Leg stamina not improving

[Andersons Foot]

I've recently gotten back into running. I used to love doing it and had no trouble with my legs getting tired and heavy. Now, that I took so much time off, my leg stamina is atrocious. I've been back into it for about 2 weeks now, and I'm still struggling. I get to points where I'm not even out of breath, but I can't continue because my legs are so sore and heavy.

I run in the woods, on trails. I guess that could have something to do with it, tougher terrain to maneuver on, but so far there's 0 improvement. I stretch a little before I go, and a little after.

Any tips to improve this? Or will it just take more time?

 

[gspieler]

Keep doing it. Build up gradually. Same thing as how to get better at anything, in essence. Specificity is a real thing. 6 months you'll be setting pr's.

 

[LZD]

You're probably running too hard. You need to slowly accumulate miles and increase weekly mileage slowly over time. Look up base building and follow a base build plan. Don't add speed until you've done that.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Slow down, less milage to start out. Try some alternatives - bike, rower to switch it up.

Add some body weight exercises for your legs - squats, lunges, jumps.

You cannot expect to be in A form in two weeks after time off.

 

[sryan79]

It is just going to take time to build the endurance back up. Make sure you are not running based on your prior ability but your current. Keep speed work and hill work to a minimum and focus on slow and steady miles until your endurance has built back up.

 

[Rope_City]

I think it's normal to feel fatigued for weeks, if not months, after you start running again. Your body should eventually adjust, and you will be okay.

Two ways that I can think to speed up the process however, is 1) Invest in a nice pair of running shoes. 2) find cardio workouts that help to build up strength and endurance particularly in your legs.

I think jumping rope is something that would help you to accomplish #2.

 

[Ilk]

Two years ago when I came back from Turkey and doing a desk job and getting fat for 5 years I could not run even 800 meters.

I started playing soccer with my friends. Two years later now I can run 10 kms with an ease. I smoke a pack of ciggaretes per day and now I play soccer in amateur leagues and almost every game I am the guy that runs the most.

My advice for running and cardio will always be to mix it up with an activity you love. For me it was soccer.

 

[JauntyAngle]

As others have said- slow down. When you are getting into running, or back into running, you should be trying to find a "forever pace"- a pace that feels like you could run like that forever. When you start it might be embarrassingly slow- when I was getting back into last year I was running on a track in my gym, my pace was pretty much the same as a guy in his fifties who just does a brisk walk.

Once you have got the hang of your "forever pace" then you just try to run longer distance and more total time each week, more or less at that pace. The pace will gradually increase but the main focus should just be on stacking up progressively more time and distance at that pace.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

It really depends on how long you have been out of running commission so to speak. I legitimately could run for long ass periods as a kid growing up but as I gotten older I stopped running and gained a lot of weight and it all went to shit. It took like a year of consistent walking/jogging to build up my legs.

 

[CUAPO]

I notice as I gain more muscle mass my cardio lowers, you need to find the perfect balance for you or train hard af.

 

[Ian Coe]

I started back running last year.

I took a good amount of time off all training really (lack of time 7 days a week/poor diet/poor sleep and constant stress comes with the job).
I've never been much of a runner but as of back end of last year been training regularly again.

I completed a 10k trail race last saturday. Have a half marathon in 8 weeks and full in 16. Just time and patience.