Still struggling after 4 weeks

Question
Hi Rick, I am a 28-year-old female, 5'2" about 180lbs.  I've recently gone back to the gym and started running/jogging (on a treadmill) since about Apr 21. I run/walk 3 miles every day no matter how long it takes - which is usually about 42 or 43 minutes.  I ran a 5k a few years ago and completed it in 40:03 when my best time on the treadmill was 45minutes.  I guess my short-term goal is to get my 3-mile time down.  My problem is, even though I know 3-4 weeks is not very long, I feel like I am struggling too much for the amount of work I've put in.  I have had some good days where I have run 26 minutes straight at 4.7mph but I have not been able to do it again.  I seem very inconsistent in this respect.  Here is my normal routine:

Mon/Wed/Fri - Warmup 2 mins, run 5mph for remaining first mile; walk a few minutes then run as long as I can and repeat until 3 miles.  I will also do intervals where after my first mile I run at 5mph for 2 1/2 minutes then walk at 3.2 mph for 2 1/2 minutes for the remaining 2 miles.  Then I do arms.

Tue/Thu - Warmup 2 mins, run 5 mph for remaining first mile; either walk 1 mile at 6 - 7 % incline or do two miles on elliptical on level 2; do 2 miles on stationary bike on level 8 at about 72rpm's at every minute I do about 100 rpm's for 10 seconds;  run 15 flights of stairs.

I feel like I'm pushing myself just enough and doing the right things, but I still am really struggling.  I still get really out of breath and some days my legs just do not want to move.  I've tried to get on your website to see your workout, but unfortunately I cannot access it due to the network I'm on.  Am I just being inpatient?  Am I pushing too hard or not enough?  I guess I'd just like some reassurance that I am doing the right thing and to just hang in there and it'll get easier or for some advice on what I should be doing instead.  Thank you in advance for your time!

Answer
Amanda,
I feel your body is trying to adjust again to regular exercise, and you can't expect it to just jump right back into a shape you previously were in a few years ago (the 40 minute 3 mile, compared to now, as an example).  It would be like Tiger Woods taking 3 years off from golf entirely, and expecting him to win a PGA tournament his first tourney back from the 3 year layoff.  

I also think you're trying to rely just one mode of exercise for your improvements, plus you also are missing some key components to your strength routine.  If all you do is cardio & arms, you are not helping the rest of your body out, as it needs to work as one complete unit to help you reach your goal.  If a business wanted to be successful, and just relied on marketing & customer service to get there, the sales department would drop, human resources would be a mess, and even down to the janitors, there would be issues, if only just a few departments cared about the entire business. The body works the same way, if you neglect some areas, you won't get any cooperation in attaining your goals.  I'm a big believer in doing a total body training workout as your strength routine, and doing shorter, high intensity interval workouts to help you increase endurance.  I have personally done, and have had athletes do, just 10-20 minute workouts of a high intensity nature for cardio purposes (mainly in the form of running for racing purposes, like track/cross-country).  These athletes, plus myself, were able to improve our 5K times with such workouts.  

If anything, I would divide your workout week like this, as a suggestion: Do 3 cardio days, and 2-3 total body strength days.  This way, your body can recover from the cardio workout effects better, and also recover from the strength training better, too.  If you are doing too much high intensity cardio, which is what I believe you may be doing given your examples of workouts, you are not allowing your body to fully recover to gain the benefits from it.  

As some suggestions, I would recommend reading my Mini-Max Method guide, download it for free at this link: http://speeddialcoach.com/minimax.pdf

I also have a link on my website for a supplemental article for the M-M Method guide, called Mini-Max for the Track.  You may find that helpful as well.

Please email back if you have any questions.

Rick Karboviak