Running: How fast is fast?

FryingPanda
FryingPanda Posts: 99 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Oops... That almost read "Running: How fast is fat?"

NEway... I read a post today about someone talking about their running pace and it got me thinking about speed. So I have been running for awhile now, but I don't really think I run/jog/move in a generally forward yet goobly motion fast. Flip side is, not really sure what is fast. Was kind of curious what fellow runners and non-runners thoughts about this. What do you consider fast?

Replies

  • sla0814
    sla0814 Posts: 240
    Anyone that can run an 8.5 mph or less is fast!! Personally, anything below 10 mph is great for me right now! I know the more weight that comes off, the faster I'll get and I can't wait:)
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Anyone that can run an 8.5 mph or less is fast!! Personally, anything below 10 mph is great for me right now! I know the more weight that comes off, the faster I'll get and I can't wait:)

    I think you mixed up MPH with miles per minute. 10 MPH is CRAZY fast (getting toward elite runners kind of fast).

    8 MPH = ~ 7:30 per mile pace for one hour.

    10 MPH = ~ 6:00 per mile for one hour.
  • sla0814
    sla0814 Posts: 240
    Lol yes I did...
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    As far as what is fast, you can check out your times on the WAVA tables (sort of like a golf handicap) so you can figure out which is better, a 30 year old running a 23:00 minute 5K or a 50 year running a 28:00 5K.

    http://www.pinebeltpacers.org/AgeGrade/AgeGrade.htm

    There are also some rather arbitrary measures people might use (marathon under 4 hours, half under 2 hours, etc.).

    The beauty of running is we can compete against ourselves. At some point it comes back down to genetics. I can work as hard as I want, but I'm not going to beat my buddy Joe who is a 2:28 marathoner.
  • Arizona_JR
    Arizona_JR Posts: 275
    For me it was getting under even numbers.

    5k under 18:00
    10k under 40:00
    half marathon under 1:30 (still a goal)

    Those, for me, are puking speeds.

    But like arc said, as we age, relative 'speed' changes within our own age division. Heck, if you leave a race with some hardware, you were "fast".
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    For me it was getting under even numbers.

    5k under 18:00
    10k under 40:00
    half marathon under 1:30 (still a goal)

    Those, for me, are puking speeds.

    But like arc said, as we age, relative 'speed' changes within our own age division. Heck, if you leave a race with some hardware, you were "fast".

    18:00 5K is some serious speed (5:48 pace per mile), if you can manage that the other distance goals should be no problem

    if you feed the 18:00 5K through McMillan, you get a 37:24 10K and a 1:23:12 half marathon - of course you need to do sufficient training for the longer distances
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    It really depends on the person, and the distance.

    For me, an eight-minute mile pace is really pushing it, and I can only do that for a mile before I have to stop. My average pace that I do distance is sitting at about a 11:30 mile, though I've been getting consistently faster times recently on my long runs.

    When I was training for my first marathon, my pace was between a 10:00 and 10:30 mile. That pace usually allows me to fall within the front half of the average pack when I finish races, so I suppose I'm a bit faster than an average speed for distance.

    To me, anything faster than a nine-minute mile can generally be on the faster side of running for distance. For shorter distances, like sprints, a six-minute mile is pretty impressive.

    If you're an elite runner, though, a five or six minute mile for distance is awesome, and a four or five minute mile for shorter distances is crazy. I don't know how they do it, but I always admire elite runners.
  • FryingPanda
    FryingPanda Posts: 99 Member
    True, my pace changes with the distance. My 5 mile pace was 7:40/mile last time I ran it but my 11 mile pace floats around 9:00/mile. Went to that WAVA site, interestingly it made me feel slow. :smile: Not even 50%. Boo-urns!:grumble:
  • nuttyfamily
    nuttyfamily Posts: 3,394 Member
    I don't pay attention to what others 'think' is fast.

    I did my first 5K last October after starting the C25k in August. I had never ran in my life, literally.

    For me "forward is a pace" which a good friend has ingrained in me.

    Since then, I aim to PR each race I do...I race against myself and no one else.

    The other great saying is finishing even dead last is finishing against those who don't sign up, sit on the couch and don't get active.
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