How long did it take you to run continuously?

I'm finding it hard to quit walking! Now I know there is nothing wrong with walking to recover my breathing and I do try and set mini goals (I will only walk to that lampost, or I will run for another 100 steps) but I honestly thought I would be able to string together more of my run sections by now. I can just about manage to run a mile before I need to walk, but then after that it is all run/walk/run/walk. I have managed to do this for 5 miles as I am rather foolishly training for a marathon, and if I run/walk it I will still be chuffed to bits but it got me wondering how long it took others to run 30 minutes without walking.....image (I started 8 weeks ago but I have never run in my life and I am about a couple of stone chubbier than I should be!)

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Comments

  • From the description youve given Cascita i wouldnt worry at all image

    Your a TOTAL beginner so its going to be very difficult from the start. Run/walk strategy is fine for now as its clear thats all your aerobic system can manage.

    This will improve over time (dont expect over night) but also you need to be able to push yourself that little bit further once in a while.

    No one improves by just staying the same each session.

    Also i know its hard to judge at this stage but how hard are you running the 'run section' as sometimes people think they are not going too fast but really it is for their personal level of comfort.

  • you are doing well.

     have you thought about joining a club........most have beginner sections now.or running with someone else.uits amazing that when you are chatting with someone you get to a couple of miles without realsiing it

  • Are you training for a specific marathon, and if so how many weeks have you got?

     

    It took me many months before I could run continuously. Losing weight will help A LOT.

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭

    What pace/speed are you running at?  Could you try running slower?

  • Thanks everyone. I am training for London. Gulp. I am running at 4.5 to 5 mph (or 12 minute to 13 minute pace) but that is overall, taking in my walking sections. When I actually run I seem to be at around 10 minute/mile. I think if I ran slower I might go backwards!! I just wondered if it took others this long to run. I kind of figured I might be doing 5k by now as a continuous run. (I do parkruns, 40 minutes!)

  • Thinking back to when I started running I only took a walk break once, in the very first run I did. BUT... I'd been told by running friends to go ludicrously slowly in the running part, i.e. not even 50% faster than normal walking pace. It feels stupid, but it works. You can gradually speed up again once you don't need the walk breaks.

  • It does seem there are two ways of getting there, really, really slow and no walking, or faster but having to walk, at some point I guess after x weeks you meet up in the middle image

    Don't worry about it, most London Marathon plans don't begin to Late December, you still have another couple of months, considering how far you have come in the last 8 weeks, in another 8 weeks time you will be comfortably doing 5k non stop at least. It's not a linear progression, you find some days you just have a sudden hop in performance where you push it and things work.  Once you've done something once, it then makes it a lot eaiser the second time.

  • Thanks Booktrunk - you have been super supportive throughout this, and I am trying to take inspiration from your fanastic efforts - but I must admit I suffer runner envy now!! I guess I just need to hear that I am not failing because I can't run continuously yet. I'm disappointed in myself and losing a bit of faith. Maybe it's just Monday morning blues! I did a PB on my 5k yesterday - 39 minutes ! But it was all downhill!! image

  • I Lied - it was 36 minutes 17 seconds!

  • Most of us have runner envy image

    There's always someone better / more elegent / looks like it's no effort that you wish you could emulate.

    None of that matters, the reality is that your you, and no-one else.  It took me ages to realise that.  The only person i'm ever competing again is myself (Except for Loch Ness next year.... that's now a proper race). Don't be envious of other runners, be excited thiinking that could be me in X time as long as I keep training. It's not the actual events that make running special I think it's the slogging out the miles on cold, dark, rainy nights, or blistering hot summer mornings.  That's what makes a runner the actual events where everyone is your adrenalin will get you through even if you'e under trained, but it's the training that makes you a runner, and that's what you are doing now, your putting in the hard miles image Be proud and excited, The only key to getting better is to keep doing it image

  • See 36 minutes is great.  I remember the first time I got below 40 minutes for 5k that was celebraton time, then 35m and then you find your starting to get close to the magical 30 minutes.

  • To make you smile, you are doing better than me.

    It took me 12 weeks to do a 36:50 5k and around 6 or 7 weeks later i was down to 32:50 so just give it time.

     

     

  • Im quite new to the forum but just wanted to suggest joining a club-im a fairly newish runner and when out running alone i am very much like you-once i stop to walk for the first time its run/walk/run for rest of the time i am out.

    i have recently joined a running club where they pair you up with similar ability people and i found having someone to pace me meant i was up to almost 3 miles before i need to walk and a big chunk of that was uphill.

    Give it a go and you wont look back!

    Good luck!

  • Booktrunk - that is EXACTLY what I needed to hear, thank you! I think I am just beating myself up because I had thought I would be better/quicker/finding it easier by now. I wont give up! Thank you!image

  • Banksy - thanks for that. I am still way too scared to join a club but I have had a couple of running friends come with me for support - both of whom have been super supportive and gave me encouragement without making me feel useless. Uphill?? EEEEK!!

  • You could look into Run England groups which are aimed at new runners like yourself. 

    Keep going and believe in yourself too, it took me a few months to get there and I'm still really proud of that first continuous 5km I ran as those were some of the hardest miles I have ever ran (including my marathon!).  Run at a speed where you can talk in full sentences (having a friend to run with helps here!) and you'll see improvements...

     

    Have fun, good luck and happy running!

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Took me a year before I could run for as long as 60 minutes. I can now run for two hours a day.

    But I still stop on several occasions for no real reason at all. Habit I guess.

    🙂

  • I think you are doing very well. Took me 12 weeks to run 5km from my couch. I managed it in just under 34 mins and that was running with my sister and her dragging me along, I so felt like giving up, I was almost dead after it.

    By your own admission you say you still need to lose some weight. That will make you quicker and easier to run. Also with more runs and improved fitness I reckon in another month to six weeks you will be down at 32 mins.

    Well done, keep it up and you will soon be under the 30 min barrier !!!

  • Elizabeth is right-i found my club on run england as well and they do beginners courses and then the sessions are all mixed level once you complete the beginners and there is always someone to run with and always a mixture of distances each week so you can choose how far you go.

     

  • I was exactly the same I was plodding along and after about 2/3 km I felt I had to stop and walk and after that was stuck walk/running the rest of the way.  This went on for months then I suddenly had a break through and did 5k continuously in 36 mins, sometimes it can be a mental block if u assume ur going to stop and walk after a certain amount.  Around a month later my 5k time is down to 31 mins and did my first 10k in 66mins so there's hope for us all! 

  • Cascita, your doing well just by getting out there and getting good advice image

    For me I think the walk breaks where in my head and my legs/aerobic fitness had built up but my mind hadn't and I'd just stop and walk after maybe a mile (it was uphill mind). Then I signed up for a Marathon and got a training plan. Within 2 weeks I'd gone from running a mile without a walk break to 5 and a month further along could run 2 hours non stop - for me it was a mental issue.

    booktrunk wrote (see)

     The only person i'm ever competing again is myself (Except for Loch Ness next year.... that's now a proper race). 

    Oooh, race now? thought we were running together - best up my training thenimage

     

  • Andi and BT - I looked at the Loch Ness race on line and for a moment I considered entering. Then my sanity returned!! I am going tonight for a gentle 3.5 mile and I am going to do my very best to run as long as I can without stopping - and I plan to spend the whole day telling my brain to butt out because already it's whispering to me that I can't do it!! I am also really happy to hear so much encouragement that others have found it tought to make the transition but that it does eventually happen.

    Well done Bowies too......I am using the 5k as my marker to see how I am progressing!

    image

  • I am a fairly new runner and need to lost a lot of weight - I also struggle with keeping going.  What helps me (sometimes!!) is the treadmill.....because it keeps going unless you hit stop, I find that if I persuade my brain that I can keep going, I do.  When I run outside (at the moment) I find it harder to keep going as stopping is much easier.   The most I've run so far in one go is 2.5km (on a treadmill) in about 20 mins - so not fast at all.  I've lost it a bit since then and been out of training but trying to get back into it at the moment (although having had ear infections now for a month isn't helping image).  I've set up an Asics run plan & trying to follow that now.  But for me it's mental rather than physical when I stop....

  • Sasrunner - great timing with your post - I went out this morning for a 5k and really found it hard to just run.....I almost talk myself into walking even when I know I dont really need to. My conclusion was to go to a gym and do just what you say - set the pace slower than usual and just keep going. I'm glad to hear that worked for you......

    My Asics plan is great for keeping me focused but it's moved up a gear now and suddenly jumped from 5 miles as a long run at the weekend to 7!! No way!

    But - stick with it, and well done for even starting. I know how easy it is when you are overweight to put off running, because 'we arent built for it'  but I have noticed my weight is slowly coming down....so keep going! You will find tons of motivation on here!

    image

  • It is good reading through the various posts, definitely motivating.  I'm only on week 2 of my Asics plan so going very easy so far, but just getting me back into running & the gym in general.  I also feel much less like eating rubbish when I'm exercising more too - always a good thing!!

    Off to buy some new kit later (just at Sportsdirect!) - also trying to walk/run home from work so need longer leggings now it's got colder....

    keep going image

     

  • Good luck sasrunner

  • I joined Park Run in May and although I play netball 3/4 times per week I struggle to run 500metres without walking due to breathing problems. I have spent months trying to run further without walking and recently took a trip to the doctors who thinks I may have exercise induced asthma. I now have a blue reliever pump which I take before I start to run and several times during the first few kilometres. I am pleased to say I can now nearly run 1k without walking, the downside of this is that my knees are incredibly sore and I am shattered. To keep myself training I entered a couple of 10k's and did my first one 2 weeks ago in 79 mins I was almost last but am pleased to say I finished. My next 10k is on Sunday and I would love to be faster but I am realistic to set my aim at finishing again and running a little bit further before walking.

    PS My best 5k Park Run time is 37.26 mins. Again my aim will be to run the whole 5k

  • I wouldn't run continuously anyway. It plays havoc with the rest of your life, not to mention your sleeping patterns...

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