Advice needed! Have been running now (slowly!) for about 8 weeks. Managing to gradually increase the time I run and the past week or so have managed a couple of 20 - 23 mins runs with no stops or walking (about 1.5 miles).
The problem is that I now feel under pressure to do that length of run without walking each time - and to try to achieve or even increase the 20 mins every time I go out. Previously I was very much taking the attitude that I would just walk/run what I could and that was fine until started managing to run for a longer time without walking - now it seems that I have to keep proving to myself that I can do it. But that feels like I am putting myself under pressure and almost setting myself up for failure on a regular basis....
When I did a bit of running 2 years ago the same thing happened and it seemed that I 'peaked' at around 20 - 30 mins - even managed to get around a couple of 5ks in around 40 mins - but then it seemed I just could not improve on that and found I was getting panicky about going out because I just knew I would fail to improve or even maintain what I had achieved. In the end I lost heart completely and gave up.
As I really don't want to give up this time - I have been thinking that it might be best to go back to doing more run/walks with just an occasional attempt (once a week or less) to run for as long as I can. I have been doing this during this week and it certainly takes the pressure off mentally but will it actually move me forward in building up the distance/time I can actually run? Or is this a backward step? :worried:
Would appreciate your advice.
The problem is that I now feel under pressure to do that length of run without walking each time - and to try to achieve or even increase the 20 mins every time I go out. Previously I was very much taking the attitude that I would just walk/run what I could and that was fine until started managing to run for a longer time without walking - now it seems that I have to keep proving to myself that I can do it. But that feels like I am putting myself under pressure and almost setting myself up for failure on a regular basis....
When I did a bit of running 2 years ago the same thing happened and it seemed that I 'peaked' at around 20 - 30 mins - even managed to get around a couple of 5ks in around 40 mins - but then it seemed I just could not improve on that and found I was getting panicky about going out because I just knew I would fail to improve or even maintain what I had achieved. In the end I lost heart completely and gave up.
As I really don't want to give up this time - I have been thinking that it might be best to go back to doing more run/walks with just an occasional attempt (once a week or less) to run for as long as I can. I have been doing this during this week and it certainly takes the pressure off mentally but will it actually move me forward in building up the distance/time I can actually run? Or is this a backward step? :worried:
Would appreciate your advice.