Will I ever get back to being able to run?

[Ferrousfumerate1]

I used to run. Not well but I ran. Then I stopped and started doing HITT 3 x week. Which I still do. But I want to do a 5K in March so I'm back running.

I need to retrain my body - my old technique was crap and led to an injury - but it feels so hard. I can only really go out for a short time 2 x a week and today, while enjoyable, I could only go a short way without having to stop. This really worried me. Will it get easier?

[BillywilliamV]

i had a mastectomy and reconstruction 24 April, first ran again 10 August.Had more breast surgery last Monday but I have booked 10k at end of April and I will have my first training run on Boxing Day. It will be hard at first but set small goals and be determined. Check your improvement over at least a fortnight at a time, not run to run and you will be fine. Good Luck

[Wanderingbluebell]

No amazingly insightful advice, but I’d say take it slowly - don’t run too fast. If you feel like giving up, walk a bit and try jogging a bit further once you can breathe again. Try not to be too specific about goals - some days will be easier than others - but try to get out regularly. A running watch can be really motivating once you start improving. My sister got on well with the couch to 5k plan.

This is not meant as a boast at all but I have gone from 0 to 10k over the past few months, having never been a runner, and I never thought it possible. Just stuck at it and try to get out 3x a week if I can. Good luck! Ps just make sure you stretch properly after.

[Jasminedes]

Are you getting help with technique? It sounds hard to run in a different style (do you mean altering your strike?) If this is important, I would just do super short runs until this is second nature (but maybe daily?) 5 minutes? Think of it as technique, not fitness, and allow yourself time to adapt. But make sure you are not doing a worse technique - something that will throw stress on another part of your body.

[lljkk]

Go slower. I find running painfully unpleasant unless I go at least 3x a week. I wonder if you could go 3x / week but much shorter (say only 10-12 minutes each time).

[carrie74]

I dip in and out of running, and always need to build up gradually again, I usually start somewhere along the C25k programme (week 3 or 4), don't need to go out 3 times a week, and build up quite well. Once I can run for 20 mins+, I can just keep going until I've done 5k.

In terms of injury, what kind of injury is it? Are your shoes ok? Are you warming up and stretching out after?

And yes, it'll get easier . I find a crap run is usually followed by a good run.

[Ferrousfumerate1]

I think I need to stretch more after - my shins felt tight in the night. I stress fractured my second toe which was unpleasant. I have great shoes...I just feel heavy and weird running.

But I have to persevere, take it slow and build

[Ejsk]

I’ve been running on and off for just over 2 years, whenever I haven’t run for a while, I just go out and run as far as I can (usually about 3/4K) then, I just build it up, went from 3/4K to 10k in about 6/7 weeks just running once a week, increasing 1k a week. I take the pressure off about time as well and I find that helps a lot!