Why isn't running getting easier?

As I was running today, I found myself thinking, "Isn't this supposed to get easier the more you do it?" Because it's really not...

I have been stuck at running 4 minute intervals for weeks. A few times I've been able to run those 4 minute running/1 minute walking intervals 6 times and make it about 3 miles. But the last few times I run, I could barely make it 2 miles. Today, in fact, I had to take a walk break during my last 4 minute interval.

This is not encouraging considering I'm running 13.1 miles in 5 months.

I need to be consistently running 3 miles 3 times a week before I start my half marathon training in earnest. And, to be honest, I probably won't start that until after we've moved.

This is kind of how I feel while running

To make things even harder, I restarted 21 Day Fix this week, and Day 1 has made me incredibly sore. Today is Wednesday- I did that workout on Monday and my legs still hurt. Squatting to sit down hurts. So it made running extra challenging today.

I must just be really out of shape.

So I told myself that this week I'm going to run 3 times, and run 2 miles each time. That's only a 6 mile week, but I think it's better to be consistent than to run one really spectacular day and then take the rest of the week off.

Next week the goal will be to run 3 times and run 2.5 miles each. Maybe by the next week I'll be up to 3 miles. And of course, I'll keep doing 21 Day Fix as much as I can through the moving process.

Except sometimes it hurts more...