Short "chubby" runners... what was your starting mile time?

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  • juliaamilee
    juliaamilee Posts: 262 Member
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    I am 5'1 I did my first 5K saturday I did it in 40:05. I was running about two years ago and was running it in 36min. I did stop because of exercise induced asthma. I belive that once you build up endurance your speed will come as well. I ran with alot of much taller people and their stride was much more than mine, they were able to cover more ground but I did pass a few up, I kept my pace and when they were tired I passed them. Dont worry about what anyone else is doing or the time. Just go and do it and have fun. I got third in my age divison, and got a medal. I was like WHAT??? LOL the first one came in at 29 the second one in at 30 me at 40 and the walker of the group at 45. I did walk/run because I have not built up that endurance.
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
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    5'3" here, 170ish and aiming for 130ish. I started out running a 14 minute mile and am down to a 13 minute mile, 13.5 on long runs and can do 12.5 if I hustle - I actually did 4 miles at a 12:57 pace today and was very excited to break 12. I am going to tell you what's been said to me when I fret about my speed - the pace other people are going at doesn't matter; go at your own pace, one you can sustain. The more you run the faster you'll get. To be human is to compare but you have to try to focus on you :)


    I'd suggest looking into the Couch to 5K, that trained me how to run and I can't recommend it enough. One of the best things I ever ever did for myself.


    Edit: Oh, and don't take your husband to heart. Mine is like that too, we both ran the same 5K - he did it in 30:23 and I did it in 40:18. He was like, "You did great!" in that voice that meant "Wow you're slow!" but he's a foot taller and he's in a healthy weight range - my pace wasn't going to be his. I know I'll get better, and you will too :)
    I'm faster than your DH LOL. My DH is the same way. They're just competitive and don't want to be outdone by their wives? When I ran my first 5k, my DH told me he would be more impressed if I ran a 10k :noway: Now I'm on my fourth half marathon and he still sleeps through my races :huh:

    Don't compare yourself to others. Just keep going and have a good time :drinker:


    Please don't tell him that! LOL. He was so mad at himself for not breaking 30 that day, lol. I swear he's only running right now because he can "beat" me at it - if I ever get faster I bet he quits, lol :)
  • thomassd1969
    thomassd1969 Posts: 564 Member
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    I am 5ft 3. Starting weight at 189, Current at 156 (stuck there) I started running in April of this year doing the couch to 5K program. I got bored with it and just started on my own. I ran my first mile around 13 minutes. I usuall run outdoors. I just dont care for the treadmill. I have my first 5K in November. The longest I have ran is 2 miles without stopping. I am running about a 11-12 minute mile now. I am more focused on distance than time. Feel free to add me.
  • CincinnatiDEIFan
    CincinnatiDEIFan Posts: 188 Member
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    I am 5'2 and now weight 157.

    I have been walking 1.6 miles for about a month and a half now. It is also all done on the beach. So some days are easier and others are dreadful *depends on the tide!!!*. On days when the tide is out and the sand is firm, like today, I can jog/walk it in about 30 minutes now.

    I am still dreadfully slow, but it is getting BETTER. I found today I can jog more of it by far than I could even a month ago. I am not in it to compete with anyone but myself. I don't care if my husband could do laps around me (for the record he couldn't as he is just starting this journey himself).

    I have found that if I walk at the same time every morning, the same folks are out. They have became a support system. Just today one man saw me get back in under 30 minutes and thought I "cheated" and told me to go back out there! LOL. I told him I saw the rain clouds and ran more than usual and I had not cheated. They are a great motivator!!!!

    Good luck to you and KEEP at it. I never would have thought I could jog almost the entire thing when I was falling over exhausted not long ago from just walking it!!!!!
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    I am 4'11" and even after 2 years of running, I am at about 12-13 minutes a mile. You know......I am not a religious person but I will compare running to praying. There is no right way to do it because it is deeply personal. Just go out there, go slow and enjoy yourself. At my last 5K I was number 213 out of 220.....I still finished :)
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
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    Right now I can run a 11 minute mile, I could do a 10 minute mile on the treadmill but I get more out of breath easy.. I usually go at 4-5mph . I do this on the treadmill, sometimes with a small amount of incline.. but it seems different running outside. I would be outside more but its freezing here.

    I'm 5'3 and 150 lbs also. My legs are short and chubby, I know a bunch of tall people who can outrun me with ease.

    Like Yanicka said, NO right or wrong way. Do how much you can take, work on running faster if you want... but for now just enjoy those 13-14 minute miles. You aren't racing, and it's doing your body good no matter how long it takes to go a mile.

    Oh, and people can run at any weight, it's more about endurance.
    Though, I will say I can run faster when I'm lighter.
  • tabbydog
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Don't worry about your speed for now, just work on your endurance. After you have been running for a while you can work on getting faster. Trying to build endurance and speed together is a recipe for injury. Everyone has their natural rythm that feels right to them. It can be improved with work later! Just relax and enjoy your progress as it comes! :wink:
  • 40Marbles
    40Marbles Posts: 188 Member
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    C25K or any of the other running apps out there (runkeeper, rundouble etc) really help.

    I started running last fall, and finished C25K poking along at about 14-15 minute miles.

    Moving on to this year - I ran my first official 5k last month: 34:40.

    This morning: 5k in 34:04

    You can do it!!
  • juliebeannn
    juliebeannn Posts: 428 Member
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    at 5'3" and 165lbs, i ran a 14 min mile. a year later, at 150lbs, i ran 12-13 min mile. now, at 140lbs and WAY stronger due to lifting heavy stuff, i think i'm down to around 10:30-11min mile.

    i don't think i'll ever be a fast runner. i'm not a good runner, in general. as soon as i start running, my feet/knees/hips start to hurt cuz i have tendonitis in almost all my major joints. i don't run more than 3 miles at a time b/c of it.

    i can't run a 8min mile, but i CAN deadlift and squat my body weight, so i'm pretty darn proud of that. do i beat myself up b/c i can't run a 8in mile? heck no! my body does what it can. i measure progress in what my body CAN do, not what it can't.
  • eclare87
    eclare87 Posts: 97 Member
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    I'm just under 5'2. When I was around 150 pounds I couldn't even run a mile! I would run/walk. And eventually I built up from there. :)
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    When I started 15 was good for me, now I can get 10, and I can run 6 miles in 60 mins. And that's a pace i'm very satisfied with and I really have not challenged myself to improve it.
  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
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    Don't worry about what hubby says! I can't run faster than 5.5 mph for any given amount of time ... on rare occasion I hit a 7 mph moment on my runs with the gps monitoring for me but don't ask me how long or how I did it, No clue.. MOST IMPORTANT: You are improving. Keep on keeping on and enjoy it, don't make it something that you allow yourself to get disappointed over. Focus on the positives and keep moving!
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,798 Member
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    im 5'1'' 135 lbs, and i still cant run for more than a few minutes at a time..i have never been into running, but i think its because i have smoked for so long (stopped smoking 6 months ago) and never needed to get in shape before..good luck to you tho..
  • emorym
    emorym Posts: 344
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    My friend has a sticker on her car "No matter how slow you run you're lapping everyone on the couch." I do the run/walk method and we are training for a Half marathon 3 min run/1 min. walk averaging 12 min pace. Not very fast but we get it done and feel good afterwards. I know lots of runners much faster then me. But I am doing this for me and I'm the out there doing my best. Keep up the good work and like others have posted you will get faster.
  • OMGlob
    OMGlob Posts: 7 Member
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    I'm pretty similar in size to you - 5"2 and 158lb. I've been running for 2 years and started doing run/walk with the c25k app. Just checked my times and I started at about 15min/mile. Since then I've done several 10ks and a half marathon but still can't get much quicker than about 10.30 min/mile! I average about 11-11.30 min/mile. I don't think I'm going to get much quicker though I'm trying to make up for it with distance!! Good luck and don't give up!
  • aubeatle
    aubeatle Posts: 17 Member
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    I'm 5' 2" and did my first (true) Couch to 5k back in April. I started walking at 228 pounds (now at 188.5), finished the 5k with 2/1 intervals (run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute) in 56 minutes (which was a 17 minute mile average). Now I'm in my second session and my goal is to run the entire race. On a good day, I run a 12-13 minute mile. I'm not built for speed but it doesn't really bother me. I do try to sprint the last minute of my run, though. I've heard that with every pound you lose, you can run 4 seconds faster. Keep it up, regardless of your speed. Slow runs are just as beneficial. Be sure to pace yourself so you don't get tired. You want to look strong crossing that finish line!
  • sarasell
    sarasell Posts: 4 Member
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    I'm 5'4" and 218 lbs. I started out this summer only being able to run 1/10 of a mile at a time. I am now up to 1.5-2 miles. I run about a 12 minute mile. I would love to be faster, but I'd rather work on endurance for now.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
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    I'm taller (5'8") but when I was 220lbs I finished C25K. I was INCREDIBLY slow.
    I only recently started using Runkeeper... Back on August 4th my average mile was 14 minutes. (weighing 204lbs)
    I ran two days ago and my average mile was 11mins. (196.6lbs)
    Run more, rest enough, you will speed up naturally :)
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
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    I'm 5'5". When I started running (with Couch 2 5K) I was maybe doing a 13min mile - on a good day! I was around 180 pounds then. Now, I'm somewhere around 155 pounds (haven't weighed myself in a few months), and I'm down to around a 7 min mile! I used C25k, do a mix of same-pace long distance running and HIIT. You'll find as your endurance gets better, you're able to go a little faster, I think. But HIIT definitely works, too! On my run on Saturday, I hit 10.32mph for a good 2 mins or so without even thinking I was going fast! I was shocked when I was finished and looked at my tracker! Keep in mind, "running" for me is "walking with a bounce to make it look like jogging" for my boyfriend. Leg span definitely plays a part!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    My most recent mile was 14 minutes. I'm slow, but at least I have the endurance to get there! :tongue:

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