Hi Everyone - have been going to the gym 5 days a week for over 10 years so would consider myself reasonably fit. I am newish to running, during the summer months I like to jog for 30 minutes on a Saturday and Sunday to get outside, more recently I entered my first 10k (start of July), I had 3 weeks to train by the time I decided to enter. I trained by running 4 times a week (following a programme I found online - albeit I had to start on the 6th week of it) and I could feel it getting slightly easier every time I went out and was really enjoying it. I completed the 10K in 59 mins and was proud I even finished it as I hadn't trained for very long. Anyway I was so motivated from the 10K that I thought I could perhaps enter a half Marathon next year and so have kept up the running, now however I am really struggling to finish even 3 miles - my legs feel as if they have no energy in them and right from the start not just the end of the run, by the end they feel like lead! I have even had to stop for a few minutes before starting again. I have been really disheartened since and every run the last 2 weeks has been much the same. What am I doing wrong?? I am due to run tomorrow again and I have to admit I am actually dreading it now. Any advice is most welcome.

Sounds like the symptoms of over training. Take it easy for a little while and see how things go.

My advise would be dont go out on your run tomorrow, rest and allow your legs to fully recover. one run isnt going to effect your fitness levels, but it will hopefully mean your able regroup and your next run you should be alot more comfortable . Like Learjet says it sounds like overtraining, so maybe if your still using the gym as well as running you should drop a gym session per week until after you have completed the half. Good Luck with the rest of your training

Maybe to much to soon , take it easy train somewere about 1 minute a mile slower than racing speed . Around 11 min / mile and see how that goes for u

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+1
It does sound like youre overtraining your 'running muscles'. Take a few days off, watch the food you eat and re-fuel properly.
Recovery days are important.

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Rest is vital as others have said. Also, I have experienced this a few times lately and part of it has been down to it being more humid or hot than I am used to, so could be a factor too...

Also psychologically, you're probably getting yourself into a negative cycle as after a few bad runs you're starting to think that's it, it's all gone wrong so this will play on your mind every time you go out (what if it happens again, oh no, here we go again).

Take a few days off and remember that easy runs and easy weeks are a crucial part of letting your body gain from the harder runs.

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Thanks everyone for your replies, much appreciated and will be taken on board.

I agree with the others -my running mentor tells me never to run on consecutive days. The running muscles get tiny tears in them which need to heal. If you feel like doing something then you can go for a walk/cycle/swim. As RRR said I have also experienced some really difficult runs recently that I have subsequently realised were due to the heat.

You can take a break of 10 days without losing fitness, so maybe you deserve a summer holiday