jogging endurance

[violette]

Running to me is proving to myself that I can do it, I get a HIGH from it. I feel I can releive soo much stress and enjoy the fresh air. When I can go a longer distance without having to stop, it's a big reward. I have a few friends that always want me to go jogging with them, when I can go, we all feel like we've accomplished so much, we are so proud!!! When I can't do something, that's when I want to do it even more. I always push myself/discipline myself.

[limewave]

Do you vary your distance or do you always run an 8K?

When I get stuck in a rut, I find it helps to do some interval training around the track. Or hill repeats. Varying distance helps too. Sometimes I only go two miles and other times 10. I rarely run the same distance two times in a row.

[Bluetree]

Running is my weakest discipline because it's so hard on the joints. My coach recommended keeping a 90-strides-per-minute pace and maintaining it throughout a run. I use my swimmer's Sportcount (any stopwatch will do) and count out the number of times my right foot hits the ground in 30 sec intervals (and then double it). I measure my "cadence" every mile or so and know when to ease off or pick up the pace.
As I grew stronger running, I was found myself gradually getting faster, taking longer strides, lifting my knees up higher. My stride, however, always remained the same.

[KSH]

Running to me is proving to myself that I can do it, I get a HIGH from it. I feel I can releive soo much stress and enjoy the fresh air. When I can go a longer distance without having to stop, it's a big reward. I have a few friends that always want me to go jogging with them, when I can go, we all feel like we've accomplished so much, we are so proud!!! When I can't do something, that's when I want to do it even more. I always push myself/discipline myself.

Can I add... please don't let the stress of wanting to get faster... take away this enjoyment and love of running that you have.

Sometimes, when we get so focused on "becoming faster"... we forget WHY we are doing it... and it stops being FUN.

Always keep it fun and love doing it. So what if you can't run the fastest mile... if you can smile while you are running your mile pace?

[run it, ride it]

I agree--don't run till it's not fun anymore. I burned out, couldn't run for a year, couldn't run with a stopwatch for another. Stress exacerbates EI Asthma--do push your limits, but don't obliterate them!

If speed is too much for you to handle (I'm still not at a good mental place to do structured speed training), forget the fartleks and hill repeats and just vary the distance.

And ladies, please don't discredit yourselves for not being able to run as far or fast as you think you should. I can do 15km of hilly terrain on foot no problem, but I went on my first -real- bike ride (55km) and didn't recover for two weeks!

You're just using different muscles, that's all!