I’m trying to do Couch to 5K at the moment to improve my personal fitness.
I can do long walks of an hour or more (10k+ in one go) with relative ease.
Yet a one minute run (which is Week 1 Workout 1 in C25K!) at an INCREDIBLY slow jogging pace is pushing my heart rate nearly to dangerous levels and I am finding it immensely challenging.
So what is it about a light jog that makes it so much more difficult than walking?
In: 38
For the same reason cars can’t drive forever, physics and energy.
When you’re at rest, you’re not working your muscles. Muscles need energy to function, and for your muscles to have energy, they need oxygen. When you start using your muscles, the more you use them, the more energy they need. Your heart rate increases to pump blood faster, giving your body access to more oxygen.
The reason why you specifically are struggling so much is that your body is no longer good at this process. Your heart, lungs, muscles, joints, ligaments, and even your individual cells are out of shape.
The good news is that your body can fix itself with consistent exercise.
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