encouraged by these postings as I was disappointed I ran less than 4k in final week so it is good to see I am not alone. Like Staceinspires comment that I am running two miles non-stop which makes me feel quite good.

[witchynic]

i think you are doing really well. Keep at it! I run really slowly too. I do speed up if i run with someone else as i tend to keep pace with them but thats not my natural stride so it feels odd. I'd rather be comfortable! x