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New Shoes and Tired Friend
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I've been running with a friend for a few months. I feel like I've made quite a lot of progress ( can run 3 miles without stopping, if slowly!) but recently my friend seems to be suffering badly. She keeps wanting to stop ( even more so than when we both started and could barely get around the park without stopping). In the last few weeks I've done a few sessions without her as I feel rather restricted running with so many stops in every session. She is very very slim ( I am not!) and I'm wondering if fuel is the problem (and/or motivation). Whilst she eats a hour or so before we run is the problem due to lack of "long term reserves"? Also why do some days seem soooo hard compared to other days?? Any advice is appreciated!
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Comments
I have the same situation as you. I began running last Sept with a friend. We were both new to it and found it V hard at first.
I seemed to pick it better than her though, again she is very slim and I am not!! She would give up all the time and I would find myself obliged to walk with her.On occasion I would run on a seperate day on my own, but I found it hard.
With one thing and another we both stopped in Nov but I had been bitten by the bug and wanted to keep all my hard work up. From never being able to run for a bus I had managed to run 2.5 miles!
In Jan I decided to join a small ladies running club and give it another go. It has been great. Running with other people gives me the motivation I need to keep going. Today we ran for 32min without stopping, something I never thought I would be able to achive.I would suggest joining a club, if its a good one they will never leave you trailing behind on your own and will give you loads of support and encouragement.
I think we all have days that seem just too hard, I wouldnt worry about that. I find that if I go out and run on I day I cant be botherd proves to myself that I am commited And gives me a greater sense of achivement.
Hope you keep it up!!
Water Babe
If you really don't like running alone, then as Water Babe has suggested, you could join a running club. There will almost definitely be one local to where you live.
BTW, being slim shouldn't negatively affect performance! I'm only a size 6 and I'm up to 7.5 miles after starting running seriously last June. Mind you, I eat like a horse!
Good luck whatever you decide - and don't give up the running!
I took up running last year and two things that helped me may helped both you and your friend. One was running for a goal - two friends, both experienced runners, and I started training for a specific event. In our case it was the Military Challange. Knowing how far and how fast i need to run by a certain date stopped me from stopping whenever I could.
The other thing was my friends. They would keep me going until they saw that it really was necessary for me to stop. If i suggested a short break or walk they would say "OK,we'll just run on 'till that tree/lampost/street/hill etc and then see how I felt. If we did stop it was to stretch, get our breath back and then on we went. It really helped me to build my stamina. They never said "no" or complained, so I was never thinking I could not stop. That helped me to push myself further.
Until last march I could hardly run (and hated running). I am now training for the FLM 1/2 and full marathons, on my own.
Good luck to you and your friend.
Sage advice!
BTW, where do you run, I'd love to come and eavesdrop.
now she is a finely tuned athlete doing her first 10k race on sunday and iam going along to make sure she makes it
Good for you and great for her. Wish her luck. Don't often hear "bint" anymore. Are you in the Midlands/Black country?
and a very well-balanced piece of two be four....
was it monty p??