training for a 10K- need advice
mrsogden259
Posts: 18
My trainer says I need to start running faster. I am joggin 2-3 miles now comfortable at a 12 minute mile. She says I need to go faster. I cant add time and distance if Im going too much faster. Should I continue to hang at this pace and increase my distance or start running faster and start all over again?
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First, congrats on stepping up to the challenge! I am training for my first half-marathon in December and I just want to finish BEFORE the guy with the kid on his shoulders pushing a stroller (seems to be one at every race).
I was stuck for the longest at that 12 minute mile pace. What I did to get faster was run intervals on a treadmill once a week. Set it on 1% incline so you have a little resistance like being on a real roadway. After you get all warmed up, rev it up as fast as you dare (don't want you to fall or get injured!) I warm up on 4.3 mph, rev to 7.5 mph and hold that pace for a couple of minutes, then back down to 5.0 until I recover, usually a couple of minutes. Back to 7.5 and down again to 5.0. I will do that for 30-40 minutes. It seemed to help my feet train to go faster.
Something else you can try is watch people who are fast runners, paying attention to their foot path throughout a stride and what they are doing with their hands. That is part of their secret to getting faster.
Good luck!0 -
do you want to go faster, or are you happy with your current speed? also, are you competing against others, or running against yourself?
for me, it was all about keeping going- speed wasn't an issue at all. i didn't even think about it. i chose to go further instead. naturally my speed increased as my fitness improved.
if you want to get faster, run intervals. i did them at the track- ran 200m as fast as i could, then ran 200m recovery jog. repeat a billion times!
your trainer is there to guide and push you, but are you happy with your current exertions?0 -
I think it depends on what your base is. How long have you been running and how many miles a week do you run?
If you are a new runner I don't suggest trying to add speed and endurance at the same time.
That is just an injury waiting to happen.
My $.02, build your base first. Run mostly easy, sometimes hard. Build your mileage and your speed will begin to increase naturally. Once you have a good base then start adding in speed work.0 -
do you want to go faster, or are you happy with your current speed? also, are you competing against others, or running against yourself?
for me, it was all about keeping going- speed wasn't an issue at all. i didn't even think about it. i chose to go further instead. naturally my speed increased as my fitness improved.
if you want to get faster, run intervals. i did them at the track- ran 200m as fast as i could, then ran 200m recovery jog. repeat a billion times!
your trainer is there to guide and push you, but are you happy with your current exertions?
You bring up a great point, Bonjour24!
It really is a coin toss, depending on where you want to take your running, and what you have available.
I chose a treadmill for my intervals because 1) I absolutely cannot stand to run on a track and 2) the monitor keeps me honest with myself. I already knew I could cover any distance as long as I dropped my pace and had water, calories available. Endurance has never been an issue for me. Speed is a problem! After almost 10 months of hard effort, the best I have managed to maintain is 9.50 min miles.0 -
If you are interested in performance then you need to build your running base up to a minimum of 25 to 35 miles per week. Dom't worry about speed while building although your speed will naturally increase some anyway. Also, if you are able and willing you should build to running 6 days per week with one day long between 90 min and 2 hrs. Once you are comfortably running that much per week for a few weeks you can start adding a couple of specific speed workouts to the mix each week.0
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Thanks for responding everyone. I did forget to mention my goal, and that is distance. I want to be able to run a good 5-6 miles, and then get faster. Thanks again for all the great advice! I definately want to do this the smart way. I have been injured before by going gung ho too fast. been there, done that, not goin back! Especially with all this good advice. Thanks again all.0
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If you are interested in performance then you need to build your running base up to a minimum of 25 to 35 miles per week. Dom't worry about speed while building although your speed will naturally increase some anyway. Also, if you are able and willing you should build to running 6 days per week with one day long between 90 min and 2 hrs. Once you are comfortably running that much per week for a few weeks you can start adding a couple of specific speed workouts to the mix each week.
What he said!
BTW, did your trainer tell you why speed is such a big deal?0 -
That is a good question! Why did you trainer tell you speed is such a big deal!?! My goal is always to compete against myself and to finish. I definitely am not going to make any records on the course but every time I have competed, I have PR'd and for me, that is success!0
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She said its because the goal offitness is to always challenge yourself. My goal is to challange myself too. I am not looking for any recordbreaking but to beat my own time. Last year I did a 5K in 47 minutes. Today I did 3 miles in 36 (no hills in my neighborhhod though). My goal right now is to finish a 5 mile mud run and obstacle course on October 20. I'd like to finish in under 1.5 hours because my 10 year old will be with me....so I really cant go for a "BEST time" She finished a 3.5 mile obstacle course with me in June that she did not even train for in 1hr 5 min. (She's awesome in my book and totally my inspiration for being healthy)
Please keep me motivated. I REALLY appreciate you all so so much!That is a good question! Why did you trainer tell you speed is such a big deal!?! My goal is always to compete against myself and to finish. I definitely am not going to make any records on the course but every time I have competed, I have PR'd and for me, that is success!0 -
She said its because the goal offitness is to always challenge yourself. My goal is to challange myself too. I am not looking for any recordbreaking but to beat my own time. Last year I did a 5K in 47 minutes. Today I did 3 miles in 36 (no hills in my neighborhhod though). My goal right now is to finish a 5 mile mud run and obstacle course on October 20. I'd like to finish in under 1.5 hours because my 10 year old will be with me....so I really cant go for a "BEST time" She finished a 3.5 mile obstacle course with me in June that she did not even train for in 1hr 5 min. (She's awesome in my book and totally my inspiration for being healthy)
Please keep me motivated. I REALLY appreciate you all so so much!That is a good question! Why did you trainer tell you speed is such a big deal!?! My goal is always to compete against myself and to finish. I definitely am not going to make any records on the course but every time I have competed, I have PR'd and for me, that is success!
I contend that your trainer is not well versed in how to develop running fitness. Your easy pace is your easy pace. That is the pace at which you should be doing most of your running. In order to develop aerobic fitness, you need to run longer, not faster.0
