Can ANYONE run fast?

msthang444 · March 2014

So... I'm just curious what you think... can anyone run and train enough to run 6-7 minute miles? I am currently rocking a 12 minute mile. On good days I might be able to do A (just one mind you) 10 minute mile. I just can't even fathom the idea of being able to run a 7-8 minute mile.

Mr_Knight · March 2014

Absolutely. A huge part of that is getting lean enough, light enough, because excess weight kills speed.

But yes, anyone not suffering from an actual disability can get themselves to a place where they're running 7 minute miles.

jwdieter · March 2014

10-sec 100M, no.
7-min mile, yes.

omma_to_3 · March 2014

Eh...I'm not so sure. There are some physical attributes that determine speed (specifically fast twitch vs slow twitch muscle fibers). I don't think I could ever be running 6 minute miles consistently. I can be faster, yes, but I'm just not built for speed. My fastest mile is around 8:50 I think, but I am just DONE at that point.

Here's an overview of it, with the take that you can train yourself one way or another, but it's not easy: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/06/09/fast-twitch-vs-slow-twitch-what-kind-of-muscles-do-you-want/

ThickMcRunFast · March 2014

Just one? Sure. Not everyone will be running a marathon with a 7min mile pace, but with training, barring injury, I don't see why anyone couldn't knock out one or two miles at that speed.

3dogsrunning · March 2014

Maybe not "anyone" but barring any physical/health problems, I believe yes, anyone can. Its a matter of training.

An 8 minute mile was always my goal.

I went from a 12 minute mile down to below 10 m/m just by dropping around 30 lbs. I trained hard for a specific event and my best mile time was 7:13, 5 k was around an 8m/m. I know I could have been faster, but I backed off the training for various reasons. I still maintained around 8:30- 9:30 pace. Now I'm pregnant so I'm back up to a 12 m/m, if that. I do plan on getting to below 8 minute mile after the baby.

I was like you, couldn't fathom running faster, but as I worked at it, it came.

rybo · March 2014

The amount of training and time required for some people to get down to running a 6 minute mile would be so great it might as well be impossible.
There's a much bigger difference between 7 vs 6 minutes, than there is between 9 vs 8.
While it may theoretically be achievable, realistically it's not.

msthang444 · March 2014

Sorry, I meant like.... more than 3 miles. More specifically maybe half marathon type distances.

tappae · March 2014

You can do it! During high school, for the presidential physical fitness test, I went from around 10 to about 7:30 over a period of a few years. I've since been able to run around 6:30 a couple of times.

Be patient and don't try to do too much too fast.

butlersoft · March 2014

I'd love to be able to hit that sort of speed....

I can run 5 miles at a 10-11 min pace per mile but then it drops to around 13-14 min miles.

I'm 245lbs / 180cm and about to embark on my 3rd marathon next week. My two previous times have been 6hrs 12mins and 6hrs 45 mins.

I'm hoping for a 5hrs 30 or better so know I need to consistently maintain 12:35min pace.

I have friends who can run it in just under 3hrs but there's nothing of them!!! Being lighter certainly does help and whilst it'd be lovely to about to crack out 10 miles in an hour instead of the nearly 2 hours .... I can't see it happening any time soon for me ....

lporter229 · March 2014

The more you run the faster you will get. It takes time and mileage.

cuinboston2014 · March 2014

Everyone will be different, but yes this can happen.

When I started running I was at the 12 minute mile range. I am now running half marathons just under 8 minute mile paces and continuously improving. I'm also a bigger runner at 5'10" and 180 lbs and I'm a woman. I'd be faster if I were smaller.

It does take a decent amount of speedwork and variation to get there, though.

My sister was never a sprinter, even though she's always enjoyed running and the coaches always wanted her to do short distances. She wasn't good at them. She is now mid 30s and a sub elite marathon runner finishing marathons in under 3 hours which I believe puts her in the 6-something minute per mile pace.

She's small.

If I lost weight and continued to train hard I don't doubt I could be on the same level as her with dedication. Unless you have some medical restraints you should definitely be able to get to a faster pace like you are looking for. It won't happen overnight though.

jkwolly · March 2014

Exactly.

When I was interval training I could do one mile at 7:30, and I'd be dead tired after. I am way more comfortable doing distance at 8-9 minute miles.

ETA: Spelling.

PandaCustard · March 2014

Last year, there was a guy who finished a local 10k in 29:48 (4:48 pace). And the second place guy did 30:53. Granted the first guy was a professional runner from Kenya, but second place was an average guy from Ohio, so it's definitely achievable. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication and good meal balancing, but it's possible.

RunsOnEspresso · March 2014

Personally, I don't think I will ever be much faster. I can usually manage consistant 10:30ish miles. I can sprint faster, for very short distances. It's not that I don't want to train for it. I've tried. I believe my legs could go much faster but my asthma is what holds me back. I have been running for years (off and on) and 10:30 is about as low as I can get.

I will keep at it though because I love running. And maybe someday I can break 10 minutes. That's all I'm asking. lol

ETA: My half marathon times were 2:32ish and 2:45ish (I didn't do much training for the second and just had fun, took pictures etc). I was aiming for 2:30 so just missed it. No plans for a marathon yet.

BrianSharpe · March 2014

With the right training and attitude you can amaze yourself.

While most of us had the wrong parents to run a 4 minute mile or 10 sec 100m any otherwise healthy person can train to put in a pretty respectable performance. You will find that the improvements are quite significant to start with but start getting harder over time (I ran my 1st 5K in 2009 in just under 40 min, same race a year later I ran 26:46........going sub 25:00 still eludes me)

I'd agree 100% with rybo that "There's a much bigger difference between 7 vs 6 minutes, than there is between 9 vs 8. "

I ran my first 1 mile race last Oct in 7:23, my goal for this year is 7:00 but I doubt I'll ever get much faster than that....

KarissaA · March 2014

My husband has been working his way from nothing up to a marathon for the last 2 years and can run less than 10-minute miles. It takes him a bit longer for the longer distance, but on his 3-6 mile days he can do it. I've seen people at the 5k events finish in less than 20 minutes.

tappae · March 2014

Oh, you mean sustaining 6 to 7 minute miles for a half-marathon? That's a very different thing. Someone that could run a half in 80 minutes could probably run a 5 minute mile (if racing just 1 mile). While not world class, that's faster than I ever expect to be (and I can string together a few 8 minute miles).

SonicDeathMonkey80 · March 2014

Build your aerobic base and the speed will come. You'll know when you're ready. Train, train, train.

ThickMcRunFast · March 2014

Half marathon? That might be a stretch. Honestly, the only way to know if you can or can't do it is to try. Start training. Slowly. SLOWLY. Get your endurance up with long slow runs, then start speed work. I think I ran my first half in 2:14, and that was 10 years ago. I haven't run a stand alone half since, but my last marathon split halfway was 1:37, so yeah, its possible, but it takes training and patience.

rides4sanity · March 2014

Speed doesn't define a running, effort and intent do, but speed will come if you keep training. You do occassionally have to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Over the last several years I have dramatically increased my speed by dropping weight and running more often. My first ever race was a 5k ~34minutes, then the following year I did a 2 mile in 19:46 (just under 10m/m. In the past 2 years, my 2 mile time has improved to around 15:45, and my 5K's are at just under 26min. I did a 6K in the fall where my first 2 miles were <7:30m/m, I blew up by mile 3. Earlier this month I did my first half, averaged 9:40m/m with little effort (took it easy coming off an injury).

My husband is a 7:20m/m marathoner and I always compared myself to him and thought I sucked. What I've discovered is that my goals are mine and his are his. There is no need to compare them, just cherish the accomplishments.

SonicDeathMonkey80 · March 2014

Yep

sccet · March 2014

Agreed.

When I started incorporating intervals, I found that my "standard" running speed increased.

FWIW, here is the program that I follow for intervals/HIIT and I really enjoy it.

http://www.trimmedandtoned.com/a-hiit-workout-routine-to-burn-belly-fat-fast

I would suggest toning it down quite a bit to start, both in time and intensity. Example - do 4-5 of the 15:45 intervals and 2-3 of the 1:1 intervals.

gobonas99 · March 2014

Can it be done? Yes. Will it be extremely difficult and take a long time to reach that goal if you don't have the genetics for it? YES.

A friend of my husband just ran a half marathon on Sunday in 1:10:09 (he won). That is 13.1 MILES in 1:10:09 (that is my goal time for a 10K - 6.2 miles). That is an average pace of 5:22 per mile. My pace on a good day is double that (but I HAVE improved from a 15 minute mile to a 10:30-11 minute mile pace over a 5k).

BUT, while I only started running 5 years ago (while I was extremely overweight to boot), Sam has been running for pretty much his entire life (cross-country and track in high school and college, he was on the biathlon team for the Army and nearly made the Olympics)....he is 30 now, been out of the Army for 4 years, works a normal full-time 40 hour a week job, and helps his mom with the family farm. He is RIPPED, but compact....extremely lean with hardly an ounce of fat on him. I have no idea how many miles he runs in an average week though...and I keep meaning to ask him if he'll give me some tips/training to help me get faster for my triathlons.

msthang444 · March 2014

OMGosh! How did you know my belly was my trouble spot

I will really have to check this out! Thank you!

3dogsrunning · March 2014

+ 1.
I haven't hit the 8 m/m for a half but I did manage an average pace of 8:27 over 15k. I'm confident I could do at least an 8 with training.

jkwolly · March 2014

So true! You can totally get stuck comparing but need to focus on your own successes!

jchadden42 · March 2014

I ran a 5K last weekend in 21:08. So, yes. I'm a 39 year old woman.

ETA: My 1/2 marathon pace is about 7:30 min/miles, but it took years of training to get here.

cwolfman13 · March 2014

I'm going to go against the grain here and say no...not everyone can run "fast".

I for one was a very good sprinter and long/high jumper and pole vaulter once upon a time. At one brief moment in time I was ranked 3rd in the state of NM in the 100 meters, but I have never been a good endurance/distance runner. When I was in the Marine Corps I was required to run 3 miles as part of my PT qualifications and my fastest time was at the tail end of boot camp after some very intense physical training and I came in at about a 7.83 minute mile...again, I was at the absolute peak of my endurance abilities and all we did was train.

Now, if I just had to run a singular mile, I could have probably sucked it up and burned out a 7 minute mile, but not for multiple miles, even with all of my training.

To boot, I'm a supinator as a result of my very high arches (part of what made me a good sprinter and jumper) so running long distances is very hard on my feet and knees and my hips get really tight. When I was running regularly when I first started here, I was having to do a ton of foam rolling just to keep my hips loose enough for my other daily life tasks.

So, while I definitely think it's possible to run "fast" for you, it is not necessarily possible to run what many would consider "fast". For me to even approach what I did out of boot would require far more training time than I personally have on hand...not to mention I'm pushing 40 and I was 18 back then and weighed in at a whopping buck 40 @ 5'10". I was pretty happy when I finished my last 5K (probably last one ever) just under 30 minutes @ 29:56. Due to the pain I was experiencing in my feet, I've pretty much given it up and turned to cycling.

JoRocka · March 2014

sounds about right.

I was pushing 7 min miles in HS- I would have to train very hard to get to that shape again.

KeithAngilly · March 2014

Absolutely! Be patient and consistent. And, this is probably the most important thing, believe that it is possible.

1/1/2013: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/256838512 (10:10/mile)

1/1/2014: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/422801831 (7:40/mile)

That's running 3 times a week and cross training (cycle, rowing, etc.) at least twice a week, and some strength work thrown in.

As others said, develop the endurance and the speed will come!

Can ANYONE run fast?

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