running for shorties

brooke1653
brooke1653 Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been a lurker for about the last month and thought it was about time I posted! I am 5' tall (well, give or take) and I started doing Couch 2 5k and am on week 4....I was just curious, for those shorties who run, do you find that you run at the same speed as those with longer legs?? I am running at about a 4.5 mph pace, walking comfortably but still "fast" at 3mph and always wonder if its just me, or does my height really make it more difficult to run at faster speeds. I'd be curious if any other shorties out there feel that it would be absolutely impossible to run anythign above say like a 5.5 mph pace for more than a mile....I used to run when I was in my 20s (and when I was MUCH thinner) and even then, I think 5.5 mph was the fastest I could go at a consistent pace. Is it my height, or all in my head? Thoughts?

Replies

  • GettingDBack
    GettingDBack Posts: 75 Member
    Yes, it is in your head. I'm 5'2" and I can run a 5K in under 24 minutes, which is about 7 mph. I constantly pass people who are much taller than me.
  • brooke1653
    brooke1653 Posts: 3
    hmm....thanks. I guess I just always think that my stride is so much shorter (I see it directly when I'm with dh because he is 6'1) and it takes me extra steps to go the same distance.....if its mind-over-matter, I guess I should start changing my mind.......
  • Chrysy87
    Chrysy87 Posts: 56 Member
    I find that when I run with someone shorter than me I do tend to out pace them...but when I run with my fiance he out paces me, even though I am in better shape and have been running much longer than him. It's simple...longer legs take longer strides. Now this isn't saying that short people can't run fast, they just have to move their legs faster at a certain pace than a taller person would at the same pace to keep up with them.
  • Flafster
    Flafster Posts: 106 Member
    I find that when I run with someone shorter than me I do tend to out pace them...but when I run with my fiance he out paces me, even though I am in better shape and have been running much longer than him. It's simple...longer legs take longer strides. Now this isn't saying that short people can't run fast, they just have to move their legs faster at a certain pace than a taller person would at the same pace to keep up with them.

    This. I took a 6' friend out on her week 3 of C25k. I thought it would be an easy warm up for me before my normal 8k weekend run. Nearly killed me keeping up with her.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I'm 5'4" and dh is 6'6". Yes, he takes one step to my two steps. But short fast strides are actually better for a runner, less chance of injury. I practice ChiRunning, that has a focus on cadence. I'm about a 7.7 mph on a 5K. If you look at professional athletes, runners are generally of the shorter variety.

    My 13 yo son is 5' tall. He does his 5K in less than 18 minutes, with 0 training into it at all. If he trains, he would probably be even faster. I think weight of the person is more a consideration than stride or height. DH's out weighs me by double my weight and there is no way he could keep up with me because he is heavier, DS on the other hand is about 60lbs less than me and only 4" shorter and he kicks my butt.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I think for most short people, we do run slower due to shorter strides. However, of course we can run faster than someone in less shape, regardless of height. the more fit we are, the faster we can be, but we're taking far more steps than someone taller. To me, that makes it harder for us to go the same speed as them, all else being equal. Kind of like shorter people have to be fitter to go the same speeds as taller people.
  • racerscottw227
    racerscottw227 Posts: 71
    I'm 5'6" and on week 4 of C25k as well. I "run" about 6mph on average. I think that's slow, but it's mostly because I'm just getting into running. I figure that after I get a full 5k under my belt I'll be able to work on speed.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I'm a fairly average height but have short legs (I wear a 29" inseam) and will average 6MPH for training runs. In some ways a shorter stride with faster foot turnover results in better overall running technique - watch some taller runners (except for outright sprinting) and you'll see that many don't extend their forward foot a great deal in front of their bodies.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Deena Kastor is 5'4" and has run a 5K in 14:54. Height doesn't make that big a difference.
  • MtnKat
    MtnKat Posts: 714
    I didn't think height made all that much of a difference in the end...it's more about your level of fitness, experience in running, and the kind of training you do.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Height doesn't matter. It's all about turnover. There are some very fast short people.

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