Also, 'no pain no gain' only really applies once you've blown out all the beginner cobwebs and have a solid base of athleticism. Until you're comfortable cranki

Also, 'no pain no gain' only really applies once you've blown out all the beginner cobwebs and have a solid base of athleticism. Until you're comfortable cranking out a 5-k without stopping and without feeling spent (or whatever the rough equivalent in your sport is), you're going to make way more progress by taking it easy but just getting out there and doing it regularly. Basically, if going hard doesn't feel rewarding when you're first starting out, you're probably right.