Always question, questions and more questions, but here it is !

I have always suffered whilst running the first mile, it's the same if run a 2-3 miler or 6-8 miles. After approx a mile or so things seem to settle down and I enjoy the rest of the distance that I am running but during the first mile I feel 'wooden legged', out of breath etc, almost 'man flu' :eek: symptons.

Is this something other people suffer with, I had assumed as I progressed with my running it would go away, runners blues if you like, but this has not been the case.

This is natural Granty, I always think I'm gonna have a bad race after the first mile cause I feel a bit out of breath and leggy. Once I get in to a rhythm though that soon subsides. Generally I find it takes me at least 15 mins into a 10k before I'm settled.

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I get this all the time, especially if I'm running in a nearby park. I run a five mile loop around the loch and the first mile is totally open so you can see the other side clearly. I start to feel down, because I can see how far I've got to go. I get it on other runs, but not as bad.

I'll need to start getting over it, as I'm starting training for my first half marathon soon.

I find that it takes my heart rate most of the 1st mile before it becomes fairly consistant.
It's always easy to start off too quickly and I suppose partly because of this it gives a bit of a shock to the system.I don't always warm up enough and this probably contributes to the heavy legged feeling that I sometimes experience.

I feel the same if I start off too quickly, I always try and remember to start off slow which nearly always helps. But some days you don't want to start off slow because you feel that you could go like a whippet

Your lucky it takes me two to three miles to get going, longer on a SUnday morning

Thankyou all once again, I find it reassuring that others have the same experience starting off, I have now started running with a couple of mates and neither have ever complained of this. I'm guessing they are suffering in silence so as not to be the 1st to admit it.!!

so glad to read all of the above...I thought it was just me!!!! and kept thinking that I was so unfit.....sometimes my legs feel like lead weights and I wonder how i'm going to make it but as you say Dan once you get into a rhythm Its fine.....

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NELLIE

It always takes me 10-15 minutes for my muscles to warm up so I'm usually a little stiff legged and slightly more breathless for the first mile - its generally worse if I'm running with someone else as I always try a little bit harder.

It's not really the first mile with me; more the "getting out of the door"! I need to have a reason...ie meeting someone for a run, it's club night, training for a race. If there's no reason as such I will often just decide to be lardy or use the gym instead rather than pound the roads. If I do that for too long though I get another reason to run....the scales!