4.5 mph is not walking, it's running for a petite female.

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Replies

  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Again, height and "short legs" for the most part do not affect the energy cost of running. In fact, at some point, being tall becomes a hindrance---there are not that many elite distance runners over 6 feet tall. If someone is struggling to increase running speed compared to a taller person, it is due to difference in fitness level, not leg length.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    The first time this was made clear to me was when I went to the gym with my husband and we were on side by side treadmills. I felt like a little tiny dog must feel when on a walk with a human since I had mine at at the same speed as his. He was over there loping along as I was frantically trying to keep up! I felt like Gimlii the dwarf in the Lord of the Rings movie ; just keep breathing! That's the key! :D

    As soon as I realized it was because he had a much longer side than I do I dropped the speed down to something more reasonable.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Is it different on a treadmill, than on the road perhaps. Because treadmill requires you to stay at one speed steady, and for most of us that is not how we walk outside. We vary our speed quite frequently. Maybe even more so with walking than with jogging. I'm 5'2". I've been measuring my walking now. My speed varies from 3.5 to 6.5 (when I'm in a hurry or have a lot of energy), and averages around 3.5 to 4. When I was jogging (in a hurry) I went at 4 to 5. So, sometimes I walk faster than I jog. It takes me less than 10 minutes to walk a mile. But, going at 6.5 happens in moments. Walking outside we are likely to follow a HIIT pattern in which we naturally speed up and slow down. On a treadmill I can walk up to 4.5, but at 5 I usually start running in order to sustain it (and not got shot off the back of the treadmill).
  • Homemaker57
    Homemaker57 Posts: 106 Member
    I'm 5'7 and I run/jog at 4.0... I know, I know, I'm super lame. But I'm doing C25K and it says to start of running as slow as you can. Once I can run for 30 minutes at a time I'll work on increasing my speed! I'd rather be able to run for awhile, than run fast but have to quit after thirty seconds.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I've only glanced the posst and truly the whole thing makes no sense to me. Leg length is really not a big deal. Walking or running would be speed, fitness level, cadence, etc. My DH is 6'6" tall, I'm 5'4" - he runs a 10 MPM - I run 8:20 MPM on a 10K. Sure I take more steps, move my feet faster, etc etc. But I've also been running for 4 years and he just started. Leg length is not really a factor in speed.

    Not sure where I read it - but isn't the average female marathon champion 5'5"?

    Think about it - DH legs may be longer than mine - but I also have a lot less body and weight to move so I can go faster turn over with my feet. I think anyone can justify it but I can see why as a "general rule" for MFP website why they call it walking. I "walk" on the treadmill at 4 MPH between sets of intervals for my relaxing cool down rest period, irregardless of my leg length.
  • blinker86
    blinker86 Posts: 104 Member
    I also feel a bit cheated when I have to log 4.0 or 4.5 mph as walking, when I was clearly running! 4.0 is a slow but comfortable pace that I can maintain at 5'5", but I've just learned to input my calories burned according to my HRM and move on!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I also feel a bit cheated when I have to log 4.0 or 4.5 mph as walking, when I was clearly running! 4.0 is a slow but comfortable pace that I can maintain at 5'5", but I've just learned to input my calories burned according to my HRM and move on!

    You can make your own exercise entry to use, and leave speed out of it if it changes. Just call it Running hard, or Jogging easy, ect. You enter the calorie burn and time, and you can use it again next time.
  • mhorn2142
    mhorn2142 Posts: 319 Member
    Hell, I'm 5'10" and that is my fast pace for out on the trails. Granted on the track I can do 5.5 to 6 MPH, but most of my running is in the hills on rocky terrain. I find it demoralizing when I see these threads and the ensuing post that anything under a 12 minute mile isn't running/jogging. Running is a gait, not a speed, and I may be slow, but I'm working my *kitten* off!

    lol love it!
  • kymber2280
    kymber2280 Posts: 47
    I think the point of this thread is to support each other not to boast about ourselves. Just saying ;)
  • kymber2280
    kymber2280 Posts: 47
    Sorry that was intended for tachyon_maste comment ^^
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    It may be walking for a over 6 foot male but for a petite woman it is light running. I am 5'5 and take more steps than a taller person to keep up so wouldn't that mean I could run at a slower MPH than a man?
    It makes no sense to me that I have to run at 4.5 MPH but MFP claims I am walking. It's unfair really. I feel i am running and according to my heart rate I am. MFP really needs to take height and length t of legs and torso into consideration. Also list more exercises. speed intervals on a treadmill is not even listed neigher is planking. They list cleaning house as exercise but not being in a mosh pit which is much more moving than cleaning.

    :huh:

    I'm 5'0". 4.5 mph is still walking for me. It's a very brisk walk, but I'm still walking (well, I've been accused of taking large strides, but come on, I'm 5'0", how long can my strides be??) I don't start running until about 5 mph. (And actually, coming off a run, I will go down to 4.5 for a bit to recover when doing HIIT)


    I think it's different for different people. But it's not necessarily your height. It's your stride and your attitude.
  • carlapendergrass
    carlapendergrass Posts: 42 Member
    For a woman, 5' 5" is not considered "petite" in the United States - In fact, it's at or slightly above average height, depending on age and ethnicity.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    Right there with ya. 5'4.5" and to me

    2.5 mph is a normal walk
    3 mph is a fast walk
    3.5 mph is a very fast walk
    4 mph is a jog
    4.5 mph is running

    This is me. And let me tell you, 5.0mph it looks like I am sprinting down the track. I'm 5'2" and when i do have to slow down, I drop it to below 4 because that is when I am slow jogging to catch my breath with my asthma.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    This is why I use a HRM (or did before my FitBit) to calculate calories burned, not MFP's database. Then I would enter it into whichever speed matched the calories burned.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
    5'2" here and 4mph is jogging for sure for my short, stubby lil legs!:wink:
  • raffin4224
    raffin4224 Posts: 2
    Wow, I'm really surprised by the comments here! I'm 5'5" with slightly shorter-than-average legs, and my daily exercise is an hour of walking at least 5mph (sometimes 5.5mph) on the treadmill. I'd definitely call it a purposeful walk, as I don't approach 5mph just walking around in my daily life, but it's still comfortable and if I'm watching a tv show or whatever, I don't really notice that I'm walking anymore (my ideal exercise!).

    For me...

    2.5 to 3mph - a strolling, casual/normal walk
    3.5 to 4mph - a slightly fast walk, but maintainable over long distances
    4.5mph and above - fast walking, if I'm running late or in a hurry!

    When I tried doing C25k, I think I jogged at about 6.5 to 7mph, but I don't really remember. Just wanted to add my two cents!
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    I am 5'4", and 4 mph was very fast walking or jogging, whether I am outdoors or on a treadmill. I couldn't walk any faster without killing my shins. But I could jog.
  • shengaliing
    shengaliing Posts: 4 Member
    I'm 5'0 and in my opinion, a speed of 4.5 is still just walking. I run at 7 to 8mph everyday.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    It may be walking for a over 6 foot male but for a petite woman it is light running. I am 5'5 and take more steps than a taller person to keep up so wouldn't that mean I could run at a slower MPH than a man?
    It makes no sense to me that I have to run at 4.5 MPH but MFP claims I am walking. It's unfair really. I feel i am running and according to my heart rate I am. MFP really needs to take height and length t of legs and torso into consideration. Also list more exercises. speed intervals on a treadmill is not even listed neigher is planking. They list cleaning house as exercise but not being in a mosh pit which is much more moving than cleaning.

    5'5" is not short it's average. I can walk at 4mph and run is 5.5-6 mph
  • rainbow_sprite19
    rainbow_sprite19 Posts: 1
    I'm 5' and 4.8 is a good jog for me :) I think it's whatever people feel comfortable/happy with that's important!
  • Asherah29
    Asherah29 Posts: 354 Member
    5'9" here 4.5-4.8 is a fast walk for me. I have been told I take very long, and quite fast strides. I can and have out walked some joggers lol
  • Telomin
    Telomin Posts: 45 Member
    I recommend logging stuff like this with a sports tracker (MFP is mostly focused on food), where you can choose if you walked or ran., or jogged or anything else.
    I use endomondo and I really reommend it!
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Speak for yourself! I'm only 5'2" and anything less than 5mph is walking for me. I run at 10mph.

    This!!! I'm 5'2 and average between 4-4.5 MPH and it's walking for me! :bigsmile:
  • Telomin
    Telomin Posts: 45 Member
    oh and keep endomondo connected with MFP so it will update to MFP when you've logged it.
  • tristaj90
    tristaj90 Posts: 330 Member
    5'4" here and when I walk I'm always at a 4.5-5 MPH pace..and that's fast walking. Not running. If I run its typically 6-6.5 MPH.. Sooo... just no.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    This has nothing to do with height. I'm 5'10" and though I have short legs (Even regular length are too long for me :() my normal treadmill pace is around 6.4 for an easy run.

    My sister who is 5'2.5" and petite runs around 6:30 minute miles - I don't know what setting that is on the treadmill as the highest I can crank it up to and not fly off is like 8.2 - and that's for a minute interval so I don't know hwo fast it is as I'm praying for dear life.

    has nothing to do with height.
  • hirstrl
    hirstrl Posts: 157 Member
    I'm 5"4' and 4 mph is running to me. I feel your pain. Lol.

    Yes me too. 5'4 and run at 4 mph
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    4.5 mph is still 4.5 mph whether you walk or run it you will be burning the same amount of calories.
    Actually, speed walking burns more calories than running at the same speed. I remember reading a study they did, can't locate it now. Plus it makes sense. To speed walk, you're using a lot of upper body motion for momentum.
  • Beckilovespizza
    Beckilovespizza Posts: 334 Member
    Different strokes for different folks :) i'm a tiny smidge under 5ft and a very brisk walking pace for me is 4.5mph. For a shortie i have long legs and a quick stride.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I commented on this thread a while ago. I can't remember if I clarified. But, at one point I was talking about km per hour not miles per hour. Lol
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