Is running just not easy for some people?

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

I completed C25k back in Feb. I’ve been regularly running a 5k at least twice a week and I want to keep it up but after all this time, I’d have thought it would be somewhat easier by now?

It’s definitely a fitness thing but I am not especially out of breath. It’s more my legs - tight calves, sometimes slight pain in shins etc. I push myself to get to 5k and literally stop dead on. I see my friends completely C25k and saying - oh might try for 10K, easily do 5k! And I think to myself - how? I cannot imagine doing a step more because it feels such a slog to finish 5k.

It gets me down a bit, I am starting to dread each run but I don’t want to stop and lose the gains I’ve slogged over. DH is a running coach but specialises in “barefoot” running. He’s spent a lot of time analysing my gait and mapping my feet. He’s suggested I need zero drop shoes that still offer cushioning - so not minimal but not arched. Maybe it just my shoes? I’m just running in a pair of Nikes but I wear Vivos for every day wear. I can’t afford those new trainers yet though 😫

I don’t know. It’s getting me down. I stretch out my calves and try to improve my ankle Dorsi flexion every day but I just wish I was some kind of bouncy gazelle!

I do think some people just cannot run - I'm one of them!

I can be in my house and jog on the spot for 10/15/20 minutes.

Jog around my house even in a loop.

But I cannot and have never been able to run or jog outside. I just can't and after years of beating myself up I've accepted that's just me!

I went for a gym induction the other day, the PT showed me the treadmill and I told him I'm never using it because I can't run. He explained that most people can but they struggle with keeping a good pace ending up going too fast. Sure enough I can run a lot longer on a treadmill than I can on a flat road. Have you tried slowing your pace? I don't think I could without the pace of the tread.

It could well be your shoes. I've been running 5k for several years, in a bog standard pair of Adidas. In lockdown bought a new pair of Adidas running shoes over the internet and although they seem to fit well, I found I got painful shins whenever I wore them for running. Needless to say, I've stopped wearing them for running.

I have this problem, although in my case it's definitely more fitness than feet. I tried C25k a few years ago and just couldn't progress. I've now been doing pretty intense HIIT for 3 years, and am the fittest and strongest I've ever been. But I still can't run. I can walk and cycle for as long as anyone, but running is just beyond me.

I hated running for months, but kept on with it as a necessary chore for my well-being.

It took a lot of time for me to like it, and it was about 6 moths before I went further than 5k.

Do go to parkrun when it restarts, I wish I'd gone along much earlier, the sense of community is lovely and can make quite a difference to motivation

I was you in december but I was quite happy about it, doing 5km twice a week was just perfect for me. However over the last month I’ve upped it to 6km and have done a 16km run-with a friend. I might a half marathon in September. I won’t keep up these long distances as it’s too time consuming. I would wait and see how things go. Next time you go out do 5.3, then 5.5 as that mins is mind over matter. I find it’s easier when I run with someone snd don’t worry about distance till they say ‘we’ve done 10km’ or whatever.

I've been running for years. Several times a week. I've come to the conclusion that I am not naturally built for running. I also find the whole thing a slog. I marvel at people who pick it up one week and are then running half marathons a month later.

I was (am?) exactly the same OP. I've got up to 5k a few times now over the last few years but never any further/for longer.
Recently started the entire c25k again with a friend and am now on week 7 with her. As I've found the whole programme fairly 'easy' so far I'm hoping that in 3 weeks time I'll be able to increase the length/speed of each run after week 9.

I didnt start again with this in mind, I did it to help my friend, but it's been a great boost

Slightly different in that I don't find running too difficult but it absolutely cripples me afterwards, no matter what stretches or exercises I do. The max I was ever running was 15km a week and I had built up to that really slowly. I have plenty of fitness from other sports, but my body really objects to running.

Erm... running shoes are just foam & fabric. They're not magic!

The right shoes help prevent injury, so it may be that your shoes are wrong for you and causing leg pain which over time will cause injury. In which case - it's better not to run until you can afford the new shoes... But buying new shoes alone is unlikely to solve your problem.

The key to getting better is to not always do the same thing. I was running for years before I started to get faster... I'd say that cross training is probably really important for you to strengthen your legs, google "bodyweight strength training for runners" and try to get at least one session a week in (preferably more) with squats, lunges etc to strengthen and build your leg muscles.

Recovery is also important, stretching & resting your legs so they can fully recover after a hard session. Again you can google "yoga for runners" or "The Runner's Yoga Book" by Jean Couch is great.

And mix your running sessions up! Steady 5ks are great, but alternate with a longer, slower run - slow down & you may find you can manage 5.5k, or 6k; or with a faster, shorter run (3k at a pace that leaves you breathless). Variety is key to teaching your muscles how to get that bit extra out...

I've just joined a gym and scowled at the treadmill but had a go, fast walking on a slight incline. Yesterday I upped the speed and attempted a jog. I can't jog. I definitely can't run. I think I managed 10 seconds then went back to my very fast walk! I'm actually very happy watching other people on the treadmill because nine out of 10 walk on them, not run. Not being able to run is a thing!

I found running much easier when I was doing a Fiit 25 min class on the days inbetween. I really must get back into the habit of that. But 5k 2-3x per week is really good, has dropped my resting heart rate by 10 and I feel so much better than when not running.

I am a liability on a treadmill, although my experience is mostly confined to the running shoe shop.

Thanks everyone. My friends have said - is it really not any easier by now?? Whilst they’re gaily running around. It has a bit? But not massively.

I can do, and enjoy, so many other activities. I’m a strong swimmer, cycle nearly 100km a week, love strength training. But running is unpleasant and uncomfortable.

Will definitely look at yoga for runners as my ankles, feet and shins is where the problem is. I honestly don’t think I could go any slower though. I manage a five k in about 38 mins. It works be a lie to say I wouldn’t love to increase speed but mostly I’d love to just be fit or strong enough to get through it without a battle not to just give up.

My spine is slightly crooked and one leg hangs about half a centimetre lower than the other. It's caused a lot of problems and one of them is that I have dreadful plantar fasciitis. There's just no way I can run.

Oh you could go slower... I do about 47 minutes and essentially I'm listening to a podcast but happen to be moving. It is much better on soft ground for me.

You could get a physio who does runners to advise you about your legs. I got told to do one legged squats, which indeed I can barely do, as the muscles around my knees and hips are terrible.

Slow it down. Like right down. I used to say the same, just can't run more than 5, I'm dead after that - but I was always trying to get faster and faster, so of course I couldn't also increase the distance at the same time. Find a speed that allows you to go 7K. Yes it might be slower than your walking speed, so what. Then go 8, then 10 and after that, start increasing the speed again.

I get a terrible pain in my shoulder when I run! No idea why, I try stretching it out, I try to keep it loose when I run, but nothing I do makes a difference. It's very uncomfortable, so I don’t run any more 🤷‍♀️ not quite the same as you, OP, but I do think there’s sth about my frame or my joints that means running is particularly hard for me!

If you don't enjoy running but do enjoy many other things then surely just concentrate on those?
I've tried the couch to 5 a few times. I can't do it. Reasonable fitness, not overweight, can do massive hikes and bike rides. It just hurts me!

@Northernsoullover

I went for a gym induction the other day, the PT showed me the treadmill and I told him I'm never using it because I can't run. He explained that most people can but they struggle with keeping a good pace ending up going too fast. Sure enough I can run a lot longer on a treadmill than I can on a flat road. Have you tried slowing your pace? I don't think I could without the pace of the tread.

Agree with this! I can do 10 mile and half marathon runs fairly easily on the treadmill....not outside though. I live semi-rurally so lots of hills.

Slow your pace and if you watch your time/speed on a watch, stop! I found by not watching my time on my garmin/Fitbit I did far better runs. I track my runs on my phone which is in a back pocket on my leggings.

You're more likely to give up if you're not enjoying it. I hated the c25k even though its what I started with. I started and gave up after 3 weeks, 3 times before someone said to me ' just run!'. So I did.

Also, I break up all my runs with short walks, even if it's only 10/20 seconds. And change your route regularly. I got bored doing the same thing all the time, now I have about 4 different routes which I alternate.

I started C25k in October and have been running three times a week since. I have run a few 10ks, but have settled on 6-8k, with some exercises thrown in.

It has NEVER felt easy, and I have been wondering when it will. A 5k on even flat ground still feels a massive slog, even though I regularly run further than that on hilly terrain.

Keep going, it's got to be good for us, right?

I think it is definitely something with my trainers. Sometimes I get pins and needles in the tops of my feet whilst running, which is obviously really not right! I don’t wear them tightly laced either. I don’t want to run in my Vivos because I really don’t want to have to re-learn how to run in them. So I do think DH is on the right lines with these shoes he’s recommended- he’s actually a Vivo ambassador and has suggested another make for me. They’re a wide toe box, zero drop but cushioned - unlike Vivos. I’m not going to stop running until I get these other shoes but it will be interesting to see if another kind helps.

Really interesting about running slower! It’s so hard, isn’t it - being in competition with yourself. I will definitely try going a lot slower and seeing how that goes.

@PermanentTemporary absolutely there with you about leg strength. I can kind of do one legged squats because of years of strength training but DH has me doing all this stuff around reversing knee pain like Patrick steps and calf raises. Do not like them!

@GorgeousLadyofWrestling Sometimes I get pins and needles in the tops of my feet whilst running, which is obviously really not right!

When I had this I went up half a shoe size! You're feet can swell when you run which will affect circulation. I've had no problems since.

Google Niko Niko running. If you can walk more than 5K, you can niko run more than 5.

I tried c25k and gave up on week 4 when I felt something go pop in my calf. I'd only just got over the painful ankles and really begun to enjoy it. I gave it a rest and tried again but it happened quicker that time.

I used to cycle a lot and long fast cycles never hurt me a fraction as much as c25k has. I think I'm just not destined to run tbh.

I think that I come into this category - currently not fit at all (thank you lock down with baby) but when i was young and single and went to a gym at work 3 times a week before work I religiously ran 5k on the treadmill as well as other workout stuff. For a year and a half- it never got easier, I never didn't feel like I was dying and was the colour of a boiled lobster by the end. In the end I stopped (still did other gym stuff) because I concluded that I was not one of nature's runners and I didn't want to spend 3x 30 mins a week doing something i absolutely hated.