Treadmillers; How fast do you run?

Philllbis
Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
I know everyone is different and runs at a pace comfortable to them. I'm curious to see what others are running? I run comforatbly at 6.5 mph. I was thinking of bumping up the 25 minute runs to 7mph. What's everyone else doing?

Also, has anyone seen this in theri gym? Runners that turn the speed very high jump on and run for about 5 minutes and jump off. Seems to be a trend at my gym, lol.

The other trend is for walkers to set the incline very high and then to hang onto the contol panel while they walk, wtf???

Replies

  • I run at 5mph but will increase the speed once I have finished week 9. I was advised to run as slow as I could whilst still running. However I am doing this sort of exercise for the first time so wanted to build up the stamina.
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    I run at 5mph but will increase the speed once I have finished week 9. I was advised to run as slow as I could whilst still running. However I am doing this sort of exercise for the first time so wanted to build up the stamina.

    Nice Sue. I'm going to up my speed a little bit in the next few weeks but I agree building up stamina is important.
  • kimpossible471
    kimpossible471 Posts: 268 Member
    Wow - you're FAST.

    I was faster in the early weeks - but found I had to slow down a bit to get through the longer runs - was about 5.2MPH on treadmill.

    Since finishing I have gone back and done some interval work - slow easy run (5.4) for a mile, then a mile w/ 5 30-45 sec intervals - started at 6.5 on those, now can do them at 7MPH), then finish w/ last mile easy again.

    This has significantly improved both pacing and stamina...I just went out a few days ago and did a 5K at a steady 10:20 pace - which would have been about 5.8 on the treadmill.
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    Wow - you're FAST.

    I was faster in the early weeks - but found I had to slow down a bit to get through the longer runs - was about 5.2MPH on treadmill.

    Since finishing I have gone back and done some interval work - slow easy run (5.4) for a mile, then a mile w/ 5 30-45 sec intervals - started at 6.5 on those, now can do them at 7MPH), then finish w/ last mile easy again.

    This has significantly improved both pacing and stamina...I just went out a few days ago and did a 5K at a steady 10:20 pace - which would have been about 5.8 on the treadmill.
    Nice Kim! I wouldn't say I'm fast. I have longer legs, I'm 6'1" so I can take a longer stride and feel comfortable.
  • kimpossible471
    kimpossible471 Posts: 268 Member
    Nice Kim! I wouldn't say I'm fast. I have longer legs, I'm 6'1" so I can take a longer stride and feel comfortable.

    I'm 5'10 - so leg length isn't exactly holding me back..... It's purely cardio capacity - 20+ years of not exercising will do that...hence the interval work.
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    Nice Kim! I wouldn't say I'm fast. I have longer legs, I'm 6'1" so I can take a longer stride and feel comfortable.

    I'm 5'10 - so leg length isn't exactly holding me back..... It's purely cardio capacity - 20+ years of not exercising will do that...hence the interval work.

    Ah, I get it now. Yeah it can be tough! I was the same way last year. 10 solid months of 50-60 minutes of cardio daily took care of that for me. Maybe now I'm enjoying the benefits?
  • rubyautumn4
    rubyautumn4 Posts: 818 Member
    I run at between 5.2 - 5.6. I get bored on the treadmill so moving between those speeds keeps me slightly entertained! Hoping to work my way up to running at 6 soon!

    I'm just shy of 5'5.
  • matawna
    matawna Posts: 27 Member
    I'm 5'2 - and I can run comfortabley at 4/4.5 - 5 is pushing it - I can do it, but not for long - it's a fast run for me! I wasn't sure if it was my treadmil or not!! Lol
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    Has anyone seen the people that raise the incline and then hang on to the control panel like they're falling off a cliff? It seems to be a trend in my gym. Maybe it's a new cliff hanger exercise that I haven't heard of.
  • toddka1
    toddka1 Posts: 171 Member
    Don't know about hanging on to the control like falling off the cliff, but Jillian Michaels and others have workouts where you raise the incline as that gives you more resistance on the treadmill and can burn more calories than a flat treadmill. There are specially built incline treadmills (shorter in length) that will go up to 10 - 20% incline.

    I have a nordic track treadmill with iFit. Through iFit, Jillian Michaels has a bunch of the workouts that use the same interval mindset - speed up the pace and raise the incline for a while then lower and slow down, then back up, etc.

    Now that I'm in the middle of C25K, I haven't been doing her workouts right now, but they do get the heart rate up.

    I just completed Week 2, day 3 and so far, I've done the running/workouts outside, but I may use the treadmill if the weather gets too cold/windy/rainy cause I'm a weather wimp! :smile:
  • kimpossible471
    kimpossible471 Posts: 268 Member
    Has anyone seen the people that raise the incline and then hang on to the control panel like they're falling off a cliff? It seems to be a trend in my gym. Maybe it's a new cliff hanger exercise that I haven't heard of.

    LOL - I do that while I'm changing speeds. For some reason, I loose my balance if I try to run and push buttons at the same time.
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    Has anyone seen the people that raise the incline and then hang on to the control panel like they're falling off a cliff? It seems to be a trend in my gym. Maybe it's a new cliff hanger exercise that I haven't heard of.

    LOL - I do that while I'm changing speeds. For some reason, I loose my balance if I try to run and push buttons at the same time.

    I haven't fallen or had to grab the sides yet! I've seen a few people lose their concentration and quickly grab the sides.
  • cmacphee3
    cmacphee3 Posts: 278 Member
    I have a ridiculously short stride, and everything I have read states to avoid injury, it is better to move your legs faster than lengthen your stride, therefore I look like I'm in full on sprint at 5.0mph. It is ridiculous!

    Also, I'm 5'6.5", so I'm not short, but I have most of my height in my torso and walk/run kind of "duck feet" so that might have to do with it? I tried to lengthen my stride and ended up hurting my knee, so I'm stuck being a slow poke.
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
    I am 5'8" and run comfortably at 5.5 mph on a 2 incline. I have heard that a 3 incline is similar to running outside, exertion wise. I am hoping to move up to 5.7 this next week. My goal is to run a 5k averaging a 9 minute mile. :)
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    I am 5'8" and run comfortably at 5.5 mph on a 2 incline. I have heard that a 3 incline is similar to running outside, exertion wise. I am hoping to move up to 5.7 this next week. My goal is to run a 5k averaging a 9 minute mile. :)

    That's good info on the incline! I'm going to move from 2 to 3.
  • wonderstruck91
    wonderstruck91 Posts: 107 Member
    I do intervals/pyramids on the treadmill. Low speed 4.5 high speed 7.0. Average speed probably 5.5 or 6.
  • lveh8lve
    lveh8lve Posts: 162 Member
    Im so slow!!! My run is at 4.0, maybe 4.2!! Then again I never ran ever!!! When they had the physical fitness test in gym to measure the mile, I just walked! I have a bad ankle/tight achilles/tight calves/scar tissue so I was going to go slow and complete it, then go back and do it a second time, but increase the speed.

    And those people who set the incline high, I call them Alpine Climbers. I saw a woman fall off the other day when I was on the elliptical. It was so hard to not laugh!!!
  • RoMosley
    RoMosley Posts: 18 Member
    That's a good pace for stamina, Im 5'5 and run at 6.5, but for only 10 min. That's funny about the,treadmills.
  • loril13
    loril13 Posts: 320 Member
    I am going to do W9D1 tomorrow. On the treadmill I run about 5.3 comfortably. I know I can go faster, but my long term training goal is a 10 mile race in September 2013. I want to build my endurance for distance before I try to go faster. Once I have the endurance down, I will work on my speed.

    I only have the incline on 1. I am ridiculously uncoordinated. I truly could be the person who goes flying off the treadmill. I'd rather avoid that happening. I prefer running outside anyway. But winter in New England necessitates the treadmill on occasion.
  • KrD265
    KrD265 Posts: 22
    At 268lbs, I do my runs between 6 - 6.5mph. Occasionally I will up it to 7 - 7.5. My walks are at 4 or 4.2. I'm completing week 5 today.
  • chicbuc
    chicbuc Posts: 608 Member
    I guess I'm super slow. I walk at 4 mph and run at 4.2-4.3 mph for now. I can keep that pace comfortably for about 25 minutes. I'm trying to build up endurance before speed, and it's slow going. I'm 5'4"
  • mjbell642
    mjbell642 Posts: 229 Member
    My pace is between 4mph and 4.5mph. I went up to 5 a few times, but can't sustain that for long. An advice I heard was to increase every 5 minutes. Hit the up arrow twice. Sothat ismy goal to increase my speed.
  • Shane37301
    Shane37301 Posts: 32 Member
    My warm up walk is 3.6 - 3.8mph. I start my jog at 6mph and after I get past that first 10 minutes, I might pick it up to 6.5 or 7 for a bit depending on how I feel. I do "sprints" for 2-3 minutes at a time at 8mph. I'm 5'6 so some smart@sses at the gym told me I look like the Roadrunner on the treadmill because my legs are moving so fast.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    Holy hell I am slow. I have been alternating jogging at 4.6 with walking at 4. I haven't messed with the incline yet. I read somewhere that adjusting the incline to 1 was enough to mimick the feeling of running outside. I decided I was going to run my first 5k this summer so I'm going to have to get more consistent with this!