Running Times v Weight

JennysMan

I hope I don't try to sound overly analytic about this, but as I run, I realize that it takes a lot more energy to make my 245 lb body move than it does some svelte little 110 lb runner. I have searched the Internet and found some sites that perform a weight/age grading based on your size, age and race time. I guess it attempts to normalize everyone to be running on the same standard.

Based on my 5k time of 40:20 this morning, the site says that if I was a 143-lb, 25 year old man, I would be running a 28 minute 5K. First, my question is does this "normalization" really meaningful, and if so, is a 28:00 minute 5K a good running time?

I only ask this because I am frustrated with my endurance and speed when I run. I want to do better, and I'm sure in time I will. But for now, I'd like an idea of how I'd be doing if I wasn't so fat.

buzzcogs

28 minute 5K is a great running time! Finishing a 5K is great. Keep doing the healthy thing and you will lose weight and improve your run. Make sure you have good shoes and change them out when needed. I'm with you about losing weight to improve time. When I was 12 lbs lighter I ran a lot faster. Think of it as running with a backpack that you can't put down. Having even a 5lb backpack slows you down!
Keep up the good work and hopefully both of us will lose our "backpacks"!

Yours in Running!

skemery

I'm not sure I've ever seen a site like that, but as a 165-lb runner, I would KILL for a 28:00 5k time. I'm still a pretty new runner, but my best 5k is 34:00. Just for some perspective, a 28:00 minute 5k PR would get you in a preferred starting corral for the biggest mini-marathon in my area. You're 5k time will get better, sometimes in small steps, sometimes in huge leaps. Keep up the good work! (And can I have the link to that site?)

Athena413

28:00 is a pretty good time. It's not lightning speed, but it's nothing to frown upon. Where is this site you were looking at? I'd LOVE to check it out for myself. I'm about 236# and my fastest 5K to date is 50:05. Nothing special, but at least I'm lapping the people on the couch...

momma2ace3

What site did you find that information on? Congrats on your 5K efforts. I KNOW I'm not that fast....yet...it will come

meli_medina

At ~ 178-ish, I was hitting about a 12.5-minute mile. At 163, I'm hitting anywhere from a 10-minute to an 11.5-minute mile.

Just remember that no matter how slow you feel like you're going, you're still passing the person sitting on the couch!

I couldn't even run at 180 pounds because it hurt too much, so you're way ahead of me! Keep it up! =D

arc918

kind of along those lines

there's a whole system of age grading (WAVA tables) this not unlike a golf handicap

it can be used to compare men & women and people of differing ages

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

jheller

28 minutes! Wow. I wish I were doing it that fast. I've been running a bit over a year and have gotten my 5K time down from 42 minutes to 37 minutes. I have hopes of doing 33 minutes by next summer. I don't know about this normalization thing but if I were you I'd be thrilled!!!

Keep it up.

godblessourhome

that is an interesting theory. i'm short. i've heard that it is difficult for short people (no matter what they weigh) to run fast, but i can run a 6:30 minute mile for 4 miles. however, my speed starts slowing down the longer the run. my opinion is that it has more to do with practice than with body composition. keep running! the speed and endurance will come.

kac7700

Every pound you lose will naturally drop time off your 5K time and increase your pace. After losing 17 pounds, I've increased my pace from a 12:00/mile to 9:45/mile and just broke the 30 minute mark last week on a 5K. Keep running, keep healthy, and keep up the great work! I think a coach told me for every 10 pounds, you shave almost a minute off your pace if you keep at it. I know that motivates me!

JennysMan

Here is the link for the site I was referencing. I know nothing about the site other than I found it through a Google search, so use at your own risk and your mileage may vary:

http://academic.udayton.edu/paulvanderburgh/weight_age_grading_calculator.htm

Thanks for all the information, encouragement and support folks! You're the best!

EDIT: Corrected a typo.

JennysMan

Oh, and for those of you who've posted times, when I started running, I couldn't do a full 5k, but was running 2.1 miles. My best minute time started around 14 minutes, and now, my fastest 1 mile has been about 10:30. My typical first mile is 11:15.

I run my first 5K next week, but I'm thinking about signing up for another local one for this weekend.

Thanks again guys!

rachypompa

28 mins for 5K is OK ... but not great for a 143lb 25 year old man in my opinion. My hubby is 38 and can run 10k in less than 40 mins, not sure how quickly he'd do 5K. I'm a 38 year old (woman!), weighing 169lb and I can run 5k in about 28 mins (as long as there's not too many hills!). And I wouldn't say I'm a runner ... at least I still don't think of myself as a runner ...

I'd say the normalisation isn't that meaningful as it changes too many variables, you want to know how fast a woman at your ideal weight would run 5K surely? Comparing to man makes it not that useful in my opinion. A percentile would possibly be more useful.

In saying all that I have to say that based on 'me' you must be doing a fine job, and will be running 5K in less than 28 mins soon enough! I was running 5K in 40 mins when I weighed 200lb.

rodneyderrick

You're on your way to becoming a svelte little runner, as long as you keep logging and losing. The sleek, tiny girly frame comes from diet and training, and anybody can accomplish this, but they have to stick to the regiment, at least most days of the week. Anyway, there are different types of running, and more than one way to increase your speed; however, you should focus on distance first. Before I decided to increase my speed, I could run for an hour without stopping. Once I accomplished that goal, I tried to increase my pace on the treadmill. For example, if I ran at 6.0, I tried to take it up a few notches to 6.5, or something like that. Over time, I could run, on the treadmill for two miles, at 9.0 on a 2 percent incline. I can do a total of 8 miles on the treadmill in under 56 minutes, because I trained for that. The weight will dissipate in time; meanwhile, keep logging and losing, and one day you'll show all the other runners your heels.

DancinSMartiPants

262 pound girl, and I run 5k in about 38 minutes. However, I did not make any progress until I started thinking in terms of endurance rather than speed. Just run. Your speed will come. Not that my 12 min mile is fast or anything, but as someone already said I'm lapping everybody on the couch!

Athena413

that is an interesting theory. i'm short. i've heard that it is difficult for short people (no matter what they weigh) to run fast, but i can run a 6:30 minute mile for 4 miles. however, my speed starts slowing down the longer the run. my opinion is that it has more to do with practice than with body composition. keep running! the speed and endurance will come.

According to Jeff Galloway (olympic gold medalist and running coach) the fact that you're short affecting your speed is a myth...I thought the same thing, too, because I'm only 5'3'', but he told me that it's all about your cadence, which is just your turnover. Shorten your stride to create higher turnover and your pace should improve.

Athena413

28 mins for 5K is OK ... but not great for a 143lb 25 year old man in my opinion. My hubby is 38 and can run 10k in less than 40 mins, not sure how quickly he'd do 5K. I'm a 38 year old (woman!), weighing 169lb and I can run 5k in about 28 mins (as long as there's not too many hills!). And I wouldn't say I'm a runner ... at least I still don't think of myself as a runner ...

I'd say the normalisation isn't that meaningful as it changes too many variables, you want to know how fast a woman at your ideal weight would run 5K surely? Comparing to man makes it not that useful in my opinion. A percentile would possibly be more useful.

In saying all that I have to say that based on 'me' you must be doing a fine job, and will be running 5K in less than 28 mins soon enough! I was running 5K in 40 mins when I weighed 200lb.

Good point on comparing women runners to men - men are typically faster and that's just how it is...

Kristian14

Im at 245 now and just ran it last weekend in 24:17 at a breast cancer run. The weight definitely fatigues you but most of it is in your mind. Good music helps too.