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I feel like I've not posted for ages....probably because I've not run in ages
Was due to run tomorrow morning after a couple of weeks off (lots of excuses - illness, travel, just being busy) but I was feeling so guilty that I ran tonight instead. Still only 2 km which is where I was last at, and I really hope I'm not hitting a wall at this point. I did drop the pace down and found it easier though. For any other treadmill runners, what speed do you set it to? I have absolutely no idea what is considered fast or slow, but my run tonight was the first time I felt like I could have had a conversation all the way through although I didn't want to test it out by talking to myself.
My next run will hopefully be on Friday morning, and now that I've said that I better do it! One of the reasons I joined the forum was so I had somewhere to be accountable to if that makes any sense. The day I manage 3 km will be a happy one indeed!
Drumroll please...................
Well after having two (well possibly a bit more) weeks off and being worried that I had hit a plateau at 2 km (see previous post), I had a run this morning and was determined to get to 2.5 km. So I am ecstatic to report that I ran............. 4 km!!!
I am so pleased. I didn't even find it that difficult. I had intended to do 2.5, but the first time I looked down at the display I was at 2.67 km, so I thought maybe I could do 3 km, then the next time I checked I was at 3.6 km! So including the pre-set cool down run I did 4.15 km and ran for a total of 34 minutes. Considering the most I had done before now was just under 17 minutes I am over the moon.
Going to have the weekend off from running now to let my legs recover; I might do some other gym stuff on Sunday if I feel like it, but now I am just hoping I can replicate this! At least mentally I know I can do it and that I am not going to be stuck at 2 km for evermore.
Have a good weekend everyone, and happy running!
Well done fraggle. It's always hard starting again after a break.
Great progress Fraggle! I'm hoping to get out again tomorrow and do a super stretching session after! I'm determined to sort these calves out!
Nicola - I don't have any expert advice or anything but is it possible you are overstretching? I get confused about all this warm-up/down and stretching business too, there's so much conflicting advice out there. My instinct would probably tell me not to stretch on rest days, but I'm sure more knowledgeable folks here will have some proper advice!
Hannah - Don't worry about having a bad day, especially if you've been feeling ill. Could you slow your pace down a bit until you're feeling better at least?
Another 4k today although it felt a lot harder than the last one. I struggled at the beginning but kept going and the middle section was not too bad once I got into a rhythm but I was glad when I finished. Still, at least I've done it twice now so I know the first one wasn't just a fluke. I should be back on target to do a 5k before the end of the year.
Hi all, so sorry about lack of update. I got on a bit of a downer following my last post. I attempted a run and literally within 500m I had to stop, back in agony.
Felt like such a failure and like i would not be able to get back in to running. Anyway after a few tears (i know i know i am a drama queen!!), i decided to work on strengthening my back for a week, so with the help of my Personal Trainer i have done this for the last week. And then yesterday I decided to have a go at a gentle run on the treadmill.
I did a good half hour on the cross trainer as a warm up, then on to the treadmill. Set the pace really low (6.2) which is about 9.5min km's. Managed 1k and felt great, thought i would try to push myself to 1 mile (1.6km) got there, then thought go to 2km, once there decided to push to 1.5 miles (2.4km) and once i got there i thought i can make it to 2 miles (3.2km) and I did!!
So happy! Felt great that after three weeks of no running I had kept a lot of my staminer. Realised i do need to work on my breathing as i seem to not be able to get enough breaths in when breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Felt ok afterwards, no real pain but made sure i did some really extensive stretched and a good 15min cool down walk.
Going to go swimming tonight (which is what i have been doing whilst back is bad) to ensure all my muscels are worked but loosened.
Rest day tomorrow as I am out and then going to get back on the treadmill on Wednesday.
I think for the next few weeks i just want to build my running back up and not push too far too soon. I dont want to injur myself again and take myself out of the running for another few weeks.
Hope all are well in RW land and apologies again for my absence of late, catching up on diaries today!xx
Fraggle - I'm pretty certain I'm not overstretching as it's normally just an afterthought and something I rush through
Though that's going to change now! I'm just confused as I've heard with injuries that you should rest, and light stretching, but you also shouldn't stretch cold muscles. Hmm. I've avoided stretching though and will be running again tomorrow with a good stretch after! good work on another 4k 
Watto - welcome back, I was worried you'd disappeared!! Glad to hear your run went well, it means there's hope for all of us who have had some time off!
Pleased to report I managed 5k tonight with a friend, my first ever run in the dark! Fingers crossed there's no pain tomorrow and the. I'll be back on track to solely get back into my plan
Well done Nicola, that's fantastic!
went for some more treadmill work last night at the gym, i know I was going to take it slow but I am itching to push myself more! Decided to do some interval training...switching between my normal jogging pace and a fast (for me) run. Was ok for the first few goes but then was finding that I could not breath properly so whilst my body felt ok with the faster pace, I was couldn't catch my breath properly. I then decided to slow down and walk on a steep incline and then back to jogging.
def need to read up on breathing techniques and get back and try the faster pace again! loving being back though and back feeling pretty good (touch wood)!
overall think I did about 3.5k all at varying speed and incline!
Good work Watto! I find that sometimes my breathing is fine and my body can't keep up, sometimes it's the other way round. I guess everything is adapting at a different pace and can change even day to day. I'm hoping that I can keep it up now too and will do everything I can to avoid injury!
Well done Watto and Nicola coping with bad weeks is what makes you a runner, the non runners end up finding excuses to stop. Both of you have had opportunities and you've braved it out and you are back running
Ah thanks Booktrunk
I think for me, the fact that I've entered a race and have you guys to keep me accountable helps a lot! Hoping to go out twice this weekend and get the distance up slowly again
Hi guys (and gals), sorry I've not been around much - I've been moving home and think we'll be unpacking early into 2014
Just 6 miles last week and 24 thus far this week and hope to get out tomorrow for 10 miles (unpacking allowing).
As BT says, keep up the good work Watto, Nicola et al
Hey everyone, sounds like there's been some good progress in the thread; well done Watto and Nicola for getting back into it. It gives me hope because I feel like I'm struggling at the moment! I did my first 4k just over a week ago and I've done two more 4k runs but each one has felt more difficult than the last. Today I really found the last six or seven minutes quite hard. On the one hand I'm pleased that I still did it, but on the other hand I'm worried that I'm never going to be able to run much more than this. It doesn't feel like it right now! I thought this running malarky was supposed to get easier?! I can't run much slower either; any slower and I'd be walking. I can understand having the odd bad day but it's just the fact that the last three runs have each felt worse than the last that is worrying me. Please tell me it does get easier!
It gets easier...
or rather, you go further / run longer / or quite a bit faster before the discomfort kicks in
so not really, you just get used to it.
That's good to know.......although right now I seem to be doing it all backwards in that the discomfort is setting in earlier and earlier! I'm going to start running outside next week and I'm hoping I manage that ok. In a way I feel like it might actually be easier than on a treadmill because I find the constant pace a bit tricky sometimes. And of course, there's not much to keep me distracted when I'm just staring at the same wall all the time. I am determined to get to my 5k goal by the end of the year whether it kills me or not!
Fraggle I'm sure it's just your body adapting to the new distance and getting used to running more often. I hope it gets better for you!
Also don 't be afraid of cutting down a run to a shorter one if you are feeling tired, we don't get awards got being injured
sometimes your body is saying I need to relax a bit and catch up, one of the things I think you develop over ime is an ability to listen more to your body and learn when it's saying enough is enough, and you Aldo learn when to say shut up and do as your bloody told 
Thanks guys, I think I'll stop worrying so much about having to make progress on every single run and just focus on actually running, even if it's slower or shorter than the time before. I suppose not every run has to be further than the last. I might stick at 4k for another week or two and then see about trying 4.5 or 5; I'm not in a rush so there's no need to up the distance every single week. Plus I did sort of skip a few weeks when I went from 2k to 4k all at once!
I'm running again tomorrow so will drop by with how it goes. I'm glad I signed up to this forum; it's good to be able to get advice or even just have a place to moan when it's not going well!
Most plans seem to have a quiet week every 4th week, so three weeks working hard, and then a week with less runs in, so if you are doing your own plans you should take that sort of thing into account, run hard for 3 weeks, then relax and run less in the 4th week
Booktrunk I definitely don't have that skill yet! Wanted to give up after 2 miles today but was with a friend so didn't, made it to 4 miles with no problems so very pleased with that. I think part of the problem when I run with her is that we chat so much it gets me out of breath quicker! (Though I know that being able to talk is a sign I'm at the right pace, and I don't get to test that out when I'm on my own!)
I plodded 15.1 miles, slow going but I had a lazy week as only 1 run and 1 kettlebell weights session, so needed to get my backside in gear
had no plan just wanted to do at least 10k and somehow kept plodding on for 24.2km
Booktrunk, I get tired just reading about your exploits! Over half a marathon just on a whim? That's insane and inspiring at the same time!
Nicola, well done on your 4 miles, how are your calves doing these days? Did you find a stretching routine that works? I'm still trying to figure that out.
Will hopefully be back first thing in the morning with an update on whether or not I managed my run......
Had a good run this morning, my first ever 5k! Yay!
I would have been happy just to get through 4k comfortably after my last two runs, but I found that once I got there 5k didn't seem that much further so I just pushed on. I have reached my first goal! I'm so happy 
BRILLIANT
Well done Fraggle.
It's great when you hit targets like that.
congrats, Fraggle!
I haven't had a problem with my calves on my last 3 runs, I think I just wasn't stretching enough after a run, my 5 minute cool down always finishes at my front door and once I'm in the door I forget about stretching. My friend is very good though and always reminds me, and I'll be doing at least 2 runs a week with her so that should get me into a good routine!
I'm out again tomorrow for hopefully another 4 miles.
Thanks! To be honest I got up this morning and didn't feel like I could be bothered at all, I'd had about three hours sleep and was just not in the mood, but I made myself do it and I'm so glad I did! I did learn a couple of lesson though: do not eat a heavy meal at 9.30 the night before an early morning run; and do not drink a full mug of tea before running either
Ach who cares, I'm still happy!
Fraggle: I know where all the bushes are on my 'regular runs'