Slow and steady?

maryduggins

I'm a fairly new runner (running for the past 3 months) and I can just now do 3 miles with about a 9-12 minute mile (depending on how I'm feeling and how far I go, if I run 1 mile it's about 9 minutes, then 2 is about 22 minutes, and 3 is around 35 minutes, depending) (;

So I was just curious, should I try to be faster (since I can now run a fairly good amount) or should I keep on goin' slow and steady?(: Is there any benefit (other than burning more calories) to running/jogging faster?

99cherrypie99

Definitely distance! As you improve the amount of time you run, speed will come naturally.

scottb81

More running will help the most. If you want to you could also add fartleks once in a while. Pick an object in the distance during a normal run and run fast to that object. Then slow back to normal pace to recover. Repeat that as many times as you want to.

Also, you don' have to run really slow all the time. An easy run pace should be a little faster than a conversational pace. You shouldn't be getting really out of breath but you should be breathing hard enough that you don't want to carry on an extended conversation.

If you have a scheduled run and are tired then do a recovery run pace. That's the one that is really slow where you are not breathing hard and can talk with ease.

There is benefit to going faster. It will develop your aerobic capacity faster. However, even more important is total volume and consistency. If by going faster you get so tired that you get injured or start skipping runs then your improvement will slow down. So, add speed as you are able without cutting the volume.

JSheehy1965

I've been doing the Couch to 5K training program which builds you up steadily and has a schedule and found it very helpful. Here's the link if you're interested. I'm on Week 2 right now. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

wolfchild59

Honestly, pride is probably the only real benefit to being able to run faster. That, and being able to finish workouts faster when you have a mileage goal based workout.

But actually, what I've found is that the longer I've been running, the more my body has adapted to the workout and has become more efficient at the process. So even though I've been working on my pacing as well as my distance, I'm burning less calories now running 9:30-9:45 minute miles than when I was running 10:30-11 minute miles. My heart rate just doesn't get as high as it used to when I first started.

meshashesha2012

depends on what your goals are. if someday you want to run a distance race like a half or full marathon, then go for more distance

if you want to never want to run something that long distance then maybe run for speed and time.

for instance, for the thought of running a half or full marathon bores me, so once i reached my goal of being able to run a 5K, i switched that goal to seeing how far I could run in an hour. since 1 hour is going to be the upper most limit for me and running, i worked on the increasing the distance i could go in that time (speed)

ThisIsMe_sbd

More running will help the most. If you want to you could also add fartleks once in a while. Pick an object in the distance during a normal run and run fast to that object. Then slow back to normal pace to recover. Repeat that as many times as you want to.

Also, you don' have to run really slow all the time. An easy run pace should be a little faster than a conversational pace. You shouldn't be getting really out of breath but you should be breathing hard enough that you don't want to carry on an extended conversation.

If you have a scheduled run and are tired then do a recovery run pace. That's the one that is really slow where you are not breathing hard and can talk with ease.

There is benefit to going faster. It will develop your aerobic capacity faster. However, even more important is total volume and consistency. If by going faster you get so tired that you get injured or start skipping runs then your improvement will slow down. So, add speed as you are able without cutting the volume.

This guy looks like a runner!!! I'd listen to him