Hit a wall at 5km

8kczg9v0swrydm

Hi All

Could any of you experienced athletes help this poor soul?

I took up running around January of February of this year. I followed a couch to 5k programme, doing more or less what I was supposed to do.

I got to 5k in 30 minutes, which was great. I ran for a few more weeks and then got onto a 5k to 10k programme.

This has not went well. Again, I tried doing most things which the programme specifies, but it just became hell. The problem is that I consistently find myself with pretty much no energy left after 30 minutes of running. Moreover, the upper part of my stomach feels very uncomfortable. Recently, my legs have started to hurt. When I come home from a run, I feel like a wreck.

The trouble is this is my second time trying to do a 5k to 10k programme (the programme takes roughly 10-12 weeks). When I am running, I can feel my body giving up at around the 30 minutes mark. No matter what I try, I just cannot seem to improve my stamina past this place.

I have tried leg strengthening exercises, weight lifting, changing routes, I try not to eat for around 2 hours before the run. Nothing. It just seems like there is a wall I cannot punch through.

Any thoughts?

accensi0n

Once we come out of level 5 you'll be grand.

riffmongous

Are you doing the 5km at a steady pace? Maybe try slow it down a bit from your usual speed to try get past that barrier. I'm not much of a runner and I do find that I run 5 and 10 very differently, with 10 I slow it well down and just try to hit a very slow and steady rhythm fairly early and then just hold it.

What does your programme say? If you run out of energy at 30 mins then just walk for a bit until you can recover and start to jog again

username3

Dash Cool Memorandum wrote: »

Hi All

Could any of you experienced athletes help this poor soul?

I took up running around January of February of this year. I followed a couch to 5k programme, doing more or less what I was supposed to do.

I got to 5k in 30 minutes, which was great. I ran for a few more weeks and then got onto a 5k to 10k programme.

This has not went well. Again, I tried doing most things which the programme specifies, but it just became hell. The problem is that I consistently find myself with pretty much no energy left after 30 minutes of running. Moreover, the upper part of my stomach feels very uncomfortable. Recently, my legs have started to hurt. When I come home from a run, I feel like a wreck.

The trouble is this is my second time trying to do a 5k to 10k programme (the programme takes roughly 10-12 weeks). When I am running, I can feel my body giving up at around the 30 minutes mark. No matter what I try, I just cannot seem to improve my stamina past this place.

I have tried leg strengthening exercises, weight lifting, changing routes, I try not to eat for around 2 hours before the run. Nothing. It just seems like there is a wall I cannot punch through.

Any thoughts?

What are you eating 2 hours before run? Biggest difference in going past 5km is you now need a bit of energy stored for later in the run.
What you were eating to do your 5kms might have been just enough for 30 minutes of running, but I would increase the carbs you are eating before the run for longer runs.

RentDayBlues

I find that going beyond 5km is really mind over matter - and slowing down. I am not a runner, more a fast jogger but that’s what gets me through.

TheW1zard

I sprint 5k. Run 10 and jog anything over.
Keep your heart rate low and youll make it!

Enduro

username3 wrote: »

What are you eating 2 hours before run? Biggest difference in going past 5km is you now need a bit of energy stored for later in the run.
What you were eating to do your 5kms might have been just enough for 30 minutes of running, but I would increase the carbs you are eating before the run for longer runs.

It's highly unlikely to be an eating issue. Even burning 100% carbs would still leave you with 2 hours or so of running time. Plenty of people run much longer than 10k in a fasted state.

OP, Are you trying to run these longer runs at full pace. You need to slow down a bit to go longer, before (hopefully) the training affect kicks in and you can start to speed up over longer efforts.

average_runner

Agree with Enduro. You need to build an aerobic base. So what ever your 5k pace is per k, go 30-60 secs slower.

Run more often but slower, build a base first.

Slow_Runner

+1 on the slowing down, pace should be nice and easy (able to hold a conversation while running). Patience and consistency are key, keep running slowly and regularly and you'll see your distance and pace increase. Best of luck!

Peregrinus

I found that if I regularly ran distances around 10k my back started to act up.

I cut back down to regularly running 5k and my back has been grand ever since.

You're having a different issue, but your experience confirms my highly scientific and exhaustively-researched theory that some people are born to be middle-distance runners, and some are born to be long-distance runners.

Is there a particular reason why you want to run 10k? Maybe 5k is your distance, and you should play to your strengths?

Ceepo

Peregrinus wrote: »

I found that if I regularly ran distances around 10k my back started to act up.

I cut back down to regularly running 5k and my back has been grand ever since.

You're having a different issue, but your experience confirms my highly scientific and exhaustively-researched theory that some people are born to be middle-distance runners, and some are born to be long-distance runners.

Is there a particular reason why you want to run 10k? Maybe 5k is your distance, and you should play to your strengths?

The fact that you experienced back pain when you increased the distance probably had more to do with muscle specific endurance and your running form that whether someone is "born to be middle distance or a long distance runner"

Muppet Man

Slow down your 10k's!
Dont under estimate the power of even a light head wind or small hills on tired legs.
Your current plan should include speed sessions - something like ?x400 meters or Pyramid sessions. These should be tough sessions that hurt a little. Speed builds strength and endurance.

RurtBeynolds

Sounds like you're trying to run 10k at your 5k pace.

average_runner

Peregrinus wrote: »

I found that if I regularly ran distances around 10k my back started to act up.

I cut back down to regularly running 5k and my back has been grand ever since.

You're having a different issue, but your experience confirms my highly scientific and exhaustively-researched theory that some people are born to be middle-distance runners, and some are born to be long-distance runners.

Is there a particular reason why you want to run 10k? Maybe 5k is your distance, and you should play to your strengths?

And you will probably see this back issue more when u get older. So better to strengthen your core and go tona physio. Back pain could be a result of hamstrings also

SnappyDresser

As someone who has run races from 5k to marathon and long mountain runs I am now back in the school of only racing 5k. Reason being that an all out 5k is very hard, taxes the heart and lungs strongly and leads to great fitness and relatively quick recovery. Especially as we age it makes sense not to do longer stuff, it just does not seem worth it as we grow older. I know its fashionable to go longer and longer but really being able to race 5k at a good clip might be all you need - perhaps going longer is not really worth it unless you have desire to do say a marathon. Just my 2 cents worth.

theoneeyedman

Here's my tuppence worth.....

OP, there is no reason you can't run 10k if you can run 5, it just takes twice as long!! I did the C25k and the 5 to 10k in 2019,and tbh if I can do it, anyone can.

I think.... and I have no specific training or knowledge really, is that you need to get used to burning energy at whatever level for an hour or so. Might be at a brisk walk or something, but I'd advise getting the body used to exercising for that time, getting the heart rate up and keeping going. A big part of the C25k is moving at whatever speed for like 34/50 minutes, building from a 30 seconds jog to much longer.

I think you need to take this attitude to the 5 to 10k too. Try mixing the jogging and a brisk walk and keep going continuously for 60/70 minutes. I know the 5 to 10 k isn't much different to that anyway, but take your time and you'll get there.

Personally, I started from zero, walking for about an hour or more a few times a week, got bored and started jogging and doing the C25k and progressed from there....now regularly run 50 or 60k per week, and believe me when I say I'm coming from a very low fitness base just over 18 months ago.

Keep going, take it slow, build it up, and don't worry about it, you'll get there, but KEEP GOING and ENJOY IT!!!

echancrure

theoneeyedman wrote: »

OP, there is no reason you can't run 10k if you can run 5, it just takes twice as long!!

No.
That's exactly the problem: it does not take twice as long.
It will take longer because you must slow down from the start as many have pointed out.

Omega28

Slow down. I repeat, SLOW DOWN.

Dead slow 7-9min/km pace.

backofthepack

Omega28 wrote: »

Slow down. I repeat, SLOW DOWN.

Dead slow 7-9min/km pace.

I agree, slow slow slow, aim to increase your moving time, be that running, jogging, walking, so next time run your 5km a bit slower, if you need to stop then walk for a few mins, then try and jog a little, even half a km, and extend a little each time.

But slow down.

py

This video is worth a watch. Some useful terminology within.

8kczg9v0swrydm

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

I slowed down my running and everything fell into place. I was able to run approx. 10 km both Sunday and today - with my speed significantly reduced. I suppose I never paced myself, I was just baeatin' on and ran out of breath and energy fairly soon thereafter.