Heavy Legs

[littlejan]

I have just completed week 2 - run 2, I am managing to do the running without stopping, but when im running I find I cant get any speed up and my legs feel really heavy, also running does not feel natural in any way, any adivce.

[andystev Graduate]

Slow is fine, don't worry about speed. Your legs will start to feel better as you progress, but it'll likely take a few more weeks. Stick with it.

[Grammadog1947 Graduate]

Yes, what Andystev said.

The first couple weeks I thought someone had stolen my legs and replaced them with dead logs. Reading your post just now I realized that somewhere along the line that had gone away.

Keep up the good work!

[littlejan Graduate in reply to Grammadog1947]

Thank you for your reply to my post, how you described your legs made me laugh. Do you remember how long it took before you managed to run without your legs feeling like that. Also I find my lower back hurts too. Im going to try not to give in to it.

[weightwatcher Graduate]

I didn't know what I was supposed to do with my arms and legs when I started. I think it was because I'd never exercised and the movement of running for any length of time was alien to me. It does become more natural. I also was very surprised the first time I got into a rhythm, I realised running was a bit easier and more fluid and it was such a surprise I lost it immediately. Later I realised that must be what is meant by 'getting in a rhythm' and next time it happened I just went with it. Hope this helps so you won't be too surprised when it happens to you.

[littlejan Graduate in reply to weightwatcher]

I cant imagine getting into any kind of rhythm, and doing the breathing how Laura tells us, does not feel right either.

[weightwatcher Graduate]

Well I can only tell you it definitely happened naturally for me without me actually being aware of it. I didn't think it would either but it did. As for the breathing I sort of tried to do what Laura said and again with practice it did sort itself out. It's just a case of relaxing into it I think. I can run 5k now, have done twice this week,very slow (just over 44 mins) but I'm not worried about that. Everyone says the speed will come so I expect it will. The last two runs I have even enjoyed. Up until now it's been a bit of a mental battle but now I'm hoping I've passed the arguing with myself stage.

[littlejan Graduate]

Well done on running 5k twice a week, you should be really pleased with yourself, are you planning ahead to try to run further? Or are you happy with running that twice a week, I think thats what im planiing for to get to do 5k 2 or 3 times a week.

I look forward to running with ease, thank you for advising me.