Am I the only super slow runner on the planet?

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13

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  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Yup, and old guy speed walking was clipping my heals, so I had to pick up my pace. I don't log it as jogging so I can't help with the math. I just take what my fitbit gives me.
  • brittknee12889
    brittknee12889 Posts: 1
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    No worries! It takes me 24 - 25 minutes. I think I have you beat for slowest runner on the planet lol :-P :-P :-P My issue isn't my muscles.. it's the breathing. I get out of breath soooo quick.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Oh, and 60 pounds lost on your ticker. Your not so slow. What ever you are doing is working fine. Congrats.
  • fatmom51
    fatmom51 Posts: 173 Member
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    IIRC, anything under 6mph is 'jogging' not 'running'?

    Only for snobbish people who like to belittle others. Running is running regardless of the pace. (and no, I'm not saying you're belittling others, but many people use the term jogging to do so). Running is a gait. The same gait as jogging, just like there's no difference between walking slowly or walking fast in terms of the gait.

    I don't think the poster intended to belittle anyone. I think it was meant to help direct them to where they might find the activity at the given speed listed. Some of the activity/exercise lists use different terminology to designate differences in speed/rate and come up with a more accurate approximation of the calories burned.
  • melb2003
    melb2003 Posts: 198
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    When I started running, I was at around 17 mins, but that was with intervals of running. I am still having a heard time running a mile, but with intervals I average 13:30 secs right now.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    IIRC, anything under 6mph is 'jogging' not 'running'?

    Only for snobbish people who like to belittle others. Running is running regardless of the pace. (and no, I'm not saying you're belittling others, but many people use the term jogging to do so). Running is a gait. The same gait as jogging, just like there's no difference between walking slowly or walking fast in terms of the gait.

    I don't think the poster intended to belittle anyone. I think it was meant to help direct them to where they might find the activity at the given speed listed. Some of the activity/exercise lists use different terminology to designate differences in speed/rate and come up with a more accurate approximation of the calories burned.

    I don't think so either (and stated that). But I have seen FAR too many people who do use the term in that way. And I want to smack every single one of them. Like when I mention I went running, they find out how slow I am, and then say, oh you're not running, you're JUST jogging. To belittle my effort...well, yes, I get angry and bitter LOL.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Like when I mention I went running, they find out how slow I am, and then say, oh you're not running, you're JUST jogging.

    Honestly, this has ever happened to you? I'm surprised...
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Like when I mention I went running, they find out how slow I am, and then say, oh you're not running, you're JUST jogging.

    Honestly, this has ever happened to you? I'm surprised...

    MANY times.
  • pt85
    pt85 Posts: 28 Member
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    “Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don’t give a **** how high the hill is or how far you’ve got to go. When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the last one – you get those three, and you’ll be fast.” - Caballo Blanco
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    MANY times.

    Sorry... that really sucks
  • fatmom51
    fatmom51 Posts: 173 Member
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    Like when I mention I went running, they find out how slow I am, and then say, oh you're not running, you're JUST jogging.

    Honestly, this has ever happened to you? I'm surprised...

    MANY times.

    Wow! That IS insulting and I can see why you'd be really ticked off. You're right -- jogging is running, just a different set of terms -- and all of that physical activity is definitely a great workout, no matter what anyone calls it. I'm extremely slow, so in my opinion anyone going much faster is running in my book -- LOL!
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
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    I run so slow they are picking up the barricades, banners, and trash cans as I go by.
    :laugh: I see I am among my people.

    I really appreciate the great advice and, well, like I said, the validation.
    I don't think I care much about increasing my pace. This pace works for me, running is pleasant and something I look forward to, and it wouldn't be if I tried to push that envelope. Since I don't have a HRM yet (I just ordered one), I go by my wind endurance to gauge the best aerobic pace for me--I can talk and breathe through my nose if I want, but I can't really sing. That's the pace I like to maintain. (And I try to sing anyway, since I am presumably alone--one of these days someone's gonna catch me all off tune and weird though).

    I appreciate the comments and the help. A lot! :drinker:
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Oh, and 60 pounds lost on your ticker. Your not so slow. What ever you are doing is working fine. Congrats.
    Thanks! I am gonna turn 50 early next year, and I gotta say, I've never felt better or been healthier in my life. If you had told me two years ago that I would be a size 6 again I'd have told you that you're crazy. (I don't think I've been this size since 6th grade).
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Like when I mention I went running, they find out how slow I am, and then say, oh you're not running, you're JUST jogging.

    Honestly, this has ever happened to you? I'm surprised...

    MANY times.

    Wow! That IS insulting and I can see why you'd be really ticked off. You're right -- jogging is running, just a different set of terms -- and all of that physical activity is definitely a great workout, no matter what anyone calls it. I'm extremely slow, so in my opinion anyone going much faster is running in my book -- LOL!
    I think if someone said that to me, I'd chuckle inwardly (and perhaps outwardly a little) to myself and assume they had some sort of insecurity. I am happy with my pace and don't care if it ever changes. If someone looks down their nose at me for that, well phththththththth to them. :laugh:
  • Babieseverywhere
    Babieseverywhere Posts: 311 Member
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    I am a slow runner who started running 18 months ago, I have managed to move up from 3.5 mph to 4.3 mph and I think I am stuck here for a bit until I start losing more weight again.
    Good luck & keep running!!! Just remember you are always faster than the person sat on the couch!!! :flowerforyou:

    I love ^ this quote :)
  • supergirl6
    supergirl6 Posts: 224 Member
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    I am also a slow runner. I started out with a 19 minute mile and have increasingly sped that up since I started back in February. Like another poster, I've faced the whole "Oh no, you're just a jogger honey, not a runner. You need to get faster before you're running." This attitude makes me crazy, so does the one where the slow runner says something like, "RIght now I can only jog a mile, but some day I'd like to be able to run it."

    I think the term "jogging" has been overtaken by many as an inferior form of running. Not for everyone, of course. Running is running is running.

    When I first started running at a slow 3.5 I thought I was flying on the treadmill! Now I'm at a 4.8 and some days I feel like the Flash. It doesn't matter that the girl two treadmills down is working an impressive 7. It doesn't lesson what I'm doing.

    Whether you're slow, fast, an interval runner, or you haven't quite made your first mile, it's all equal. It's all awesome. There's no comparing one runner to the next - we're all running our own journey and everyone starts somewhere.
  • tobd55
    tobd55 Posts: 14 Member
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    I am a runner.
    6' 4" 240lbs, 57 years old. I have lost 60 lbs since last September. I started a C210K program 12 weeks ago. During that span my 5K time has dropped from 47:28 to a 43:59. My goal is to get inside of 40 minutes for a 5K time. Everything I have read about beginning running has said it takes time and patience, and the best way to get there is by putting the miles in. I was told don't worry about the speed work yet, mainly because the risk of injury is to great at this time, because my body was not ready for the added stresses yet.

    It has only been recently that during my runs I have been able to get in the zone. No pain, no labored breathing, no thoughts or worries of outside issues. Just running. I love it.

    "It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit."
    George Sheehan
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    I'm going to assume that the reason your software is calculating it that way is that 3.5 to 4mph is a brisk/fast walk for many people, running for others.

    My best suggestion would be to invest in a heart rate monitor, that way you're not relying on a piece of software that's probably not taking into account individual differences.


    agree a heart rate monitor is good investment. I use to be able to run a 13 to 14 min mile and burned a good amount in that time.
  • countrygal2004
    countrygal2004 Posts: 82 Member
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    I love this thread! Now I know I'm not alone! Thank you for starting it. I really like the quote - you're always faster than the person on the couch! So true.

    I did my very first organized 5K run yesterday and I was 46:12. 2 full minutes faster than I had run it on my own. I walked quite a bit in that time. My friend was running with me. She is a seasoned runner and she was able to speed walk the same pace as I ran. You gotta start somewhere. We don't start out running 10 minute miles! My very first run averaged 18:33/mile. Yesterday (a month and a half later) I am averaging 14:55/mile. It takes time a perseverance. You can do it and so can I. :)

    :bigsmile:
  • zippo32
    zippo32 Posts: 1,419 Member
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    I run so slow they were packing up the water station, and I needed a drink!

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