running after hiatus

[ebeth]

aka: how long will it take me to get my endurance back up after slacking for like 3 months?

anyone have any experience returning to running after a long break?

since october I have not been running or working out very consistently. we're talking 10-15 mpw with some half assed cross training thrown in.  I have a half marathon in March that I need to get prepared for (started training a couple of weeks ago).  in the meantime, I'm really discouraged about the hit this hiatus has taken on my endurance. I know it's my own fault and I needed a break (prob not three months. . . details, details) and all that but 40 min on the TM last night with speed intervals felt SO HARD.  I know it will get better, easier, and suck less but any estimates on WHEN that might happen? how patient do I have to be?

additional info: I'm a pretty healthy runner.  never been sidelined for more than a week due to injury/pain and I routinely and blatantly disregard the 10% rule w/o consequence.

[clseale]

In my experience, no more than a few weeks. I am consistently surprised with how quickly my endurance & speed return. You'll be fine.

ETA: Running on the TM is ALWAYS difficult for me. The effort vs running on the road is amazing. 

[Susie]

I took a month off after my last half to let an injury heal, and am trying to get back into it now. I wasn't a total slug - did biking on the trainer and swimming - but didn't run. It's still really difficult to re-start. I do best by managing my expectations, and not pushing so hard that I can't come back and do it again. It really isn't helpful to dwell on what I was able to do a month ago. That was then, this is now. 3 miles as a "just go do it, no biggie" thing seems to be a milestone, and once I'm there (it takes a few weeks, ish, if I'm diligent), increasing further is less hard. I definitely don't do intervals, speed work, etc. when I'm breaking back into it, and I give myself permission to run at whatever pace feels comfortable. No reason to make it harder and more frustrating than it has to be.

[cinco]

Obviously everyone is different, but it took me a full two months to get back to my fitness level after my couple month break last Spring. My mileage was in the 10-20mpw during my break.

[pag41989]

I took a break this past summer because it was VERY hot. I got back into it in September and it took me about a month to get my endurance back. I started with just a couple miles the first week and built back up. Also, to me the treadmill is so much harder. I was doing a 12 min pace last night on the treadmill and I thought I was going to DIE and only did 4 miles. But I can run outside at an 11:30 pace for several miles outside and it doesn't bother me as much as the treadmill did. I have discovered persistence in the best way to get back into the groove of things

[taratru]

Usually takes me about a month. But like Susie said, I have to lower my expectations and just kind of run according to feel. A few weeks of that and I'm generally ready to start pushing a bit.

[Deleted]

About a month or so for me too.

[jene]

About a month

[clseale]

I remember this past hiatus (about 2.5 month due to injury, zero running),it was ridiculously difficult for the first two weeks. Like, oh dear god, I can barely go 4 miles, and I'm so slow. Then in week three, things just started to get substantially easier.

[chitownbelle]

Girl, I'm right there with you...I've barely run since Chicago, too. In the past week I've run 5mi, 2mi, 5mi, 5mi, and my body HURTS! And it's been so hard (on treadmill). I've been doing the stairmill and some easy strength training, but this week is the most I've run in months. I think it'll take you 2-3 weeks to get back in the groove where you find it easier, and it's great that you have a goal to shoot for. You KNOW your body can do this, it's just getting back into the ease of things. Winter is always hard.

[ebeth]

thanks guys.

to be clear the 'speed intervals' on the TM last night were not that speedy. it was more a coping mechanism for staying on the mill for 40 minutes because I hate it. also, I feel fine today. not sore at all which is generally an indicator for me that I wasn't running fast enough for what I was doing to be called 'intervals'. but when I was mid-workout (circa the 17 min mark), I was all 'OMG ebeth. it wasn't that long ago that you were cranking out 12 miles just because it was wednesday. NOW LOOK AT YOU!'

[cinco]

You can't base overall fitness on the treadmill. It's a whole different mental ball game.

Here is a breakdown of my ten miler on the TM yesterday:
Miles 1-2. Geez this is way easier than running outside. I should add more incline. Went up to 2.0 incline. 1 minute later. 1.0 incline is fine.
Miles 3-5. Playing with speed intervals. This is boring. Why does Hmp feel like I'm sprinting? My knee is feeling weird. I think my form is off on the treadmill.
Miles 5-7. This SUCKS. I'm only going to do an hour. I'll go on the elliptical for the next 30 minutes. Why is 10 miles so important anyway.
At the hour mark. Oh hey, my TM is on cool down mode. This is a total sign I should just switch to the elliptical.

5 minutes on the elliptical. No. F. This. back on the TM

Mile 8-10. Pretty much a repeat of 3-5.

I don't crank out shit on the TM. It always feels like an effort

[ebeth]

Jan 8, 2014 15:23:29 GMT -5 cinco said:

You can't base overall fitness on the treadmill. It's a whole different mental ball game.

Here is a breakdown of my ten miler on the TM yesterday:
Miles 1-2. Geez this is way easier than running outside. I should add more incline. Went up to 2.0 incline. 1 minute later. 1.0 incline is fine.
Miles 3-5. Playing with speed intervals. This is boring. Why does Hmp feel like I'm sprinting? My knee is feeling weird. I think my form is off on the treadmill.
Miles 5-7. This SUCKS. I'm only going to do an hour. I'll go on the elliptical for the next 30 minutes. Why is 10 miles so important anyway.
At the hour mark. Oh hey, my TM is on cool down mode. This is a total sign I should just switch to the elliptical.

5 minutes on the elliptical. No. F. This. back on the TM

Mile 8-10. Pretty much a repeat of 3-5.

I don't crank out shit on the TM. It always feels like an effort

yeah. .. . this pretty much an exact replica of what happened to me last night. but on a much smaller level.  and I never got on the elliptical or back on the treadmill after I gave myself permission to stop at 40 minutes instead of 45. I stopped at 'bargaining' you saw it through depression to acceptance.