I used to be a very fit endurance runner. I took up weight training 3 years ago to gain strength ontop of fitness. I have continued tio run at least twice weekly but only short distances. Now i cant get 50mtres without gasping for breath. I cant run 5km without stopping at least 6 times. Whats going on? Ive been doing some interval training which is ok because i have active rest times, but i cant manage anything continuous like i used to. I am very strong in the gym with bodyweight training ie lots of chinups etc and i lift heavy weights. I am 42 yr old female and weigh 54kg. Please help, its embarrasing!
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Tags: 3 years, Bodyweight Training, distances, embarrasing, endurance, Fitness, heavy weights, interval training, ontop, weight training
Hi.With interval workouts you are supposed to have low intensity which is kind of like resting. I like to do low intensity for walking.High intensity would be sprinting. You are going about it right. It should get easier to do. When it does do just more time of running
Well two things. Sadly this is one the things that happens to us runners when we get older.
Second of all weight training increases the muscle mass in your body, muscle increases your bodies requirements of oxygen thus ergo the more you weight lift the stronger your lungs need to be in order to run distance. If you want to find a weight lifting regiment that will keep you in awesome shape but allow for a balance of running and help eliminate your problem, I would recommend going to this site and reading the strength training for runners article, it’s an awesome workout and has helped me as a runner. That’s my recommendation http://www.adayofrunning.blogspot.com best of wishess. 
Nutrition may also have a key factor in your cardiovascular development. Make sure you are eating healthy enough to support both weight lifting and running at the same time.
have a good day.
You won’t lose cardiorespiratory fitness because of weight training, but its hard to keep high levels of Muscular strength and cardio fitness at the same time because of energy and time contraints. If you weight train and than do cardio, your not going to have the same amount of intensity you would have if you had started on cardio fitness…Interval training is good, but to really be able to increase your cardio, you need to do your cardio workout perhaps in the morning and weight training at night. As I am sure you know for cardio effectivness its all about keeping your hearrate at a 65-80% maximal intesnity continuously. So its hard to get peak Cardio and Muscular intensity at the same time. I know because I have tried, I lift weights 4 days a week and run the 3 days I dont or I do the workouts at different times. It is possible to achieve high muscular and cardio fitness, its just hard.