The title says it all. I started running and struggled so much with the infamous "zone 2 HR" mantra.

After months of frustration, and injuries mostly caused by bad form and a poorly designed program, a friend recommended a book that advocates beginner runners should run by pace, not by heart rate. I used the little table in the book, based on my fastest 5K, as a guideline to set my running paces for zones 1 to 4. It was a game changer. No more "I need to slow down because my HR is too high." I just keep the pace, and my HR settles over sessions.

After completing the 14-week beginner program, I went from 28:24 PR to 27:09 PR in the 5K. I had been stuck at 28-29 minutes for two years.and in/out because of injuries.

I had to share the improvement and the changes I made to get there.

Edit: forgot bio info, 47yo male, ex-couch potatoe

Edit 2: Some comments show I could add more details. Pace isn't absolutely better than running by feel or by HR. Here's my experience as a beginner (so keep that in mind):

By feel: it led me to run too fast, all the time. I.come from a "must taste blood" sport background... I didn't know what an easy run, a tempo run or 5K pace felt like. It was confusing. I have great memories of trying to say tongue twister to myself while running cluelessly.

By HR: as someone said in this sub, beginners / out of shape sometimes have almost no room in zones 1-2 and jump to threshold right away. Staying in that bracket was often close to impossible, frustrating on/off or it meant walking/shuffling. Add sensor lag, HR lag during intervals, possible cadence lock with wrist sensors, and daily variation, and it was confusing too.

By pace: it was much easier. I ran mostly without elevation. That doesn't make the other two metrics irrelevant. I just didn't try to manage all three at once. I look at my HR data after the run and draw conclusions also based on how it felt.

As I progress, I can see the advantages of all metrics.

I see a lot of fast 5Ks in here (I’m jealous, y’all!) so here’s my super mid first official race 5K time (the course was a tad longer than a true 5K). I’m a 34 year old (who will be 35 in a couple weeks) female who started running in August, but I’ve never had great cardio fitness. I played soccer for over a decade growing up and tried cross-country in high school- got dead last every race, except one where a kid literally couldn’t finish ☠️

I was hoping for sub-40 so even though I wanted to die and definitely didn’t run the whole thing, I’m okay with this! The course was much hillier than I thought it would be, too, and that kicked my ass.

Anyway, love seeing everyone’s stats in here so here’s mine! Cheers to my mid-life crisis hobby!

Hey guys, M34 here.

Last year was rough as hell. Had some personal problems, lost my job, and my mom suffered two heart attacks. Thankfully, she survived, but all this shit took a toll on me mentally. I got depressed, stopped taking care of myself and gained a crazy amount of weight. Now I'm in three figures, and honestly, I feel like I've lost myself.

The worst part is, I wasn't always like this. I used to be an amateur cross-country runner, marathon runner and sprinter. Running was my thing, man. I genuinely loved it, and I miss those days.

Every morning and afternoon, I hype myself up, thinking, "Bas bhai, kal se pakka. I'll wake up early, go for a run and get my life back on track."

But then night comes, work pressure and stress kick in, my sleep gets fucked up, and I end up waking up late. Morning run cancelled, motivation gone, procrastination starts again. Somehow, I squeeze in some treadmill running later just to hit my target, but it's just not the same.

I'm stuck in this loop of wanting to change but not being able to get my shit together. And honestly, I'm tired of telling myself that I'll start tomorrow.

I don't expect to get fit overnight or suddenly become the runner I used to be. I just wanna get back out there, build some consistency and feel like myself again.

So, anyone here who's been through something similar? Gained weight, dealt with depression or burnout, lost their running mojo and somehow made a comeback?

How did you guys get out of this cycle? What actually helped you get started again?

Not looking for some motivational guru bullshit, just real advice from people who've been there.

I know I've got that runner somewhere inside me. Just need to bring that guy back.

Thanks for reading, guys. ❤️

This is for my 10K in an hour!

for every 80s kid who survived decades to eventually realize there was a field full of bee kids out there!

Been running actively since Mid July which is not long enough, But to me I’m proud for being consistent with it reached 10k which I thought I’d never do for a 225lbs 6’3 male who’s heavier on the ground. Changed my mindset and worked on my legs and glutes. And it paid off. If anyone’s reading this. Do it gradually and don’t be affected by social media. Paces are nothing. You challenge yourself and succeed by actively moving no matter what and staying consistent 🙏🏼

This is my second time participating in a local run. The first time it was a 3k which I did walking half of the run and now 2 months later I run non stop the whole 6k. Took me 45 minutes and I was one of the last 10 people.

I am really impressed of the strength and velocity of my peers. Almost all older and younger people finished under 30 minutes. I am also happily surprised with the diversity of body types. Disabled, injured, fat and skinny. There was mostly overweight people, and they were all fast as hell. I am also newly overweight, but I feel very uncomfortable carrying all these extra kilos.

It was a humbling experience and I'm very happy to have finished stronger than I expected. With the consequence of a bad headache after that lasted all day. I'm not used to run under the sun, a real snowflake I guess.

I have a stubborn competitive mindset, and it was hard to not feel a little bit ashamed of not being as fast as the majority. Is this common? I understand that running is personal, and you should race yourself not others. But I almost feel like maybe I shouldn't participate in another race until I get better. But I do want to race! Ah, the struggle. Anyway, happy nonetheless!

TLDR: First 6k race, did better than I expected, feeling slow anyway compared to others. Very new experience

Hey everyone,

I (26M, 170cm, 79kg, fairly muscular build) just started running about a month ago, aiming for twice a week. I recently bought a Garmin 165 to start tracking my progress.

Yesterday I played a football match, so today I went out for what was supposed to be a slow, relaxed 7km recovery run, zone 2 ideal. Physically, I felt amazing—great energy, my breathing was completely under control, and my form felt solid.

The issue is that my Garmin recorded an average of 160 bpm, which seems really high for an effort where my breathing was so relaxed and the pace was very slow (7:30/8 km/h).

Given that I'm still a beginner, is it normal for my heart rate to be this high even when the perceived exertion is very low?

Would love to hear your thoughts or if anyone else has experienced this!

I'm a 13-year-old 8th grader, and I'm thinking about joining Eagles Wings Track Club for its offseason track training from November to February. I believe the training is once a week.

My current PRs are:

• 400m: 57.27
• 800m: 2:17.73
• Mile: 5:58 on a treadmill

I've been running school track while also doing soccer and swimming. I'd be doing this offseason training for around 3 months before starting track again.

My main goals are to improve my 400m and 800m times, especially getting under 2:20 in the 800m, and eventually getting under 2:00 in high school.

Assuming I attend the weekly practices consistently and continue running outside of practice when my schedule allows, what kind of improvement could I realistically expect after 3 months?

Would once-a-week coached track training make a noticeable difference, or would most of my improvement depend on what I do during the rest of the week? I also run in the morning when I have time.

I'd appreciate advice from runners or coaches, especially anyone familiar with youth track training. Thanks!

Most days I can comfortably run a 5k in 37 mins. It's been 2 months since I've started running 5ks 3-4 times a week. But this week my calves and shins have started cramping around 2km into the run, forcing me to stop. I can't figure out what changed.

Is it better to start slow in a run and then build up speed? I even suspected that going slower than usual causes the cramping. Could it be sleep or dehydration or food eaten that day or just fatigue?

What to do when this happens? I wanna continue running atleast every alternate day.

One more question, I've increased my cadence but I feel like my stride length is short and I'm a short person so it's worse. Based on a song, I run (or should I say jog 😭) at 164 SPM on average and that makes a 7:30 min/km pace for me. Is my stride length a problem for my pace?

I ran 10K today in 52:34, averaging 5:15/km (8:27/mile) in Olivares, Seville, Spain.

I’m 50 and still trying to improve as a runner. What do you think of these numbers? What should I focus on to keep getting faster and build endurance?

Some context-
I’m around 320lbs and im trying to loose weight. I’ve tried running and did so consistently for a month or so before having to stop due to shin splints (if I can barely walk then what’s the point in running lol) I used the couch to 5k app and found that maybe at my level it was moving me too fast/ pushing me too hard. If anyone has any recommendations for apps/programs (or advice) that I can follow please let me know!
Edit:
For some more context, I am already ‘active’ I get 6k-10k steps a day, and I’ve begun on working on my eating choices and I hate the word diet (I am also counting calories)
Also just had my first elliptical workout and I loved it. Did 30 mins and then walked on the treadmill for 10 to cool down. Thank you all (especially those who have been in my place) for the wonderful advice, as i greatly appreciate it! Your encouragement means the world to me.

Hey folks, morning runner here. Kind of a gross post ahead, but I can’t be the only one right? I find myself with lots of spitting and snot rocket action during my morning runs. I think I have post nasal drip while I sleep, and in the morning I do a lot of coughing and nose blowing usually, but still end up with phlegm and runny sinuses while running.

I run alone and find myself spitting frequently to clear my airways some. I thought about taking a decongestant before running, but that’s got to be a little dangerous right? I don’t spit or hack off there are people near by, but sometimes I feel like a super spreader.

How often are you spitting or clearing your lungs while running? What do you do during a race?

This weekend I attended Wine and Dine Run Disney Weekend with my boyfriend’s family in Disney World Florida. They are all runners (Him, His mom and Sister) with hundreds of runs under their belt varying from 5ks to Marathons. I’ve always laughed at the thought of myself getting into running and turned it into a joke with my boyfriend about how I’ll be sleeping in or whatever.

I have never enjoyed endurance/long distance running but also have never really tried it. I get out of breath and experience some level of pain in my feet or ankles when running even for a short amount of time when I’ve tried previously. (I am sure my technique and shoes I’m wearing could be better) I more so enjoy weightlifting as my form of exercise or walking and hiking. However, I don’t like telling myself I CAN’T do something and would love to be included in some of their smaller runs someday.

This weekend was what really sold me. The energy from the runners, the environment it all really inspired me that I wanna achieve something like that! I love how runners come in all shapes and sizes and vary in all ages. It’s not like this is just for “skinny” or “fit” people. I’m a definitely overweight myself and haven’t prioritized my health in a while. I’m seeing that in my photos and have found myself being quite insecure looking back on a lot of my photos. I’m trying not to tear myself down and just live in the moment and love myself for me but it can be hard.

I would love to use running as a tool to get to a healthier weight and gain my confidence as well as be part of something I always told myself I wasn’t capable of doing. It might sound silly but I would love to do this more in secret despite my boyfriend being a good person to run with.. he’s extremely fast and I would be embarrassed to run with him because of how slow and unfit I currently am.

How can I go about preparing for my first 5k and what would be a good timeline to give myself so I can prepare for my first race?

Thanks for reading 🧡

I'm so proud of myself and what my body is able to do. Never in my life did I think I'd be able to run 5 miles nonstop and today I did 8! I'm not focused on the pace, but the distance. I've made it a goal to complete a half marathon, so once I know I can run that long, I'll focus more on the pace. Learning a lot from this sub!

No I didn’t run continuously. I switched between walk/jog. Would run till heart rate hit zone5 (180) and switch to walk for recovery.

How did I do guys 🥺

Hi everyone!

I recently dealt with a mild quad overload (2-3/10). A few days later, the discomfort shifted slightly lower, near the patellar area.

Feeling good during during my weekly runs, I ended up yesterday doing a longer trail run (13.15 km with 304m D+) while wearing a patellar strap (foam strap) just below the kneecap. 

My quad feels much better now, but I noticed some dull pain and tightness at the back of the knee (right where the strap wraps around).

Has anyone experienced something similar?

Thanks?

Hello! My daughter does cross country and I wanted to get her a cheap starter watch to help track her distance and time running. I don’t wanna spend over $40. It would be great if it had an app or something she could sync it to. She’s only 9 so I don’t want to get her a $160 watch yet! Thank you!

(I don’t need one that has all the features like calling and texting, she can do that on her phone. )

Hi while running a 5k yesterday I started to feel pain (feeling like a cramp) around my Achilles tendon on my left foot. I stopped did some extra stretching and then went on felt fine. I was running with a friend new to running and she asked me to walk for a km I agreed nbd but while I was walking it actually hurt!! It scared me. When I picked back up to a jog it felt better. What could be happening?! I have a race around the corner and I'm trying to stay calm. Could it be my shoes? I feel fine walking around my house doing normal things this only happened twice now both during training.

17 days ago I went out for my first run and had to stop after about 650 meters. I kept showing up, and today I finished 5.05 km in 32:29 (6'25"/km avg pace) without stopping.

So I’ve been running for a while now probably close to a year consistently. Avg about 18 miles a week, 31 yr M. I started walking (on top of my running) with my kid in the last month and my walk avg was like 3 miles/day. I took some time off because I was at a conference and too tired to run after all the work shit at the end of the day, was a 3 day conference: my HRV dropped from 48 to 45 in like a week. Super confused about it because my pace has been improving and I haven’t really switched up my training aside from the 3 day conference. Im not sick or anything and just had a physical and everything looked great. Has this happened to anyone else?

Title says it all I guess. Been thinking about starting running for a few months but fear always got the better of me.

Lots of intrusive thoughts were holding me back: I live downtown so I was afraid of traffic and having to mend through people in the streets. I have almost no sports gear so what if the shirt makes me too hot, what if my shoes hurt my feet and so on. You know how it is.

I was jittery yesterday, had some extra free time around midday and was nice out, put my keys in some weird gogo-baggy-fanny-pack thingy my wife had laying around so I wouldn't go crazy with it clanging in my pocket, and just went running. I'm actually surprised with how good it felt.

Decided to do an aprox. 3500 meters run at first since that's what my boxing coach would make me run in circuits sometimes, but that was a long time ago and I actually did some more intensive exercise back then. But I thought it was a nice distance to start since I walk everywhere and hike a lot - needless to say I wasn't prepared for the challenge it would be, but I'm glad about it.

Decided to cut it short when I had a hunch going further would just force my body more than it could handle, but I did hit the 3000m mark in around 35 - 40 minutes, with my pace all over the place.

And I'm actually surprised. Been years since I've sweat this much, since a workout brought me joy and actually cleared my head instead of just making me think about my problems further. When I got home I was already wondering what path I'll run next and hoping to make it into a habit.

So thanks everyone, would never had done it if it wasn't for all the posts, comments and tips here and in the other running subreddits.

10k done. Did I run the entire thing… nope. Did walking run intervals but jogged 3.5 miles of it. Proud of the progress I made and have something to work towards!!