Running speed...what is considered 'good'?

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  • dq_diva
    dq_diva Posts: 66
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    Another 'rule of thumb': when increasing distance, don't add more than 10% per week to your longest run (i.e. if your longest run is 5 miles, only run 5.5 the next week....make sense?)

    Also, I highly suggest a foam roller for the IT band. A tight IT band can cause knee and hip issues.....while there are stretches for it, nothing will loosen that muscle like a foam roller. (Google it if you're not familiar with it!)

    Happy running :)
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
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    For health reasons as you ask I think the first responder is correct. 10-12 minute miles works for most people. I think increasing speed could have 4 good justifications; 1) If you intend to compete in races or 2) speed is part of your running passion or 3) your time to run window is more limited (then in order to progress you may only have increased speed as the way to do so). and 4) you want to include speedwork (ex; interval training) as part of your routine.

    We don't want to do the same thing week in and week out. Our bodies are just to good at getting used to something and then the benefit dwindles. We want to see progression. That can be done with distance, speed, steady or variable pace, hill work, off road work and any combination thereof.

    It seems that you have already determined what your urrent natural training pace is. If you are progressing on distance then your natural pace should improve automatically. But there are training methods that can ramp up your pace progress at a higher rate than what comes from a natural pace. So it comes down to what type of running you want to do. Running for distance or for speed both have shared and unique benefits and both are sometimes part of an overall running routine. Neither, in my opinion, is superior to the other.

    Really great input & advice! I'm thinking I'd like to incorporate them both and to just work on improving my 10k time for now (my first race result was 1hour for 10k!) and then maybe train for a half marathon :wink: :happy:
  • jroselive2012
    jroselive2012 Posts: 129
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    12mph? :noway: You mean you can run 3miles in 15minutes?

    12 minute miles is what they meant, I'm sure!!!! 12 mph would be insane!
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
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    OH! One more question haha...how often should one run to keep fit and to improve overall? Is three times per week too little?
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
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    12mph? :noway: You mean you can run 3miles in 15minutes?

    12 minute miles is what they meant, I'm sure!!!! 12 mph would be insane!

    Yeah I thought as much, or maybe they meant 12kmph? :smile:
  • drbob444
    drbob444 Posts: 5 Member
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    I use a suunto 4 heart rate monitor when running/walking (fartlek training.) This device tells you what to do for weight loss, fitness or maintenence. I also am 58 years old and have no problems with my knees. Have been running and training Karate most of my life. Happy trails
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
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    I use a suunto 4 heart rate monitor when running/walking (fartlek training.) This device tells you what to do for weight loss, fitness or maintenence. I also am 58 years old and have no problems with my knees. Have been running and training Karate most of my life. Happy trails

    Really good to hear! :happy:
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Thanks so much guys, great info here :smile: Is it true that running is bad for the knee joints in old age, or is that just hear-say?
    Not true. I'm 52 and ran 93 miles last week. My knees have never felt better.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Thanks so much guys, great info here :smile: Is it true that running is bad for the knee joints in old age, or is that just hear-say?

    That's crazy talk! Running will, however, make your uterus fall out...
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    OH! One more question haha...how often should one run to keep fit and to improve overall? Is three times per week too little?
    3 x per week is the minimum needed to maintain or improve running fitness. As you become more fit you can also run more if you want to.
  • Weebs628
    Weebs628 Posts: 574 Member
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    My comfortable speed right now is about a 12 minute mile. I've only been running for about a month.
  • nukehiker
    nukehiker Posts: 457
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    what stretches do you guys do before running ? any thoughts on how much stretching you should do ?
  • CMarshek
    CMarshek Posts: 7 Member
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    as a long time runner...you should run just to run and enjoy the experience. How far and how fast isn't the intention. It is the journey...similar to weight loss...
  • evilmonkee
    evilmonkee Posts: 55 Member
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    Thanks so much guys, great info here :smile: Is it true that running is bad for the knee joints in old age, or is that just hear-say?
    Running too much too fast, and increasing your distances rapidly can be really damaging for your joints. This is especially true if you're really new to fitness and carry a lot of extra weight.
    Training at a reasonable pace, with enough rest days, and with gradual increases actually helps improve joint health. I can dig out the studies when I get home.
    Of course, this only applies if you're healthy. If you have damaged joints or history of joint problems, that's totally different. In that case, only your doctor/ PT can tell you if running can do more harm than good for you.
  • KT022
    KT022 Posts: 46 Member
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    Thanks so much guys, great info here :smile: Is it true that running is bad for the knee joints in old age, or is that just hear-say?

    Totally false. Studies show there are no ill effects on the joints from running and it some subjects, running has improved joint health.

    It's bad on your joints if you are overweight, because you are straining your knees with each jolt - obviously this is not as bad on treadmills as it is on asphalt, but still something to keep in mind if you are not in a 'healthy' weight range.
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
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    Thanks so much guys, great info here :smile: Is it true that running is bad for the knee joints in old age, or is that just hear-say?

    Totally false. Studies show there are no ill effects on the joints from running and it some subjects, running has improved joint health.

    ^^This, and I also read that running, for those with already damaged knees, may make things worse. If you don't know if you have knee damage from living, you'll know after you've been running a while! Here are some articles i dug up on this:

    http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1948208,00.html
    http://thesportdigest.com/2012/04/is-running-bad-for-your-knees/
  • vynnette26
    vynnette26 Posts: 58 Member
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    A good running speed is whatever you can do :0)
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    Your running speed will change over time and depends on how much weight you are carrying and how adapted your body is to it.

    I've been running (and lifting) for over 30 years. I've run marathons, ultra marathons, and smaller distances.

    I find it's good to a variety of running. Different distances, different speeds, some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which you can look up on the web. Back in the day we just called it going to the track and doing some sprints.

    I do a variety and did it all even when I was obese (the fat just slowed me down and made my back ache)

    I have found that lifting weights (especially single legged exercises; one legged get ups, Bulgarian split squats, one legged dead lifts, lunges and curtsey lunges) increased my running performance as did ditching all the fat.

    I ignore exercise calories so the exercise log is just to track time spent exercising for me. Exercise calories are highly over rated. You can't exercise away eating too much food. I learned this the hard way most of my life running marathon after marathon (and lifting) and not being able to lose weight and in fact continued to gain year after year. And I don't pig out, binge, snack mindlessly, eat out of boredom, etc, but the portion sizes are too big for a small person like me. (well I wasn't small when I weighed over 170 lbs at 51'0"!)

    Anyway I found what worked for me was separating out the two things:

    Eat less to lose weight
    Exercise to maintain or build lean body mass
    end of story.

    Well, it did work for me. I am the fittest, leanest, strongest, and most muscular I've ever been in my life at age 51 and I'm healthy and don't get sick and have long endurance.
  • jroselive2012
    jroselive2012 Posts: 129
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    OH! One more question haha...how often should one run to keep fit and to improve overall? Is three times per week too little?

    I would say that if you incorporate lifting on the days you are not running, 3 days per week is great! Also, if you mix in other things like biking, pilates, yoga etc your body is going to respond pretty quickly. I know when I'm doing my pilates class twice a week (a new session starts in about a week! I'm thrilled!) my body responds immediately and my stomach gets tighter. The instructor is probably in her late 50's if not 60 and is in amazing shape and kicks my *kitten* every time. Anyway, just make sure you switch it up...we have to "get comfortable with being uncomfortable" ( I think some trainer dude on tv says that) and try new things.
  • dycheelizabeth
    dycheelizabeth Posts: 28
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    It really depends on your heart rate...for maximum weight loss I believe you should be getting your heart rate up to 80-85%...for me I have to increase my speed every 2 weeks in order to continue to loose weight...and you should aim for at least a 30 min run...this amount of time will allow your body to continue burning calories at the same rate for a couple of hours after running! The accepted formula for calculating your maximum heart rate is 206.9-(0.67xyour age)...hope this helps!

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