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Original poster

Fuck it! Do I just have to accept that I am too old and slow?

56 replies

IrianofWay · 17/04/2016 19:46

I ran my 5th 10K today and 2.5 minutes slower than the same race last year. But the worst of it was that I ran my hardest - I gave it everything I had and I was nearly sick at the end. It was marginally faster than the 10k I did last month but even so.... I am 51 so maybe I just have to accept that I that is the best I can do?

All the other women who joined the running club at the same time as me are resolutely getting faster but I seem to going the other way.

I am trying to give myself little pep talks but it doesn't work. I am so disappointed.

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Original poster
IrianofWay · 20/04/2016 14:59

turn - I did it in 62.09 minutes this time. Last year 59.17.

I know that if I did it 63 minutes last year I'd have been happy with 62 this year.

I would like to get consistently under an hour I guess. And edge that downwards

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Original poster
IrianofWay · 20/04/2016 14:57

Ah but most of are not like Usain Bolt! I suspect comparing the average hobby runner to an elite athlete isn't going to be particularly helpful. There are limitations on my development of speed and stamina that I don't imagine the budding Bolts of this world suffer from - age, lack of time to train, to name just two.

I can't help but think that assuming two runners start, for example, C25K at the same time and train as much and as hard as each other, generally the 8 stone runner will find it easier to be nippy than the 12 stone runner.

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TurnOffTheTv · 20/04/2016 14:52

What time are you hoping for? I could only dream of doing a 5k under 30 mins! Usually takes me 1h15 to do a 10k. Is there any particular reason you want to run faster?

lljkk · 20/04/2016 14:43

So how does the tall lean vs. short lean theory work for Usain Bolt? Confused Or is it just a long distance thing? Except the Brownlee brothers are 5'10"-6'1" and they seem to run far fast.

It's said that to run faster means you must run faster... as in efforts/intervals. But only once a week usually because intervals are horrible. If you finish an interval run thinking "That wasn't too bad" then you need to run faster for longer next time.

suzannecaravaggio · 20/04/2016 13:59

Irian, you're right it's not just BMI the tall lean person has to work harder than the short lean person

then again I am short and light, run about 40 miles a week but my partner who is tall, heavily muscled and hardly does any running is way faster than me

when I run on my own I feel as if I'm doing well but if I run with him I feel like I'm a morris minor trying to keep up with a ferarri :(

Original poster
IrianofWay · 20/04/2016 12:27

Ah yes...the dreaded BMI! I am 5'11 and usually hover around BMI of 22/23. But the problem is that regardless of whether that is 'healthy' or not I am still carrying around a hell of a lot of poundage. More so than the petite women that I run with. Undeniable fact - even if 90% of that is muscle it's a lot of weight to carry.

I was trying to lose weight in the last month - by low-carbing as it's the only thing really seems to work for me. It sapped me totally for running but I had been back on a moderate level of carbs for 10 days before the race.

I like the battery analogy - I can manage 13 miles but currently only at around 10.1 to 11 minute miles. If I try to increase the pace I flag drastically at around 9 miles and the last 4 are a painful trudge. I guess I need to concentrate on shorter faster and longer slower rather than trying to mix them up.

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suzannecaravaggio · 20/04/2016 09:44

Body weight will also come into it, the lower your bmi the easier it is to run faster
( obviously assuming that all other variables are held equal..Ceteris paribus)

suzannecaravaggio · 20/04/2016 09:37

It seems as if there is a running battery and if you drain it too much your performance suffers, elite runners have batteries which are way beyond those of mere mortals

Obviously that's a metaphor but it seems to me that the various mechanisms involved do function broadly in that manner.

I think that unless your focus specifically on speed many runners tend to drift down in pace, I also think that it you put a lot of work into forcing yourself to go faster you may wear your battery out more quickly

So maybe there is a trade off

Perhaps muscles and tendons lose elasticity with all that pounding, also muscle mass will decline without specific strength training

Original poster
IrianofWay · 20/04/2016 09:31

Hi Lurking

you sound in a similar boat to me. Frustrating isn't it?

I took the earlier suggestions from cyclist last night. I ran a 10k - fitted in hill reps - and completed it in a time of just under an hour. Really pleased. I guess I just need to push myself harder more often.

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lurkingfromhome · 20/04/2016 07:52

I'm so glad I found this thread. I am suffering from the same problem. I did my first HM last year and was pretty pleased with my time as it was my first one, but really aimed to shave off quite a few minutes this time round. Instead, I'm way slower than I was this time last year. I use the Nike+ app so can look back over all my previous runs and it is quite disheartening!

I'm in my late forties and I too have been wondering if this is it, and I'm just going to have to forget all notions of improving but just congratulate myself on being able to run at all. The problem is, of course, that I need goals to keep me motivated and the obvious goal is to get a bit faster. I do 10.5 minute miles, give or take, but last year was doing 10 minute miles with ease.

I'm doing one HM at the end of May and another in early October. I'm thinking about starting a new training plan after the first one to really focus on speed work etc to see if it makes a difference. I try to do a bit of speedwork at the moment but it inevitably ends up being not very speedy as I am more of a one-pace-for-everything plodder. If anyone has any tips on how to get faster when you're ahem ... a bit older, then please share! Smile

Original poster
IrianofWay · 19/04/2016 16:20

my own small MLC!

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Original poster
IrianofWay · 19/04/2016 16:19

You are right of course lemon.

I think this running thing might be own small MLC. I have always been 'alright' at things never really good. I wanted to be really good at something I guess. Maybe I need to choose something easier to excel at!

But onwards and upwards1 I have just signed up for the Glastonbury 10k - the town will be full of druids that day - wonder if any will be running?

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LemonBreeland · 19/04/2016 15:34

I think you need to worry less about speed. You enjoy your long slow run and that's what it should be about, enjoyment. Not constantly trying to improve your time, or be as fast as others.

I am a slow runner and I don't care. If I finish a race and get a medal I am happy.

Original poster
IrianofWay · 19/04/2016 09:23

DontBuyANewMumCashmere - I like that article! I never used to be so hung up on speed until I joined the club and then I guess competition kicked in.

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Original poster
IrianofWay · 19/04/2016 09:22

Thanks cyclist. I am planning a 10k tonight - flat canal path but there are a few small hills I can do reps on (will confuse dog!) and I can certainly do some interval training. Round here it tends to be dead flat or very very hilly.

I know the warm up on Sunday was a mistake. It certainly helped the start of my race but I am not sure it was any better being knackered at the end than at the start. Last year I ran/walked to the start (about 1.5 miles) but it didn't seem enough to get the motor running. Hence the longer route with some hills followed by another mile walking. Not again!

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ootsideinbacktaefront · 18/04/2016 22:56

Yes I'm about 12 to 13 min miles too Smile

anotherbloodycyclist · 18/04/2016 22:25

I think your long Saturday run is fine, good to have one longer slower run each week especially if you're looking to do a half. I'd tweak your Tuesday session so that instead of doing another 5k you sub with some kind of session, either hill reps or some interval training to mix up the pace a bit. If your pace falls off I'd also ditch the 2 mile warm up in a race and just accept that the first couple of miles will feel a bit harder.
But really, just enjoy it! Remember why you started and think about how far you have come rather than the negative stuff. You sound like you are in great shape.

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 18/04/2016 19:35

This is quite a nice article in Women's Running

My motto after just getting back into jogging is "I might be slow but I'm going faster than a couch potato"

MorrisZapp · 18/04/2016 19:28

I run 12 minute miles, my friends are round about 8 minutes.

ootsideinbacktaefront · 18/04/2016 19:26

Morris can I ask how slow you are?? You sound just like me but anybody else I hear saying this is well faster than me! Iv been running for years and just do not get faster, I do have asthma though and struggle with that 😀

lljkk · 18/04/2016 19:21

There are schools of thought that say doing 10-13 miles fairly slow is perfect for building up speed at a 5-10k (don't ask me to explain, some of those training regimes are well nuts). You could try cross training, too.

I don't think anything will ever make me personally anything but very marginally faster, but then again, marginal improvements will be amazing for me. I was always one of the slowest and weakest, anyway.

MrsMook · 18/04/2016 19:02

I'm in a city with a lot of Pride. Grin

I like a longer slower meandering run and am not great at pushing myself for shorter speed sessions.

If you do want to make the push on speed, then stepping up to the speed sessions with the more experienced runners would be worthwhile. It's quite easy to get into a routine of putting the same in and getting the same out, particularly when you're progressing from beginner to improver.

suzannecaravaggio · 18/04/2016 09:23

For me the purpose of running is not to get from A to B quickly, I run for the health and wellbeing benefits, slow running provides those benefits.

I think every runner has a pace which for them is sustainable and (relatively) comfortable, the sweet spot where you get maximum benefits for minimum injury risk

MorrisZapp · 18/04/2016 08:27

I'm 44 and took up running last year. I am slow, and I don't think I'll ever speed up.

But I'm really chuffed with my progress. I'm a grafter - I plod along but I keep going and keep going. I do ten mile and half marathon races.

I won't be getting faster. I came to running relatively late in life and my body is the opposite of athletic. But I can knock out mile after mile, and best of all is that I really enjoy it.

I have mum friends who run much faster than me, good luck to them. There's room for all of us out there.

Original poster
IrianofWay · 18/04/2016 08:26

Hi Drinks

a club is good. Ours has lots of beginners and they are just starting to really cater for them with some training runs etc. Problem is there is a clear divide between beginners and the others and I'm afraid to cross it! There are lots of supportive people - I just have chosen to be a slightly semi-detached member I guess.

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