Exercise! Love it or hate it, let's motivate each other to just DO IT!

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Old 09-28-2009, 07:37 PM   #1  
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Default Am I running too slow?

I've just started a C25K program and I'm sticking to the 1st week for a while until I get the hang of it. I'm really liking it so far but I've noticed that I walk and run slow, eventhough I'm huffing and puffing. I'm not freakishly short, but my stride is only 2ft. Sometimes I feel like I'm walking fast only to have someone the same height breeze right by me with slower strides. Right now I'm averaging 2.36 miles run/walk in 45 minutes. My friend tells me she walks 5 miles in the span of an hour without running and compared to me that seems like a huge difference. Is this normal?

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Old 09-28-2009, 08:17 PM   #2  
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I too am slow. I walk at 3 miles per hour and "run" at 4mph. I hope to gradually increase my running spee but for mow I will keep plugging along at my little pokely pace. I did W6D1 of C25K today. It's a great program!
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Old 09-28-2009, 10:23 PM   #3  
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Wannabeskinny -- you are not running too slow at all, take your time, it's not a race yet .... You're running just ok for YOU to start eventually you'll get faster as you get fitter. Keep it up for a while and you'll soon see the difference, just be patient...
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Old 09-28-2009, 11:08 PM   #4  
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I am another S L O W runner but I have seen my speed increase as I run more. When I started the C25K program, I "walked" at around 3.3 to 3.5 miles an hour and "ran" at 3.8 miles an hour.

Now, several months later, I walk at 3.8 to 4 and I run at 4.3 to 4.6. Still really slow (can't seem to beat the 40 minutes mark for the 5K) but I can run it all without walking so that is a HUGE improvement from my original week one 60 second run just about killing me
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Old 09-28-2009, 11:12 PM   #5  
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No such thing as too slow. It takes time and effort to build up both endurance and speed. This summer I couldn't have even done a 20 minute mile running (it was more like a REALLY slow fake jog/walk thing) and I just did my first 5K... finishing in decent time. Just keep working at getting faster and better.... and it will happen!
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Old 09-29-2009, 12:47 PM   #6  
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Your friend is saying she is walking at 5 mph, which is really fast for walking. I can't do it - not a matter of endurance, but I just can't walk that fast. It may be a reasonable pace for speedwalking, I wouldn't know, but don't be thinking that's a normal, typical walking pace!
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Old 09-29-2009, 01:13 PM   #7  
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Can i ask a question? or offer weird advice?
How do you feel when you are running? do you feel like your gait is "comfortable"? There has been some work published recently about how everyone has their own perfect pace..they pace at which not only is their body most comfy at, but also the pace/gait at which they are most efficient. Maybe next time you go out for a run/walk interval try running ONE of your intervals faster than you THINK will be comfy! Not a sprint, just a faster pace, that might loosen you up and open your stride more. If the pace you are running at now not only is slow, but makes you not comfy when you run, then perhaps you havent found your perfect pace!

BTW your friend may be exaggerating how fast she walks 5 miles. thats a really fast walk!!
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Old 09-29-2009, 01:34 PM   #8  
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I feel quite comfortable when I walk or run, and I'm definitely pushing myself and breaking into a sweat. That's why it's so shocking to be outwalked and outrun by so many people at the track. Well I guess I'm not in a race with anybody yet, the only time I'm trying to beat is my own.
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Old 09-29-2009, 01:49 PM   #9  
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so here in the Netherlands, the word for walking (like normal walking, not strolling) is lopen. The word for jogging or running is hardlopen. A running coach told me "you don't have to go fast or really run when you are starting out. You warm up with lopen and then when you jog it should literally be just a tad more than your walking. that's why it's called hardlopen - you are just walking a little bit harder than you were before"

You don't have to be fast. When you are starting out it would be silly to even think we would be able to go from being a non-runner to being a runner in just one go. It's hard not to pay attention to what other people are doing but this is for you. YOU are the one who is benefitting in mind and body. And you know what, even if you did a 5K down the line and you were the slowest one there, you would have DONE it. Unless you are planning on being in the Olympics I wouldn't worry about your speed, but rather about finding that comfortable pace and building up as you go.

And if I may add I would just go for the program the way it is if I were you. You would be AMAZED at how you can build up and feel good, confident and proud of yourself each time you complete a day's training. I never ever thought I would have made it through the first week let alone the whole program. And I struggled around week 5 and re-did it until I got it completely right, but after that I was good to go again. Have that faith in yourself that you can do it, because if I can, you REALLY can!!
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Old 09-29-2009, 02:54 PM   #10  
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A couple of years ago I started walking at our local track every morning with the retirees. I felt very sad that they were all passing me when I was half their age. But I could barely manage 3 miles in an hour, and running for a full minute wasn't even a possibility. My second 5K, I was passed by a older man with one leg, on crutches (seriously! ).

I finally started (and eventually finished) the C25K program last October. Here's the proof of the progress I made: Today I finished 5 miles (4.25 running/.75 for warm-up cooldown) in 58 minutes. I can remember about Week 4 of the C25K when I hit 4.3 on the treadmill, I felt so fast. Considering I started walking at about 3.0, I guess I was, at least for me. Last time I was on the treadmill, I managed to do a few minutes at 7 mph, and was comfortable at 6mph for quite a few minutes at a time.

I guess my point is that it's going to take time, but you will get faster, even without trying. Don't push too hard, or too soon though. If you strive to be consistent (by that I mean don't abandon running because someone else is faster), you will make progress.
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Old 10-03-2009, 11:39 AM   #11  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Velveteen View Post
so here in the Netherlands, the word for walking (like normal walking, not strolling) is lopen. The word for jogging or running is hardlopen. A running coach told me "you don't have to go fast or really run when you are starting out. You warm up with lopen and then when you jog it should literally be just a tad more than your walking. that's why it's called hardlopen - you are just walking a little bit harder than you were before"
Thanks this is great, this really helps! I've been thinking about this while I run. "This is lopen! Ahhhh and now I begin my hardlopen!!" It cracks me up too. Still, it's kind of depressing when I'm doing my hardlopen and old ladies walk right by me. Oh well, I'm still burning calories right?
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Old 10-05-2009, 09:40 AM   #12  
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Good to know I am not the only one lol I keep thinking it will happen but doesn't seem too. SO maybe I just need to be patient and give it a while longer!
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Old 10-05-2009, 09:47 AM   #13  
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Hardlopen--I really like that term. I also begin with 1/4 mile lopen and then stretch.

I have also noticed something. When I quickly walk say--2 miles or so, it feels really natural to start my run as opposed to the way I mention above. It is almost like my body begins to YEARN for the run if that makes sense. On the days when I have gobs of time, I like doing this rather than my hard run.

For the record, I have really long legs and I'm in pretty decent shape. I cannot walk 5mph.
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Old 10-05-2009, 10:09 AM   #14  
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Is your friend a race-walker? It's a different technique, but competitive racewalkers can go at impressive speeds - 8 min miles or faster. In fact, racewalkers can pass up slower joggers! So it is possible. I say, go at whatever pace you can go, and just keep moving!

I certainly can't walk that fast - anything faster than 4 mph, I have to break out into a run ....
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Old 10-05-2009, 10:22 PM   #15  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thighs Be Gone View Post
Hardlopen--I really like that term. I also begin with 1/4 mile lopen and then stretch.

I have also noticed something. When I quickly walk say--2 miles or so, it feels really natural to start my run as opposed to the way I mention above. It is almost like my body begins to YEARN for the run if that makes sense. On the days when I have gobs of time, I like doing this rather than my hard run.
TBG, me too. My body likes a good walking warm-up, I'm just usually in too much of a hurry. So I usually only walk about a 1/4 mile, and that means my first 1/2 mile or so of running is so not fun. But if I walk at least a 1/2 mile and more is better, I can skip that icky initial phase. Of course, writing it like that it sounds ridiculous to skimp on the extra 1/4 mile or so . But I tend think I want to just get started already.
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