Can anyone help me with my running? I have ground to an unexpected halt!

[clary]

Bit of background - I have been a runner for years, really a 10k runner but have done a few halfs as well. I have run regularly (3-4x a week) for at least 12 years and run daily for the last 3 or so. I also swim and latterly do a daily yoga practice. So I would say I was fit but not ludicrously so. I am a slowish runner (55min is my 10k pb, I swim a mile in about 45 mins).

So here is the issue - over the last while (six months? not sure really) I have really really struggled with distance. I am barely able to run 5k without having to stop - out of breath or just exhausted. Stamina for swimming seems to be OK as in, I can still swim my 1K-1-mile distance.

What is wrong and what can I do? I have agreed to do a 10k with a friend in about a month's time - she is not super fast and normally this would not be an issue but I am genuinely worried I won't get round?

I haven't done any races for a while due to Covid obvs; the last 10k I did was about 2.5 years ago now. But in lockdown I was running 7-8 k no worries.

Three things: 1) I have put on weight (lots of reasons, comfort eating due to other issues in my life, v sedentary job that moved to wfh, stopped doing 5:2) 2) I am post-menopausal (but that is not very new) and 3) I had Covid in the summer but not badly, one day in bed is all.

Anyone got any great tips for improving my stamina? Should I be eating more pasta or going to bed at 10pm every night? Would love you thoughts, TIA

Givng you a bump as I am interested.....

Answer me ? It may help move it along!

You’ve pretty much described me and my situation @clary, although I don’t run daily or do yoga., I wouldn’t knock your 10k and 1 mile swim times though, I’d be pleased with them! My 10k pb was 1:01.

I’m wondering if some 1:1 coaching might help. A losing weight of course.

yy losing weight is going to help I imagine. To be fair to me tho, I have been this wight before (ish) and still managed to run a decent distance.

sorry I was not reverse boasting about my 10k times; I was very pleased with 55mins too :D but I didn't want anyone to think I was some super-fast athlete just because I exercise regularly. I am not and never have been; but I was able to run for a decent while and now seemingly I cannot. I struggled round 4k this morning.

I am startign to wonder if it may be related to the Covid but I was really not that unwell and had no breathing issues with it at all.

How are your iron levels? I struggled with stamina when I got borderline anaemic, so now I take an iron supplement (and try to make sure I get decent sleep - not always easy!) and that seems to have improved things.

I was going to say get your iron checked too - sounds very similar to me when mine was low….

Rest! Running every day is a recipe for disaster, your body gets stronger and fitter from rest… as this is when it recovers. I’d take a few weeks off, just do the gentle yoga, then ease back in. Don’t do more than 4 or 5 runs a week.

I’m a cyclist (I race). I’ve been cycling yonks. I’d never dream of cycling daily. At the most I might ride 6 days a week. I also do two - three weeks, getting progressively more difficult, then a recovery week. It’s so important to factor easier weeks in, as well as rest days. I also take several weeks off every 6 months or so. I’ve never lost fitness… just got progressively stronger.

I am not an expert, but I would start with not running daily. I think your body needs to recover between days and at least 2 rest days a week should help.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep.
Then I would suggest following a running plan, including a couple of shorter, faster runs and a longer run once a week.
Finally, running is such a mental game and sometimes when you convince yourself you are struggling it’s a self fulfilling prophecy, perhaps some positive thinking/ or motivational music will help?

I'm wondering if it's the weight gain. It's so much harder to run when you're carrying more than usual. After my DD was born I still had 3st of baby weight to lose, and running was incredibly difficult - I felt leaden, tired, and rather like I was carrying a huge sack of rocks on my back. But once I shifted it I ended up faster than I was before (5k PB went from 23 mins to 20 mins!)

I would cut your running back to 4x a week rather than daily, and do something else that gets the heart rate up on the other days - spinning is great, I find, for replicating the sprint feeling of a fast run. Or even just your yoga or a walk.

Combine that with decent sleep, and a balanced diet, and hopefully the weight should shift and you'll get a bit pacier again.

I put on a stone and lost 10mins off my 5k pace

Weight is horrendous for running pace. Every now and then I pick up a big bag of potatoes and think that's how my body feels

I think weights & improving your core strength would help. I agree that running everyday isn’t necessary, you need to rest especially when you aren’t 20.

Good advice all, thanks.

I do need to lose the weight - you are right, it is as if I am carrying around a massive bag of potatoes - bound to make it harder.

I will look at getting my iron checked too; that has been an issue before but stupidly bc I no longer have periods I dismissed it as a possibility, but of course it could still be a problem.

Will try to scale down to a couple of my runs being very short and that might give me the impetus to make a couple of them seriously longer, thanks :)

Also get B12 levels checked. I felt like I was running through treacle, exhausted, couldn’t get my breath. B12 was really low. I had 6 injections over 2 weeks and I was back to normal. I have an injection every 12 weeks now.

Thyroid? I'm very similar to you in terms of running ability but I recently started to struggle and gained weight. Turns out I've got an underactive thyroid.

Running daily
That will be a contributing factor

Sounds a bit like overtraining - Google symptoms

Sort out diet
Have two rest days
Introduce some routes

New routes

Look at your nutrition. Have you tried taking an energy gel or similar with you on your run?

@MooseBeTimeForSnow

Look at your nutrition. Have you tried taking an energy gel or similar with you on your run?

No need for this distance If you are needing for this distance Then you shouldn’t be running this distance

I agree with checking iron etc, are you fatigued in other ways? Or have you had Covid / virus and recovering?

Have a look at your diet, you can still be depleted in essential vitamins and minerals even if you’re eating more / gaining weight.

I’m not in a dissimilar position. I’ve run several marathons, half’s etc. 10km PB is 52mins but currently a 5km is daunting. I’m not eating well, don’t have a lot of energy or motivation and have found running a bit boring!!

Thanks, will get B12 checked. I have an underactive thyroid and take thyroxine and blood test to check the levels v recently was fine, so it's not that.

Those who say don't run daily - I hear you but I love my running so much. I have run daily for years and this issue is a recent one. I take a multi vitamin but will look at iron and B12 above that, thanks.

Can't eat or drink when I run btw, makes me feel sick and always has. Agree shouldn't need to drink or eat on a 5k run fgs. (the fgs is to me btw)

* I am barely able to run 5k without having to stop - out of breath or just exhausted*

That is not my idea of an enjoyable run. But each to their own

Yep agree with all the posts above:

Lose weight
Get iron and b12 checked
Stop running every day - think quality not quantity.
Add in hill and speed work for stamina.
It may well be from covid - worth seeing a doctor.
Also do you have asthma - maybe you suddenly do if you are out of breath when doing something you could previously do.

Good luck!