Please help me as I am not sure where to go from here!

[Fitterbyfifty]

Hello everyone. I am going round and round in circles reading running articles so I would love it if anyone has the time to advise me on what's the best course of action. Sorry it's a bit long!

Background: I am in my late forties and up until a year and a half ago I hadn't done any real exercise since school although I walk everywhere. First wake up call was when I was spectating a badly-managed sports event and there was almost a crush in the crowd. People were climbing over the barriers to avoid getting squashed and I couldn't lift my leg up to get over it!! Luckily someone offered to help me. Lockdown was a second wake up call - after months of not moving at all I was shocked at how unfit I was. I literally couldn't run for the bus - or easily crouch down to retrieve things from under the wardrobe etc. I did C25K and amazingly started to like running. I decided that by the time I turn fifty I would like to be fitter. To that end I have started doing 20 minutes of yoga a day and running 4km 2 or 3 times a week.

The problem: after the initial success of actually completing C25K I am not actually improving! I am really quite slow (1km in 7:30 minutes more or less). I still find it hard - I definitely can't chat and run like many of the faster and older runners I see do. The yoga is helping with core strength but I am still quite puny! After running I am as red as a beetroot and people actually stop me to ask me if I am ok.

If anyone has any suggestions for running or anything else I should do I would be very grateful!

TLDR: I am almost fifty and not fit despite running regularly - what else to do?

Bonus question: I don't have a fitbit or anything like that but I do have a birthday coming up - costly gimmick or useful tool?

Thanks

I have just finished C25K for about the fifth time and I'm doing 1km in 7 minutes so not much faster than you. I'm 50 and walk my dog plus I do 2 exercise classes a week.
To be honest regarding the jogging I'm just proud that I can do it and if I don't get faster I'm ok with that. It's better to stay fit and not injure yourself than push yourself too hard.
I certainly can't chat when I run and to be honest I prefer running by myself so I can go at my own pace. I always listen to music and actually enjoy it.

Perhaps try adding some intervals into your run.

Firstly there is nothing wrong with being slow. Running slowly is a million times better than not running. If you want to get faster though you have to push it. Do some sprints while you are running, or run up some hills. You basically have to make it hurt a bit to get faster.

You either need to increase distance or do sprint training. So on one run a week, warm up by jogging for a while and then spend the next km or so sprinting then jogging for a set time/distance same as you did for C25K but you were doing walking/jogging then. Then jog to the end of your run to cool down. Make sure your technique is good as well, it can make you soooo much faster with a couple of tweaks. I'm not sure where you are at with yoga but more body strength training may help too. The going red thing could be a genetic thing. I always look like a beetroot when I've finished any exercise as my face flushes easily. On the other hand OH and his sister can be doubled over gasping for breath yet if you looked at their face they look like they've been for a gentle country stroll.

Maybe look to up your distance rather than aim to get quicker? Add another half a km onto your next run and go from there, you may well find that as you run further your 5km time will get quicker!

Some form of running watch is a good thing IMO, I like to know exactly how far I've gone and I can track my progress.

Why do you feel like you need to go quicker? If you're running at a pace you're comfortable with there is no need to change it. I'd be more inclined to increase my distance than speed and if you are struggling, you can drop in a minute or two of walking. I also go bright red and sweaty when I work out but I don't think theres much you can do to stop that.

Adding a weights session into your week will do you good long term - so buy some weights for your birthday

Intervals has already been suggested

But also don't worry so much , just try to have fun . It's the doing that matters not the how well you perform

disclaimer: I’m unfit at the moment so I understand if you take others advice more!

Agree that it doesn’t matter how fast you run. Just doing it is great! Well done for keeping going.

Things that could help:
Swimming. I find that swimming gets me feeling worked out in a way nothing else does. I worked up to 1km (40 lengths of standard pool) as that was as much as I could fit into a (longer) lunch break. It’s knackering, my heart rate would be high the whole time yet I didn’t ache afterwards.

Have hills in your running route. I guess this is similar to interval training in that it’s about varying things. I don’t run, I tried C25K 3 times but my knee always played up on week 7. But to get fit I did go on walks and vary my pace a lot, I had a 8km route that involved a lot of hills that I worked up to doing in an hour. And depending how much of a workout I wanted I’d scamper in different parts (run sounds like there was a style there that there really wasn’t!). So I worked up to being able to ‘scamper’ up the whole big hill of the walk without stopping. Some days I’d mix it up and walk different parts. Some days I’d do scouts pace the whole time. Often it would depend when I saw someone! Some days I’d do on it heart rate - keeping my heart rate above x the whole way, or above x for 10 mins then above y for 10, then x for 10, etc.

Which brings onto my next point. Heart rate monitors are useful. Yes they’re a bit gimmicky (unless you’re training seriously) but it’s another tool and can help you realise that you are getting fitter!

I would forget about running a s focus on weights. Weights along with brisk walking is all you need.

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try the hills (live near some big ones which I generally avoid!) and add in some weights. I know it's not essential to get fast but I feel so ploddy at the moment that I'd like to!

Join a running club? You'll be with others doing intervals of some sort which will get you quicker, plus running with others is also motivating (assuming the group has a good mix and inclusive ethos which most do)

I looked into running clubs but I really need to run in the mornings and they all meet in the evenings when I'm at work.

Mixing up the running is helpful.
First, gradually make one run longer to improve stamina. That can stay slow.

Add in some shorter, varied runs with hills/ intervals/ mixed paces.

There are C25k+ podcasts, Speed, Stepping Stone and Stamina. These are a good intro to being talked through different paces. It's 8 years since I completed C25k, and I still use those podcasts to help me focus.

Today I did some intervals up a hill. 😳 I felt like I was dying! Next time hill or intervals I think!

😅

I would focus on consistency and building your aerobic base at a comfortable pace first.

Intervals have been suggested, as have hill repeats, which are basically intervals on a hill!

If you are new to intervals, then I would keep them short to begin with.

For example, if you are doing strides then only do 15 seconds at a time and recover for 90 seconds or however long it takes you to get back to your starting point by jogging or walking. You don't have to do many at a time and it can towards the end of a longer run.

It's a shame that you can't join any running clubs as it sounds like what you need.

I think you just need to run a bit more and build up a good aerobic base - 4km twice a week is not enough to see improvement, you say you run 2-3 times, could you up it to 3 - 4 times and up the distance initially to 5km, then maybe stretch one run an extra km or so gradually.
Intervals are great, but I don’t think you need to do them to get faster yet, just running at a pace you are comfortable at consistently and a bit more often will lead to fitness gains and you will get faster.