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Yaroslav M.
Yaroslav M. Sendmail

My running is getting worse!

asked about 1 year ago | Report

I weight 230 pounds and I want to do a marathon. Everything went smoothly until I reached 5+8+5+15=33 miles a week. I'm doing this pattern for the third week already and it is getting harder and harder. My average pace fell from 9.20 to 10.30 on 15 miles runs. I'm 2 weeks behind the schedule and I really don't know what is going on. Can anybody help?

Update 05/26/12: Thanks a lot, I did not expect such a great support! I'm new in long distance running but I have been doing some other sports so I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with overtraining. I think it was about heat. Today I run early in the morning, took some water and I did 17.3 miles at last. And yes, it was really slow - 10.3 min per mile. But it is going to be tough to increase this distance further. Any mental tricks?

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9 answers

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  • Rae B.
    Rae B. Sendmail

    i dont know if i have a answer for you really (i havent been running long) but when i do my long runs my pace always falls. i do a pretty average 4 miles for short runs and am at 10:15-10:30 average and when i run over 8 miles and in my 15k and HM i added almost 1-1.5 minutes. my 15k was 11:12 average pace and my HM was 12:00. I think a lot has to do with staying hydrated of course and not starting off too fast.

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • David B.PRO
    David B. Sendmail

    First, there is a lot of wisdom in getting together with a running coach, or at least a physical trainer, who can help you develop a plan that is tailor-made for your situation, your age, running base, etc. Everyone is different. Nothing beats sitting down with a flesh-and-blood person rather than surfing running sites and finding a training plan that may or may not work well for you.

    Second, there is more info for you to provide that may help someone respond to your problem. How long have you been running? Have you trained for any other events lower in mileage? Have you been keeping in shape other ways? All of these questions would be asked of you by a trainer or preferably, a running coach.

    Third, try to be patient. A schedule isn't written in stone, it is just a guideline. Are you behind in the schedule as far as getting the miles even at a slower pace, or as far as getting the miles at the pace you want?

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • Erik G.
    Erik G. Sendmail

    I agree with David. When your going through tough times running cut back on the mileage. You don't have to do 30 miles every week. Alternate your mileage 1 week run 20 the next week run 30.

    I think your just pushing yourself too hard. Don't worry about following a schedule your body will follow its own schedule.

    I also see your paces vary too much. I suggest get a HR monitor and do HR training. Its the best way to train for your first marathon.

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • Kris B.
    Kris B. Sendmail

    Sounds frustrating. Sometimes the best results come from taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Here is a good article on progression, the video on the page explains it well. Hang in there, and hope this helps!

    http://strengthrunning.com/2012/02/the-principle-of-progression-how-to-consistently-get-faster/

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • Ryan
    Ryan Sendmail

    Don't worry about pace - this is your first marathon. Also - remember that the temperatures are rising- don't underestimate the effect that even 5-10 degrees F can have on the performance of a run, especially if the sun is out.

    Also, if you are a new runner, you may not be giving yourself enough recovery time between 15 mile long runs. I know a lot of programs space out the long runs - so something like a 15 miler one weekend may be followed up with 7-8 miles the following weekend, and only the weekend after that is the long run increased from 15 miles to something like 17 miles.

    And like people said - programs are guidelines, but everyone is different. For your first marathon, I'd just worry about building up the long run - scratching mid-week runs if necessary to make sure you are rested up enough for the long run.

    Also, I agree with your paces being too erratic. Again, if you are new, don't worry about pace - make all runs easy. Worry about speedwork after you've been running for a while (like, 6 months at a minimum if you were active with previously, and more like a year if you were rather sedentary before taking on a marathon).

    When is your event?

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • Ewlan D.
    Ewlan D. Sendmail

    First, I'm impressed with the manner in which you all are answering this question. Leave it to runners to be so thoughtful. Dave is right on. I would suggest really considering your long run as a long SLOW run. You are training to be on your feet for a long period of time, enjoy the time, and don't worry too much about pace - except to keep it slow. Once you put pace aside on your long run, you will find that when you are in the marathon, your pace will be there.

    answered about 1 year ago |Report

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  • Teresa G.
    Teresa G. Sendmail

    Overtraining. Your body needs some rest. Back off to 75-50% for a week and you'll find you're performance will bounce back.

    answered 12 months ago |Report

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  • Morey B.
    Morey B. Sendmail

    hard to say exactly what the issue is. Perhaps you didn't have enough base build up before you started the program. Often in running, things go smoothly until the body begins to break down. Everyone is right- this is a typical sign of overtraining and need for recovery. The question is- why did it happen? My thought... you were probably running one or more of your runs too fast. perhaps your long run. that 15 miler should have been run at LSD pace (i.e. Long SLOW distance). Generally 1:30 to 2min slower per mile than your marathon pace. If you ran that 15 miler too fast- it could take your body 2 weeks to recover from them. But- what to do now: ease back to 75% of that mileage for a week. AND NO speed. Zone 1-2 runs only. You'll recover.

    answered 12 months ago |Report

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  • Lauren S.
    Lauren S. Sendmail

    You pace might be too fast for you to keep up with is what I would think. When you are running long distances you really should be running slowly, especially to try to do a whole marathon. This is me assuming you are a new runner. I say next time try to run at a slower pace and see how you feel afterwards or how the run feels. If its better maybe that should be your new pace.

    answered 12 months ago |Report

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