Running advice: Struggling to run even 5 mins on the treadmill.

[WinkyWinkola]

I go the gym three or four times a week. Have been for 5 weeks. I do 3 sessions in the gym and one body attack class with swimming afters.

The personal trainer at the gym has set me on a programme of 5 mins running followed by a variety of weight training and mat work, repeated four times.

That's fine for me. I'm feeling better, slowly losing weight, feeling more energetic etc. My bmi is currently 25.9 so I'm almost within the range of healthy.

But I still totally totally struggle to run the 5 mins each time. I feel like I'm going to expire at 3 mins. I run at 3% incline and 11 kms.

I've tried to run slower but I find my stride is 'hobbled' as I'm 6' tall and need to run longer, faster strides to be comfortable. I just can't seem to improve my ability to run though. I've tried to push it to 6 mins and I felt absolutely terrible.

I used to be able to run for 15 mins no bother 2 years ago.

Any ideas as to how to improve my running? Should I reduce it to three minutes and then just build up again? It's frustrating.

[butterflyexperience]

To get used to running for distance take incline down to 0% and then build back up to 3% and if your able to deduce speed to 9.5kph

[drivingmisscrazy]

slow down; you are running faster than your fitness level which is why you are struggling. You will be running anaerobically at that pace which won't do very much for weight loss.

[SleepySuzy]

It is very hard to run with shorter steps, there is a knack, but you will get used to it if you persevere. I am very slow!

[mollymole]

can you do it in intervals - some machines have an interval programme (often around 12 mins.) that does say 2 mins at a lower speed (could be a fastwalk) and then 2 minutes faster (where you can run) - you could stop the machine when you had done enough
i do think, however, that you have been set a target that is not realistic,
go back down to no incline and use the intervals
after a few weeks you will be able to up the interval speed and just do it for around 12 mins and within this you will slowly increase your stamina, then you could set your own intervals on the machine slowly stretching the faster sections until you are meeting your targets
you will soon be up to 15 mins this way

[GrimmaTheNome]

Do intervals. I'm no runner, but have managed to get myself up to running a couple of miles (much slower than you but I'm nearly a foot shorter!) by starting at 1min running, 1 min walking - then next time increasing to 90 secs running, 1min walking etc and didn't take long to drop the walking.

[WinkyWinkola]

Thanks all. Today I reduced the gradient to 3% and managed 7 mins. Painful but it will get easier. I know gym trainer wanted me to work very hard on the cardio part of my workout but 3% was just not possible and very demoralising.

Thank you again.