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Hello everyone

I'm new here today, I have been doing this ap for a few weeks now at the gym and was comfortably albeit pathetically slowly doing week 2. On Wednesday I did my first outside run and plugged in week 2 and was really shocked at how hard it was, I barely completed any of the minute and a half runs at all and missed out run 3 altogether through embarrassment when a woman appeared with her dog.

This morning i got up before the dog walkers and did run 1 week 1 which honestly is more appropriate, and I almost did it completely I lapsed a bit in the last 3 runs.

I'm not bothered about repeating weeks it's been 15 years since I did any exercise and my BMI just dips into the obese category so I'm under no illusions it's going to take a while and I've lost a stone already, but I have a couple of questions:

Why is outdoors running so much harder, I live in a very flat area and does this difference sound normal.

And what should I do next time I go to the gym, try week 2 or try and increase speed on week 1?

Despite not being brilliant though I did really enjoy this mornings run which included seeing a kingfisher and disturbing a pheasant.

D x

Hi digbycat , don't worry to much about it being tough at first , I completed this app back in Nov last year and remember the first runs being the hardest . I did all my runs outside bar the odd one when the weather didn't allow , I did this for the very reason you said its harder outside and I wanted to challenge myself , why is it harder you asked , simple really when you run on a treadmill your not exposed to the weather , wins , rain etc also you will find the treadmill is doing some of the work for you as its basically a moving road which you don't get obviously outside its just your leg movement keeping you moving . So I'd say do as many runs outside as poss , forget what anyone else thinks , your doing this for you and should be proud of yourself for getting out there and doing it so well done you . Finally you will find it hard at first most of us have so just really take your time nice and gentle pace don't worry how slow your going and even repeat weeks if you don't feel ready to step upto the next week , good luck and I hope this helps ,
Carl

I feel your pain. I have done all my runs on a treadmill except for one run in week four. It was very tough, and hot, and well just tough. My suggestion for the treadmill is to set your incline up between 1 and 3 to simulate an outdoor run. I keep mine at 1 because I thought that was all I needed to do but I just read (I think on the forum somewhere) that an incline of 3 is more appropriate to simulate outside running. I do like the treadmill because I can control my pace better. Outside I felt like i was one step away from walking. On the treadmill I fluctuate in pace but I feel better knowing what my pace is. I might have some control issues. lol

Oh, and I am going to try to more runs outside. I want to be an outdoor runner and at this point (I just completed week 4) the treadmill is BORING!

Thank you both for your replies, I also want to be an outdoor runner so my intention now is to try and do 2 outdoor runs a week and one gym one - I like the gym mainly because I can do 1/2 mile in the pool afterwards.

Thank you also for the treadmill advise I think I will start to add an incline but keep to week 1 for a bit. I can also try and increase my speed.


D x