I work away from home usually for two weeks at a time. I'm quite new to running and what I've been doing is sticking to my run/walk programme at home and just doing long walks at work because of the hills.
Trouble is I'm now working in a very hilly part of Yorkshire until the 19th November. I've tried to do my running here but the downhills kill my knees and the uphills just kill me. There really is nowhere flat to run and I'm finding it quite a struggle. I'm on 5 mins run/2.5 mins walk at the moment. Can anyone suggest anything else I can do other than just the walking to build up my fitness so I can carry on where I left of when I get home?
Thanks,
Ash.
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I started running in April, and was walking running, well I actually still am in a fashion but I ran a 5K in June and have in a fit of madness entered a 10K this month.
To begin with I was struggling a bit and couldn't run very far. Always thought I couldn't run up hills and didn't even try. But a friend at work, who runs frequently said that you can do more than you think you can. So one day I tried it, I didn't get all the way up the hill but far enough to prove to myself that it wasn't impossible. Now I actually run a hilly route once a week. Perhaps the hills are just an excuse, and you're putting it off. It's really not that much of a disaster if you take frequent walk breaks. There is a good article on the RW website about Run/Walk training. You should read it.
Also if you are looking for the inspiration to carry on when you feel you can't if you can get a hold of John "The Penguin" Bingham's book "The courage to start". Great read and it kept me going when I thought I wasn't actually cut out for this running lark.
Now I actually think I've caught the bug and actually miss it if I don't go.
If you really don't think you can run at all, walking is great too. But try swimming or if you can get a hold of a bike that would be ace fun on the downhill stretch. Not so much fun coming up, though.
Hope some of this is helpful.
I'll definitely have a look at the John Bingham book. I guess I just got a bit disillusioned because I'd really started to feel like I was getting somewhere on the flat at home. You're probably right about me looking for an excuse to stop though because at work I run at 5.30am and I'm not a morning person at the best of times.
I am a bit worried about the darker mornings coming in though as so far it has been nice and light, scared that the dark will give me too good an excuse to pull the duvet back over my head and not bother.
Hoping that the fact I feel much better when I run will keep me going, but who knows. Did toy with the idea of buying a treadmill but there are sooo expensive I just don't know. Think a reflective running vest will be cheaper.
Good luck
ive no hope of a running partner
Michelle x
Ill be back on the treadmill at this rate
Running down hills can be hard on the knees, but again, try leaning forward but lengthen your stride. You are probably trying to slow your self too much.
Stick with it, it will get easier.
Good Luck
jenks
Whereabouts in Yorkshire are you?
I started running from my house in north Leeds but found that to get anywhere you needed to go uphill non-stop for 3 miles. While I found it good for general stamina training I was not getting fast enough so I've started going round a big old reservoir just out in the countryside, nice and flat.
If you're anywhere near then send us an email, I've got a couple of running partners but we're all different paces so we don't run all together!
Cheers
Ben
Ben, I'm in a village not too far from Bradford.
If you're up for it give us an email (you've kept yours private) but I don't think mine is. I can drive over if there's a problem with transport.
I too live near bradford, and the hills can be a total killer! Just did the bradford 10k on sunday in 67:29 and that was bloomin hard work!!
I live on top of a hill. Totally awful coming back home, but look at it this way - once you conquer a hill over here, it is a real achievement.
There are loads of running clubs in the bradford area. Maybe worth joining one of them?
I am not brave enough to want a running partner yet, but I hope you have good fun with Ben if you do join him.
Go-slow