Completely losing it at races c25k level

[anothernumberone]

I wonder if anyone might have ideas for me. I started running in January of this year on a couch to 5 k programme with a club. It was a struggle at the start as I am still 2 stone overweight and I had previously become quite unfit. Anyway I did my first 5km race 8 weeks later on a difficult cross country track and did a reasonably respectable 33 minutes.

I have since increased training to 3 times per week, 1 speed session, 1 5km and 1 7km run and a couple of 10km walks per week but I feel like I am making no progress with races. I just do not seem to be able to run them. The last 2 races I did were much easier 5km routes and I just completely wilted. The times are much slower than my first 5km run on much easier tracks. The last race I did I pulled up at 3km as I just completely lost it and just could not breathe.

All the people I train with seem to be making much, much more progress than I am even in training and in this group even people who, like me, would have weight issues and some might even be 15 to 20 years older than I am. I hope that does not seem disparaging because I find these women inspirational but it also makes my lack of progress even more obvious.

I suppose I am wondering why I am not making progress and what can I do to improve my performance both in training and in races.

Sorry that was much longer than I intended but I absolutely love the running but I am finding this so discouraging.

Odd, but are your races in the morning and you usually run in the arvo? If so it will be a hydration/ fuelling issue probably.
I'm a bloody decent runner imo. Rattled off 16 miles this am but had a few disasters racing which have all been hydration related.

Yes actually in the main I always train in the pm, actually late evenings and races are always first thing. However on Sunday we do go for a long very slow jog in the morning but it is very slow, all speed work is in the evening.

Could that be a thing? The other thing that concernede is could I have asthma? I literally could not catch my breath the last race. Then I got panicked and I really could not catch my breath it was horrible but I have never had it so bad even though I struggle with breathing.

Maybe vary your runs more. There is some variation there, but turning them into a routine will result in a fairly static outcome. Vary your routes. If you live near hills, turn them to your advantage as they increase your power and your speed on the flat. Is Parkrun an option? Getting used to those might take the pressure off races. Cross training? I'm normally my fittest and fastest when I've been doing strength work at circuits. Lots of different ways to play with!

I like the C25k + podcasts for guiding through pace work as the beats are set to target paces. Music can make a major difference too.

Did you possibly set off too fast in your races? It is easy to do, when everyone seems to sprint off the line..then you start to get breathless and panic. I remember wondering if I had some kind of exercise induced asthma as I struggled with my breathing, then I read somewhere that made me think I was running too fast. When I slowed down and relaxed things improved and then I gradually got faster again. Races are exciting and stressful and it's easy to get worked up and then things can go wrong, as they have done for me!

Hi eMummy I did set off to fast but I realised it pretty quickly and well before 1km in I had slowed way down. There were pacers so I knew my pace by then was well below what I run at in training but I just could not catch my breath. I did panic but mainly because I could not breathe or run.

This is the third morning race I have run and definitely my last where I have felt my legs are like lifting lead and I cannot get my breathing right at all. It really wrecks my running experience which I love which is why I won't do another one.

Mrs Mook I think we probably do vary our training a bit. 1 evening is an urban road route, the Sunday is cross country across a very hilly landscape and the third run is speed work on a running track. I also do a fair bit of walking between but there in no improvement showing in races.

I like your idea of introducing circuits especially as I have a bit of knee trouble so I could do with some variation.

I am so frustrated with the races though and while I do see improvement elsewhere the races are just s frustration.

I have booked a doctors appointment to get checked just to get some reassurance there is no other problems.

Thanks everyone great to get the input.