Push from a 10 min mile to a 9 min mile, advise please

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oliviabog
oliviabog Posts: 101
in Fitness and Exercise
Want to get my speed up a little but i don't know the best way of doing this. Increase speed over short stretches was one idea. It would be really good to hear how others did it :)
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Replies

  • kdkyzer
    kdkyzer Posts: 137 Member
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    Yes, I agree. Integrate interval training once a week. Warm up with ~1 mile, then up your speed for ~400 meters, then slow down to recover for the same amount of time as it took you to run 400 meters. Repeat 4 times. run another mile or so for cool down. Over time, increase the number of repeats. This is a tough workout, but it works. Another option, slightly less structured is to run 'for two light poles or 3 mailboxes or two blocks', then recover for the same distance.

    Integrating this type of training gave me a great speed bump...as a matter of fact, I went from a little over 10 min/mile to ~8:30 (depending on the race I was training for.) And I'm old. ;-)
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
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    Try doing it in the evening once you have eaten a good lunch rather than on an empty tummy in the morning. Latter better for weight loss but you will have more stamina a few hours after a good meal.
  • RenewedRunner
    RenewedRunner Posts: 423 Member
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    Go farther to run faster. How long are you running? Speed/intervals/tempos are all good, but you need to make sure you have some mileage in there as well.
  • oliviabog
    oliviabog Posts: 101
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    Well im aiming for a marathon in october/nov. Distance wise im up to 9 km and the day after im doing 6 because it harder the day after... So I've got to get a good mix of distance and speed.

    I'll try the interval approach and slowly build it up, it sounds like you've had great results from that!

    I tend to go running in the evening during the week and in the morning at the weekends because im a stay at home mum. But during the week i also walk with the kids and our golden retriever (who never seems to run out of energy). I'm beginning to think of taking the dog on some runs. Might actually tire him out for once!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    check out pacing music at jog.fm
    - intervals and fartleks
    - run for longer
    - incorporate some hill trainings
  • oliviabog
    oliviabog Posts: 101
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    Sorry i meant half marathon, I'm not totally mad yet!!!
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
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    I've always been told to take a day off after your long runs.
  • oliviabog
    oliviabog Posts: 101
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    I'm trying to do something similar to a marathon training schedule (I'm not starting proper marathon training till April). So I'm doing two days on and one day off. Hard run followed by easy run the next day then rest day. That's just similar to the bupa training schedule only I'm not doing as bigger distance as it says in the schedule as I know I need to build that up slowly.

    I'm definitely looking forward to my rest day tomorrow :)
  • oliviabog
    oliviabog Posts: 101
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    check out pacing music at jog.fm
    - intervals and fartleks
    - run for longer
    - incorporate some hill trainings

    How does one do hill training, there are hills in my normal route. Steep and gentle. Do you just run more hills or ind more hilly routes?
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    increasing in speed =intervals or all out sprints
    running stairs, hills

    increasing endurance=increase distance
    just keep going farther each time
    until you have to walk
    I used to run cross country (in another life)
    so we had 2 mile runs every meet.
    every fall i had to build up my running again
    and that's exactly what we had to do
    vary the runs between long distance and speed training
    I was no faster than you are now, but gradually in practice
    I was able to run a little more each day. to around 8min mile

    and don't forget jump training
    jump squats for example, but there's much more.
    and you're prob. already doing weight lifting.

    research the workouts that sprinters do
    that's the sort of training you need for speed
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    Miles. Just put in a lot of miles and get a good base for when you do start doing intervals. I'm doing my first half in June and I've barely done any intervals at all. I really just started adding some in last week for the first time. Here's an example of what running 100 - 150 miles a month will do for you.


    8b398d9a8eaa11e29b3722000a1fa50e_7.jpg
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    you could do it in laps, running the same hill over and over, or go over that part of your course and do different hills multiple times, it's up to you. you could also use stairs in a stadium, or your house.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    i think its a good idea to work on your endurance first then speed, whichever you're working on,
    it's hard to do both and still have weight training and rest days
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Most of the time a person's speed isn't the problem. Can you run one lap around a track (1/4 mile) in 2:15? If yes, then you already have the speed. What you lack is the endurance to maintain that speed over increasing distances.

    The way to fix that is lots of easy miles (75% max heartrate and below) and an occasional tempo run (80 to 90% max heartrate).

    If you do want to do intervals or other speedwork it shouldn't make up more than 5% of your weekly mileage.
  • oliviabog
    oliviabog Posts: 101
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    The consensus generally seems to be distance before speed with gradually incorporating intervals and tempo. I'm encouraged to see others progress. I'm also excited to build up my own.

    Thank-you all so much :)
  • oliviabog
    oliviabog Posts: 101
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    increasing in speed =intervals or all out sprints
    running stairs, hills

    increasing endurance=increase distance
    just keep going farther each time
    until you have to walk
    I used to run cross country (in another life)
    so we had 2 mile runs every meet.
    every fall i had to build up my running again
    and that's exactly what we had to do
    vary the runs between long distance and speed training
    I was no faster than you are now, but gradually in practice
    I was able to run a little more each day. to around 8min mile

    and don't forget jump training
    jump squats for example, but there's much more.
    and you're prob. already doing weight lifting.

    research the workouts that sprinters do
    that's the sort of training you need for speed

    Thanks :)
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I don't know how far you are running. If you are doing a 5K, I would suggest running a 10K. If it's a 10K, I would say do a half marathon. Sure, intervals, hills and speed runs are all good, but for me, my speed increased from running longer distance. Running hills only helped me stay the same speed on hills.

    If you are running a marathon, then the strategy changes. I suggest Hal Higdon's training programs. You'll find one that works for you.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    I did the run less run faster plan and took my half marathon time from a 10:00 MPM to a 9:00 MPM in 3 months.
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
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    Miles. Just put in a lot of miles and get a good base for when you do start doing intervals.

    This^

    Also, running stairs has given me a huge improvement with my endurance and speed.
  • organicgirl22
    organicgirl22 Posts: 9
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    Long runs at least once a week are key in getting faster, it will help with your endurance too. I've found the more miles i log in a week, the faster I am in races. For a half marathon I would use Hal Higdon's plan, it's easy to follow and slowly builds your long runs. But definitely more mileage and some speedwork sessions should help you get faster. Don't do speedwork till you have better endurance though. Always try to negative split also.

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