Very disappointing

[Barbyk]

On saturday I managed 37 minutes (still not up to 5k as slow), and felt great. Went to try and get to 40 this morning..breathing bad, legs bad etc. Didn't even get to 15 minutes. So disappointed. I had a chinese takeaway saturday evening ...and did a very small amount of gardening yesterday...possible factors. I've found a great deal of negativity surfacing..ie what am I doing? 56 , Fat etc ....the slowest park runner in our area was 38 minutes, If I ever get there it will be 45 mins etc etc...Help me!!!! Thanks x

[Malcy Graduate]

Hi, been there and know it can be tough.

Aboout this time lat year I did my first 5K (when I was still only meant to be at week 7) and for the next week it was Hell! But it did get better and I got back on track. Hopefully it'll all work out fine for you too. In general, when we get a setback like this, the best plan is not to keep going forward, but to take a step (or two) back, retrench at a lower leverl, then build back up again.

Look to the long haul ... over the immediate horizon. The sun is over there, just peeking over the ocean - you just know that you'll soon see it in all its glory.

Gosh, what a load of utter gush! And it's Monday morning too.

Best of luck, and let us know how things go.

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to Malcy]

Love gush!!! Thanks x

[Landesman Graduate]

It's easy to turn it all inwards when you have a bad run (or anything else for that matter). But the reality is that you are doing something that most others around you aren't or couldn't. How many contemporaries or friends of yours could do what you have done?

Take pride in what you have achieved and build on that. As Malcy says, step back and rebuild. It'll soon feel good again.

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to Landesman]

Thank you

[petal51 Graduate]

I'm 51 and know that I have to keep going or I'll just end up glued to the couch. Try and remember how good the runs can be (on Saturday you did 37 minutes and felt great) and forget about others that were hard. Wow! 37 minutes!! That's terrific! Maybe you should give yourself extra days to recover?

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to petal51]

Hi Petal, yes you are right I think....will try again wed

[gdeann Graduate]

It is all about self talk and how we feel about ourselves. When I am feeling negative, my run reflects it. When I am feeling confident, I run better and can increase my time. Be proud of what you've achieved. Very few people can run as long as you are! It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as your moving forward instead of standing still. The first 2 miles of EVERY run are the worst for me. I tell myself I will get to 10 minutes, then 20 etc. Until I reach the 2 mile mark, after that, i'm usually settled in abd can continue on. Gayle

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to gdeann]

HI, I agree, the first part of the run usually kills me. I have low level COPD, so my breathing takes a while to sort itself out. It usually gets better after a 20sec stop and glug of water..

[Malcy Graduate in reply to gdeann]

A first class post - sums it all up. Well done!

[Barbyk Graduate]

Thanks all

[greenlegs Graduate]

Just a bit more encouragement - my first parkrun was almost 46 minutes and I was 203rd of 203! I did enjoy it, which surprised me, as I was rather dreading the end, but it was fine. I'd had a couple of goes round the course on other days, so I had a pretty good idea that I'd be right at the back. And I haven't got much faster since then either!

I'm 54, and suspect I am just constitutionally not really meant to run - not a weight issue, just rubbish legs/heart/lungs - but I am working on them! Mind you, I did try too hard I think just after I graduated (wanting to do 5k) and got really tired from doing too many long, hard (for me) runs close together. I've now signed up for the 5x50 challenge, and am finding that doing 30 minutes or more exercise every day, which I am really not at all used to, has made the running get much harder. But I'm hoping I'll gradually get fitter overall, by doing other activities as well as running, and hope the running stamina will return in a while. It's all an interesting experiment!

[thinnerandfitter Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Hi Greenlegs,

I can second your opinion that 5x50 has made running harder! I managed 2k this morning (after a 3 walk - a long warm up!) AND it was all downhill but I am enjoying the variety of doing other things and watching the total km on the Malcymeter climb a little further each day (I got through the 100km today - that feels like quite an achievement). Like you, I'm hoping the running stamina will return soon. In the meantime I'm only running twice a week and not being too bothered (apart from having to find something else to do) if I don't hit the magic 5k. Just thought you'd like to know you're not alone.

Ann x

PS - swimming again tomorrow. Hope I don't get another sinusy coldy infection like I did a couple of weeks ago!

[greenlegs Graduate in reply to thinnerandfitter]

Thanks for that, Ann! I've got to 98km - so should break 100 tomorrow! Woo hoo! Not bad in barely over two weeks, compared to what I wasn't doing last November!

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Hi Greenlegs, you are very motivating, thank you...I am so determined to have a go at the park run..think I just need a bit more patience and certainly a bit more stamina

[thinnerandfitter Graduate]

Hi Barbyk,

37 minutes of RUNNING (yes - that's what you did on Saturday) is BRILLIANT!!!!

It doesn't matter how far you went, you kept going a good 3 minutes longer than I ever have (stamina not my strong point)!!

Everyone has those "can't manage 15 minutes" days and you never know when they're going to strike. Today, for example my plan was to walk little daughter to school (1.6km) and run back a different route to get to 5k total. However, I just COULDN'T run when I tried. My legs just would not do it. No idea why. So I walked some more, and some more until I'd done 3k and I was at the top of a hill (so the only way was down) and then I managed to get going and run 2k home. All downhill and the quickest I've ever been (every cloud....silver lining etc). You really are not alone.

Listen to Gayle and Greenlegs and everyone else here who is encouraging you. You run at your own pace - we're not running against anyone; we're winning just by being out there

Have a couple of days' rest and try again later in the week.

Ann x

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to thinnerandfitter]

Thanks Ann, very kind and encouraging

[sfb350 Graduate]

Don't worry about the odd "bad" run - we all get them and sometimes you can find a reason for it, other times you just have to accept it's one of those things.

Running for 37 minutes is a huge achievement and perhaps a longer rest might have been a good idea before trying 40 minutes ? Perhaps a couple of easier runs first and then try and increase your longest run by a few minutes each week ? Guideline is usually to increase by no more than 10% a week.

I'm staggered that the slowest park-runner did 5k in 38 minutes - most park runs have several finishers a long way behind that. Don't let it put you off !

Good luck, keep smiling and relax

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to sfb350]

Think a longer rest may have been the sensible thing to do...will try again in a couple of days x

[Barbyk Graduate]

I think perhaps your advice is right and I really need to leave longer between runs...thanks for all your help and support...will try again wednesday if it feels right. So nice these brighter mornings to get out into the local park..

[julieg21]

I think your amazing being able to run for 37 minutes! I've done 20 but god that was a struggle and since then 8-10 mins is a struggle still, and I'm 43 and now Im injured take pride in what you have achieved so far and leave an extra day for recovery. We all need to allow time for our joints to rest and heal as pounding pavements is hard on our bodies. Keep positive your doing brilliantly and everyone has a bad run every now and again

[Barbyk Graduate in reply to julieg21]

Aww thanks Julie. I think maybe I have a virus or something...really very tired and achey , and breathless....I'll see how I feel in the morning re another run. I get a bit worried about the gap between runs in case I have to go back too far. I've spent the day with my tiger balm, ibubrophen and massaging the calves..fingers crossed :o)

[Barbyk Graduate]

Well, not up to 30 again yet, but just about managed 26 minutes. Felt better than the other day, but still need a bit of work to do..thank you all