decreasing walking breaks

Newbie

Hi all
I started running 3 months ago from being a complete couch potatoe and a smoker, which i gave up in Feb. Im female and 34 yrs old, i weigh 80 kgs and im 5ft 7"
I am running for 2 min then walking for 2 min at a heart rate of 165 bpm average for 32 mins.
I cannot seem to increase the running and decrease the walking and im getting sooo disheartned, i am still red faced and out of breath at the end of each 2 min run. The pace is quite slow (7.5 on treadmill).I am running every other day and i also use the cross trainer at the gym and the bike, i warm up each time by walking for 5 mins then at the end of each session i spend at least 5 mins stretching.

Hope sum1 out there can pass on sum tips

Excelent

Your HR seems very high, do you have any health related issues?

The Pinball

hi, welcome to the forums!

i wanna say your pace is way too fast, even if you are only running for short bursts, it is beyond where you should be for having just started a running program three months ago.

to clarify - you're running at 7.5 MPH on the treadmill which would be an 8 minute mile? if so, you need to slow that down alot and i'm betting your walking breaks will become fewer and farther between fairly soon.

if i were you, i'd run no faster than 6.5 MPH for two minutes and see how that feels; i'm guessing it will feel pretty easy and the two minutes will easily go to five minutes.

your pace is way too fast. slow it down and add on the time. you should be concentrating on going further, but slower, in order to build your endurance at this point. speed of your run should not even be a consideration until you can comfortably handle a much slower, much longer running period on the treadmill. go for length of run now, not speed, and you'll naturally get stronger in a much safer way.

i hope i'm clear on this part.

good luck.

Former FFL Champion

Running is a sport where you get better by doing it more often. Try to build up to running more than every other day. Don't expect huge gains in a short period of time, but write out a list of goals and measure yourself every week (like 3 weeks from now, you want to be able to run for 2:30 and recover for 1:30).

Also, you are running way too fast right now. Slow it down and things should feel better. In the process, you might be able to run further/longer.

Good luck.

Newbie

Frightened Inmate #2

Newbie

jane, is it 7.5 miles per hour or 7.5 kilomoters/hr or 7.5 minutes per kilometer? Oh, and the only reason I ask this is because you gave your weight in kilos not pounds.

If it's 7.5 miles per hour you DEFINITELY need to slow it down. Well, regardless of which one it is really you need to slow it down. Try to run as slowly as you can possibly go, while still feeling comfortable and still running. You want to start at the slowest pace and build from there. As you do this more and more, you'll gain more strength, and your pace with naturally increase. I think a lot of people run a lot faster than they should, just because it feels better to run shorter distances faster than longer distances slower.

Let us know how it goes, I'm interested to hear updates. Best of luck.

-brandon

Kermitologist

yeah, if its 7.5 miles/hour on the mill thats WAY too fast!!!! Shocked

im pushing my self at 5.3 miles/hour on the mill.

Member

as long as you have no health issues i'd not worry about this. have you consulted your doctor before starting this exercise endeavor?

next item, rather your in Miles or Kilometers lower your heart rate, i'd take the HR down to 140-150, you'll be able to keep this pace longer. try for a few times a week as well.

once you get to lower your HR you'll need less walk breaks

Newbie

I may be the only one in here but I'm happy when I've done an interval and ended red faced and out of breath - that's my aim -. Do mix it up a little though. Try slower longer intervals with walking rest in between. Also use a periodized plan to reduced the rest time by say 15secs a week at a slower run pace then you'll soon be constantly slow paced running.

Keep it going!

The Movie Geek

decreasing walking breaks

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK