How fast do you run??

akgrl1020

I am a slow runner, and proud of it! Mostly because I am just simply running, and never thought I would/could :-) I jog at about 4mph, and do sprints up to 6.5mph. I have short legs, and honestly, to walk at 4mph is almost impossible for me. I have to break into a job, after a minute or so on the treadmill. It is more about endurance, then speed for me...so I am not so worried about how long it takes me to get there. Good luck!

tbrewst

I am slow! I mean people walk faster than I run. I had a knee injury that I rehabed for 3 months this summer and when I ran my first 5K this fall I RAN it in 36:00. I RAN a race Sunday night and was next to last in my age group...33:35. On the up side, next year I will be in the next age bracket and only need to improve by 30 seconds to come in first. :happy: Most races I enter with the goal of just running the entire way and not dying. I have been doing the Jeff Galloway's 5K and 10K training, I really like them and I know they have helped!

I have also heard that for every 5 lbs you shed your time will improve by a minute. Since I have yet to lose 5 lbs I can't confirm that's true.

rebysue

I am right about the same pace as you and HATE that I am so slow but can't seem to get much faster. I did get just under 40 min at a 5K but that was totally pushing myself. I am with you though. I "ran" (no walking) my first 5K ever this summer (and my time was acually worse than my walk/run time) but I was SOOOO excited about running the full thing! I think you just gotta do (and be happy with) whatever progress you can get!

AmyEm3

I did a 5K in July and I finished at 31:09

I did a 5K last week and I finished in 27 minutes. So, I'm not speedy at all but I have made a little improvement. I was focusing more on distance this summer and fall while I was able to run outside. I will be stuck inside Jan, Feb, Mar, and maybe April too depending on the weather and I'm planning to work on speed then b/c I (mentally) struggle to run longer distances inside.

runs4zen

My average is 9.5 minute miles. I'm working toward under 9. One thing that is really improving my speed is doing Fartleks about once a week after a run. I also am religious about taking rest days in between and eating lots of protein. In two months I've gone from just over 12 minute miles to the current 9.5.

Keep at it! You'll get there!

Of course, the Kenyans and Ethiopians have nothing to worry about from me...those marathon winners are FLYING! LOL!

vanessaclarkgbr

Someone asked this on a forum the other day so I actually paid attention which I haven't really before. I think I've been going now for around 10 weeks now, so still quite new, I'm going a bit slower than I have been as have just moved from C25K to B210K and didn't want to run out of steam. When I do my treadmill run I'm doing a 5.5 walk and a 7 run (km). I knew I was slow but wanted to know how slow! I'm not bothered as everyone says it will improve with time - as your previous performance shows, you'll be back up there and some soon. The more important thing is to get round at a pace you can manage without getting injured, you (and I!) will get there in time with the speed.

Out of interest, will try and remember to time a 5k soon (well, maybe in new year haha) :-)

Good luck!

RMinVA

You will get there. 5mph may just be too fast for you @ this point and that's OK. One of the best pieces of advice I got starting out was just to go the distance, the speed will come later. They were right!

When you are ready to move on from C25K, there are tons of free training plans out there: I happen to like runnersworld.com. Target a race to enter, pick a plan for that race, train, then go run it!!

I'm still working toward a sub 28 min 5k (sub 9 min pace), 1:40 10 miler (sub 10 min pace), and 2:15 half marathon. I've come close on 2 of the 3...just not there yet w/the half marathon distance, but hopefully on March 17th I will put that to rest!!

ATT949

I'm a penguin. But I'm ok with that.

I started running in January of this year. I'm just now getting above an average speed of 4.59 mph for 6.2 miles.

That's a great name —


http://www.amazon.com/Marathoning-Mortals-John-Bingham/dp/1579547826/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323804556&sr=8-1


One of the authors goes by that nickname!


This is a good intro book on marathoning. You can snag a used copy for $1.17, BTW.

runs4zen

You will get there. 5mph may just be too fast for you @ this point and that's OK. One of the best pieces of advice I got starting out was just to go the distance, the speed will come later. They were right!

When you are ready to move on from C25K, there are tons of free training plans out there: I happen to like runnersworld.com. Target a race to enter, pick a plan for that race, train, then go run it!!

Agree! I also love that site! I have it bookmarked on my desktop!

DG_Allen

I did a 5k on Labor day at a little under 9:00 mins/mile. It as too fast and I had inflamation in my knees for weeks after. I'm done with physical therapy now and I will try to slow down, but my legs like to go fast. I think 10 mins/mile will be a good pace for me.

juscallmeb

My average pace is about 10:30 / mi for 8+ mi runs. Slightly faster for shorter runs, and slightly longer for longer runs (roughly 10-11 in range). When I go to races I push myself about :30 faster, so about 10:00/mi for 10k, and 10:30 for 1/2 marathons.

I'm not going to win any races, but I'm not going to be the last person across the line either. I think once I accepted that I was middle of the road I became a much happier runner.

One thing a lot of my friends say (and I could not agree with more), is that even if you are running 20 minute miles, you are still doing laps around the folks who didn't bother to get off the couch!

Stick to it, and you'll get faster and be able to run longer, and remember to have fun. If you're not having fun you're doing it wrong (IMHO).

That's around my pace too.
and agreed, have fun

fteale

My 10k time is 54 mins, so that's about 7mph. Over distance. I am a lot faster for sprints, obviously, slower for longer runs. My 9 mile time is 1 hr 24 mins, which is a bit over 6 mph.

All these are off road, hill runs, as that is all I do.

ellekay22

Depends on what is chasing me.

Twatley703

Remember you are doing something most people aren't. With you being a new runner I would concentrate on building your base then worry about speed later. The speed will come much easier when you have a good running base to fall back on.. I average 7 min/mile pace for a 5k however my training for several months was around 9:30 to 10:30 min/pace..Keep your HR aerboic so yo can build that base, then over time start working in speed work.. It is a long process but done right you will enjoy running and your races in the future. The worst thing you can do is push to soon because the injuries are likley to happen..Hope this helps.

nopeekiepeekie

I run at the same speed my husband walks. Around..... 4-4.5mph
Sometimes it bothers me, but then I figure, I'm the only one it bothers and at least I'm getting off my butt!

MzMiller1215

I run speed intervals on most days. If I do a steady run, my pace is about 6 to 6.5 mph and I average about 1 mile in 10 minutes.

MinnieInMaine

Doesn't it suck when the speed walkers pass you?! That happened to me when I ran/walked a 10k a couple months ago.

I'm pretty sure the combination of running intervals and also taking breaks to do long fast walks were the secret behind increasing my running speed. I originally started out barely being able to do a minute or two at 4.3 on the treadmill. Even after improving my time a bit, I thought I was going to die the first time I ran outdoors (totally different body mechanics)! LOL!
Now I run an average of about 5mph...like another poster mentioned, I can go faster for shorter distances and will go slower for longer distances.

Bottom line - keep at it and if you have to stay at week 2 of C25K for a few months until you can get that speed up, that's fine too! Whatever works for you.

Also, I'd recommend reading "The Courage to Start" by John "The Penguin" Bingham. Not only great for beginner runners but a lot of advice also applies to getting to the right mindset for this healthy lifestyle journey we're all on.
One of my favorite quotes from that book is:

"For better or worse, you are the only you that you will ever get. What you decide to do with you is up to you. Tomorrow you will still be you. The question is whether you will move closer today to who you want to be."

Kamalka

I have to break into a job, after a minute or so on the treadmill. It is more about endurance, then speed for me...so I am not so worried about how long it takes me to get there. Good luck!

Get it easy. Keep on asking yourself "what should I do to come back tomorrow" every time you run. Resuts come very quickly...and so does satisfaction

rowerrunnercmt

I've only been running since this time last year, and my best mile time (when I'm running for time) is around 9:15/mile. Honestly though I usually run at a 10 min/mile pace, though I warm up around an 11 min/mile pace because I'm always a bit stiff in the calves.
I consider myself a slow runner, but I run 6-8 miles at a time so I don't mind being a little slow. I want to do a half marathon next summer and/or fall!
I did a 10k this past Thanksgiving morning, but I was running with a lower back injury and really not feeling well, so I finished in 1 hour 8 minutes. If I had been at my best pace, I most likely would have run it in less than an hour.

bookyeti

I don't run often -- it's just something I add to my exercise routine 1-2 times a week. I'm slow. SLOW. But I don't care. I last longer, running slower. I don't run to 'place' or 'race'... I run for the exercise only (and always indoors on the a treadmill at my hubby's workplace). I usually run at 4.0 mph, though I've been known to bump it up to 4.5 if I'm feeling energetic.

I finished C25K last year in 10 weeks (instead of the suggested 9), and ran 3.5-4.0.

mydeloo78

I am a newish runner and still slow. About 12min/mile so about 5mph. However, remember.. no matter how slow you are running you are still beating everyone on the couch!

IronmanPanda

If you're sucking wind while running/training, you're running too fast.
My training pace is roughly 10 minutes per mile, but my race pace depending on distance drops to 8 minutes for a 5k.

alliooops

Well I feel very slow now but I'm fine with that. I'm still building up my running and am doing the C25k. This week I did my first 25 min run and my personal trainer advised me to slow my speed right down so I could keep going for longer. It worked - so it was only 4.6mph but a great feeling of achievement that I actually kept going for that long. OK so as people have said, walkers could probably finish quicker than me, but on my next run I am going to do that time again but increase to 5mph. At the moment, I'm more interested in distance - just getting over that hurdle of feeling you can do it. I can try and increase my speed later on. It's all calories burned.

Saruman_w

Right now I try to stay at a steady 5mph. Once that gets too easy, I'll step it up a notch

IronmanPanda

If you're just beginning running, speed should be the last thing you worry about. As you slowly increase your mileage and fitness your speed will go up naturally. Trying to rush the process beyond your fitness level is asking for injury.

Cooriander

My PR for a 5K 25 years ago was a 21:40 (6:58 minutes/mile pace).

I restarted running in August of this year - marriage, children, weight gain later), and I train outside at a pace of 10-11 minutes/mile pace. BUT I keep injuring my self -achilles, heel, lower back, so I have a low mileage on the road currently -at about 11 miles per week, but including intense cross training (ARC/elliptical) the milage is 15-25 miles per week.

I started off at a 32:45 minute 5K at the end of August, and my "current" best 5K time is: 26:25 (8:30 pace - last saturday) which I am very happy with. I am wondering if I ever get to my 5K time 25 years ago.... I will try but it looks so far fetched.

A goal of mine in 2012 is to up my on road milage to 25 miles per week (excluding cross training) - I am hoping that will close in on the elusive gap towards a 5K PR.

My pace training is much slower than my race time, always been.

LiveEnjoyEndure

Just starting off (cyclist at heart) my usual route is 4.5 miles and I do it in 43 mins which works out about 6.3 mph or 9:30 min/mile...

LadyPersia

First try C25k 3.5 walk 4 mph run
Second c25k 5mph 4mph walk 5mph run
Current c25k 4 walk and 5.3 mph run

Doing something is far better than nothing at all. Keep up the awesome work!!!

txjulie

I agree with most people here. It's not a race against anyone else but yourself.

I do run walk intervals now as I'm training for a 1/2 and average 13 min/mile with the intervals. When I'm running it's around10-11 min/mile pace but the walking takes away from that.

Focus on what you want right now. If I were you I would just try to finish the C25K program again and if 5.0 on the treadmill is too fast back off to 4.9, 4.8 or 4.7. That is the luxury of the treadmill and what you would naturally do outdoors.

So many people get discouraged because they can't run a 10 min mile or less and I think that is sad. The overall benefit of doing your best is a million times better than throwing in the towel because you think you should be faster. You'll get faster with time and "time" can be different for everyone. Some people can build up to it in a few months and I know some people on here who have taken over 2 years to get really fast with their running.

The key is to keep running! At your pace.

pinguina8

I think it's fantastic that you're running! The best thing about it is that everyone starts somewhere, and perseverance can get you pretty much anywhere! When I started running, I could do a 9:30 mile pretty naturally (I was 13), and when I got serious about it, I could run a sub 6:30 mile (this was at peak condition during my sophomore year of track). I took a year off because of a knee injury, and I was running 3 miles in over 30 minutes for a while. Right now I can run about a 7:15 mile, and I run 6 miles in about 55 minutes.
But I don't think there's such a thing as "slow" running, running is running and it can get you into shape no matter what level you're at!! Keep up the awesome work