How fast can you run a mile?

whiteberry17

I want to train myself to be a fast runner. So far I can run 1 mile in 15 minutes if I dont stop, and run 1 mile in 13 minutes if I do stop for breaks.
My goal is to do 5-6 minutes a mile. How fast are some of you? How did you train yourself to do this? And how long did it take?

55in13

I am not sure. I try to run longer. I have an app that gives me distance and pace. If it ever tells me I am going faster than 10 minutes a mile, I slow up so I can make it further. :bigsmile:

There are plenty of "regular people" who can run a single mile in under 6:00. I could in high school. That was a long time ago.

jwdieter

Looking at a pretty huge jump there (from 15 to 5-6). I'd suggest trying to achieve 12 and working your way down the line.

Lizzy622

I'm at about 16.5 minutes (ok actually a fast walk). I would like to get to 14 by the end of summer

yarwell

I can walk it in 15 minutes. I can interval run 5km in 35 mins which is equivalent to 11 minutes. C25K program got me to there.

ksy1969

I am 43 and I only started running a year and a half ago. The fastest I have ran a mile is a little under 8 minutes. My average pace though is right around a 10 minute mile.

I admire those that can run less than a 6 minute mile, but it takes a special person to be able to run that fast. It isn't just something you can do, you have to breathe right, you have to have proper posture, you have to eat right, you have to drink the right amount of fluids, etc....... So bottom line, there is a lot that has to be in place to run those paces.

Joshacham

Apparently my best was 8 minutes 32 seconds. That was on June 16th. That's over 7 mph. Wow, I was in the zone that day!

ThickMcRunFast

a general rule is endurance first, then speed will follow. Build up your cardio system by running more miles. Start throwing in interval training or hill repeats.

I haven't done a mile test in a while, but my last 5k was 21:18

talisamb

I can run 1 mile in a little over 6 minutes...When i first started it was around 10+ minutes. I improved my time by doing sprints 2-3 times weekly.

JossFit

Just under 7 minutes... but I only run about once per month. Heavy lifting FTW!

I find that the less running I do the more I maintain my muscle mass in my legs which allows me to sprint faster. I get plenty of 'cardio' from heavy weight training.

Mjhnbgff

I can run a 9 minute mile but I haven't timed myself recently to see if I can run faster than that. I haven't tried to run faster on purpose but I notice that I'm just naturally getting faster by improving my endurance and losing weight. I do a combination of slow, short runs and some speedwork during the week and one long run on the weekends. My trainer told me to work on endurance first and then worry about speed.

lowpro1983

I'm definitely not a runner, but when I have "tried" to like it, I used the C25K program. I believe it would help you reach your goal.

dwh77tx

I am NOT a runner! However, I have good endurance from the other workouts I do. I got officially timed running the mile at my kids' track camp last week. 8:44! I was so proud of myself !

eep223

I'm so slow. I've been running steadily for about a year and I'm still around 14:30 for a mile. A few years ago, I could do 10:00 no problem as a beginner, but I've gained weight since then so I guess that's why I've slowed down. To be fair, I've been more focused on mileage than time. I trust that the time will come.

chelton2013

bump

Athena53

My trainer told me to work on endurance first and then worry about speed.

Good advice. I've been racing in the same corporate athletic competition for 10 years. This past year I joined a new employer and bought a heart rate monitor to track my workouts (required for brownie points in the Wellness Program). I started noticing when my workout was getting lazy and would kick it up to get my heart rate at a reasonable level.

This year I did the mile in a little under 10 minutes. I was stunned. I was even more stunned when I looked up the times from 6 years ago and found that I'd run the course in 11 minutes. And I'm 60.

I'm not gonna try for 6 minutes.

jesssi1984

If you can focus on distance; speed follows... Distance and time builds endurance. I've been focusing on 5k since march and just started 10k this week. I figure my 5k will get quicker and seem easier when I'm used to running 10k. As for goals, I just want to get better and ...


the only person to beat is me from yesterday!

So I've decided not to care about anyone's times but my own.

runfatmanrun

Last time I checked 6:25. I got there by running long distances and running hills.

cwolfman13

I want to train myself to be a fast runner. So far I can run 1 mile in 15 minutes if I dont stop, and run 1 mile in 13 minutes if I do stop for breaks.
My goal is to do 5-6 minutes a mile. How fast are some of you? How did you train yourself to do this? And how long did it take?

Are you using a training program...if not, I'd suggest doing an actual training program like C25K. Also, you'll want to work on more than just the mile...work on overall cardiovascular endurance and distance and speed will ultimately come and you'll have certain paces for certain races. A training program like C25K or C2-10K will help get you there in an intelligent fashion.

Jennisin1

6:58 at my last timed flat out mile on the treadmill. Trying to work down to 6 even.

stacetherainbow

21 minutes... pretty sweet, right?