First time running Disney Princess Half

[disneygirl76]

As @Kristia said it will get easier but never easy, so don't get discouraged.

Have you tried running outside? Running on a treadmill gives you nothing to do but fixate on time and distance, when your outside you can just focus on the pace that feels right.

I do love running outside so much more. I've been on the treadmill mostly b/c I live in DC, and the weather has been terribly humid. And more then that, the air quality has been bad which really makes it hard for me to breath. I'm hoping after some rain today (it better rain anyway ) that the temp and air quality will improve and then I can go outside.

 

[dreamfinder]

Needing some encouragement. I am just not getting the stamina that I was hoping for. I was crying running on the treadmill today. Okay, and praying too. That finally this would get easier. I am going faster then when I first started. I run between 4 and 4 1/2 mph when I start at 3 1/2. I know the time will come but its the running for a long time that is getting hard. And I am not loosing any weight as I was hoping. If I could get some weight off, it would really help with the stamina. UGH. Is this a normal part of training or am I just not cut out for long distance running? I am feeling totally overwhelmed. It would be really helpful if my DH was running too but he has not become motivated in all this as I hope he would have become. Any tips and helpful hints would be greatly appreciated!

It can take a while. Some people definitely pick it up easier than others. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Most people (especially when just starting off) can't add both speed and distance at once. Normally by adding the distance and building the endurance you will naturally start to pick up speed as you progress. I don't remember if you are following a training program, but most likely at this point if you are training for a half, you would want to be slowly adding distance to your runs at a constant pace. Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile at the most. And when you do add distance, especially starting out you need to be able to repeat that distance. So if you run 3 miles this week, you want to repeat that next week, and then try for 3 1/4 the week after that. (Not those distance and time spans specifically, but you get the idea)

The weight loss will come over time. Some of it does depend on your heart rate. Yes you burn calories by simply moving, but I believe if you hit a certain heart rate zone you burn them more efficiently (suggested zones are often on the cardio equipment at the gym). And as @Kristia said, make sure you are doing some basic weights as well. Muscle helps to burn more calories even while at rest.

 

[disneygirl76]

It can take a while. Some people definitely pick it up easier than others. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Most people (especially when just starting off) can't add both speed and distance at once. Normally by adding the distance and building the endurance you will naturally start to pick up speed as you progress. I don't remember if you are following a training program, but most likely at this point if you are training for a half, you would want to be slowly adding distance to your runs at a constant pace. Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile at the most. And when you do add distance, especially starting out you need to be able to repeat that distance. So if you run 3 miles this week, you want to repeat that next week, and then try for 3 1/4 the week after that. (Not those distance and time spans specifically, but you get the idea)

The weight loss will come over time. Some of it does depend on your heart rate. Yes you burn calories by simply moving, but I believe if you hit a certain heart rate zone you burn them more efficiently (suggested zones are often on the cardio equipment at the gym). And as @Kristia said, make sure you are doing some basic weights as well. Muscle helps to burn more calories even while at rest.

Thank you so much! I followed couch 2 5 K for the beginning and now it just doesn't really feel good to run that way. So I kind of laid off. I walk when I need to but I push myself to run as much as I can. I think it was Friday, and I ran like 24 of the 30 mins. And then Sunday I ran/walk a 5 K - mostly ran. So each run, I just try to do then the run before, and run as much as possible. I think I am still anxious. Anxious that I can't do it or won't be able to. I have started to have dreams that I run. Is that normal? I run really pretty and fast in my dreams! And then I get on hit the run and i'm like a turtle through peanut butter.