Week 3 - Snail's Pace!

[BecToots]

Just finished week 3 run 2 but am wondering if I am the world's slowest runner! Doing the same route that I did in week 1 and 2 but the lovely Laura tells me I have finished with about an extra 5 minute walk to go. Did anyone else find they they travelled less far in week 3?

[runcanada Graduate]

I am in Week 5 now, and I have to say I initially felt disappointed in myself as each week I went slower and slower... I run on a treadmill so I know how fast I am going.. I significantly slowed up until week 4. This is the only time that I have kept the same pace. I just have learned to accept it and as Laura would keep saying it's a light jog... I realize it must be normal At this point it is about increasing the length of the runs and once you complete Week 9, I believe it's about improving your time and endurance.

[BecToots in reply to runcanada]

Thanks for that. I shall continue to plod along and keep the faith!

[happierswimming Graduate]

For the first few weeks you don't cover any more distance because there's quite a lot of walking, but you will begin to do more as the weeks go by. Try to make sure you are keeping up a good walking pace because that's a great help with running. It's easier to judge if you're using a treadmill and it's also a good idea to keep up a good walking pace when you're walking around on the other days- fetching the kids, doing the shopping, exercising the dogs etc. Aim for shorter, faster steps and impove your stamina on "rest" days too!

[BecToots in reply to happierswimming]

Good advice thanks!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Have you ever tried snail racing? (One of the National Trust's 50 Things to Do Before You Are 11 and Three Quarters... I did it before I was 50) Some of those snails go really fast!

[BecToots in reply to GoogleMe]

I have never snail raced but I had done quite a few of the other things. Am also working on the list of things to do before you are 11 and 3/4 with my children!

[Alaiyo Graduate]

No, you aren't the slowest runner around (I may unofficially have that dubious honor). I found that I hardly went any farther on the runs until middle weeks, when the time spent running became substantially longer. Don't worry about it though, it's totally normal. Because I am a big nerd, I actually figured out how long I was running in each podcast and it is 8 or 9 minutes until week 4 or 5. So don't expect your total pace to speed up much then. Slowing down is even common, because you have to sustain your running pace for longer periods. Later in the program, you will see your mileage increase a lot more.

[BecToots in reply to Alaiyo]

I too must also be a nerd. Spent week 3 run 3 working out that if I can count to 210 running for 3 mins then I will need to count to 350 to manage 5 mins! Passed the time!!

[WANTTORUN in reply to BecToots]

I can’t stop counting my steps, I know ten is more than ten seconds, so it’s a nice overestimate of the time left ! Anything to fool the brain!

[sheppy Graduate]

good question, I did W3R1 this morning and noticed the same thing..and thought it was just me...good to know I'm not alone, I'm having difficulty imagining being able to run for more than a few mins at a time at the mo..but I'm trying not to think about it and place my trust in the lovely Laura

[BecToots in reply to sheppy]

Thank you thank you! I was wondering if I was blacking out half way round and just standing still for a while somewhere! Managed to keep going for 5 minutes yesterday in the rain with a bit of a cough! Honestly if I can do it you will be able to too!

[Heartboy Graduate]

Don't worry about it. We've all been there. Trust in Laura. At this stage its about keeping going and not speed. Once you can regularly run for longer periods you can start thinking about speeding up. Also as someone who pushed myself early on and got injuries at week 7 I recommend snail pace which is what I kept to after injury and graduated injury free last week.

[BecToots in reply to Heartboy]

Thank you! Just call me Brian! (I hope you are old enough to remember Magic Roundabout!)