Help running faster
moooveitgen
Posts: 15 Member
So I started running at the end of December. I also quit smoking (cold turkey). I am using a c25k type app from Endomondo, but I am so slow still, at a 14 minute mile. I am well aware that to some people a 14 minute mile is walking, not running, but to me, my legs and lungs it is running. I just want to do it faster. Does anyone have any tips on increasing speed?
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Replies
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If you've only been running less than 2 months, you aren't going to get faster without giving it more time and just keep running. Finish the c25k plan and see how you are doing then.0
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If you are using a c25k type app, you are doing alternating of walking/jogging during that mile, which would make it slower that if you were to jog a a mile.
I don't worry about my speed. The fact that I am out there running says something. Get comfortable with your pace, speed will come later.
I'm on week 4 of C25K, and last night my pace was 13:51/mile.0 -
More miles, more miles, more miles
At this point, any type of speedwork won't do anything. You need to build up your aerobic base.0 -
So I started running at the end of December. I also quit smoking (cold turkey). I am using a c25k type app from Endomondo, but I am so slow still, at a 14 minute mile. I am well aware that to some people a 14 minute mile is walking, not running, but to me, my legs and lungs it is running. I just want to do it faster. Does anyone have any tips on increasing speed?
Just be patient...complete the app and you'll start to get faster automatically. Endurance first, then speed.
Good luck and have fun!0 -
For pure speed and leg strenght, do some HIIT sprinting, you can also include frog jumps in the intervals.
It will also help your running endurance to some degree.0 -
Just keep running regularly, speed will come over time.0
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Tagging to see the advice given. I'm also a slow new and slow runner, but I'm trying interval training to speed up a bit. It is working slowly but surely. This link talks about the methods I hear of most often.
http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/whats-difference-between-fartlek-tempo-and-interval-runs
But it would be interesting to hear what more experienced folks have to say.0 -
So I started running at the end of December. I also quit smoking (cold turkey). I am using a c25k type app from Endomondo, but I am so slow still, at a 14 minute mile. I am well aware that to some people a 14 minute mile is walking, not running, but to me, my legs and lungs it is running. I just want to do it faster. Does anyone have any tips on increasing speed?
If you are significantly overweight - thats probably the issue. You have to consider the effect the extra pounds have on your body, your knees, your heart etc - 14 min mile is fine and you are still working to lose the weight so as you lose the weight - runs will become easier and you will go faster - there is NO shame in how fast you can run because the point is that you are doing it.0 -
yes what everone says here..if your doing C25k that means your hoping to get the 5k distance...you need to get there first before you can worry about speed..if you cant do it right now...then pushing the pace is just going to get you an injury..
keep it slow...build your miles and it will come.
how do i know...I started last febuary on the c25k...in a year ive run several 5ks and 3 halfs.. my pace was 13:30 when i started. The last 5k I did in novemeber my pace was 10:24...Sunday I ran a 10:43 for 8 miles.
so it will come trust me!0 -
Tagging to see the advice given. I'm also a slow new and slow runner, but I'm trying interval training to speed up a bit. It is working slowly but surely. This link talks about the methods I hear of most often.
http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/whats-difference-between-fartlek-tempo-and-interval-runs
But it would be interesting to hear what more experienced folks have to say.
Intervals and speedwork are great tools, but honestly, without a decent aerobic base, they won't really get you anywhere. For a new runner, the biggest gains are going to come from doing long slow miles. Once your body is conditioned to run, then you can worry about 'sharpening' with speedwork. Even for an advanced distance runner, tempo or interval runs will only make up about 15% of the weekly mileage.0 -
You don't want to run the same speed every time you get out. Generally each week you have three types of runs
(1) Long run - used to build endurance and increase how far you can run each time. Run at a slow pace
(2) Easy Run - used a couple days after a long run. Also run at a slow speed and it is usually low in mileage.
(3) Speedwork - This is what will help you run faster.
(a) Tempo run - Imagine you are running 5 miles. You warm up at a slow pace for one mile, bump up the speed to race speed for three miles, then cool off for a mile at a slow speed.
(b) Intervals - Again, imagine you are running 5 miles. Warm up at a slow speed for a mile, then run 1/2 mile at the fastest pace you can. Jog for another 1/2 mile, then run another 1/2 mile as fast as you can. Jog for 1/2 mile then run as fast as you can for 1/2 mile. Then cool off with a slow one mile.
RunningWorld.Com has a lot of info on this and their Smart Coach will develop a plan for you based on your skills and abilities.
Mike0 -
Finish your program and see where you are. At that point you can either move on to a 10K program or (what I did) just start adding miles to a run or two each week. Little by little. When you're just starting out just doing that will make a dramatic difference in not too long a time. The more comfortable you get running 5 or 7 or 10 miles the faster you'll be able to run shorter distances.
Patience.0 -
So I started running at the end of December. I also quit smoking (cold turkey). I am using a c25k type app from Endomondo, but I am so slow still, at a 14 minute mile. I am well aware that to some people a 14 minute mile is walking, not running, but to me, my legs and lungs it is running. I just want to do it faster. Does anyone have any tips on increasing speed?
Let your body get used to cleaner lungs, run more (slow, easy miles like you're doing), and ignore people that tell you to do speedwork at this point in your running.0 -
You don't want to run the same speed every time you get out. Generally each week you have three types of runs
(1) Long run - used to build endurance and increase how far you can run each time. Run at a slow pace
(2) Easy Run - used a couple days after a long run. Also run at a slow speed and it is usually low in mileage.
(3) Speedwork - This is what will help you run faster.
(a) Tempo run - Imagine you are running 5 miles. You warm up at a slow pace for one mile, bump up the speed to race speed for three miles, then cool off for a mile at a slow speed.
(b) Intervals - Again, imagine you are running 5 miles. Warm up at a slow speed for a mile, then run 1/2 mile at the fastest pace you can. Jog for another 1/2 mile, then run another 1/2 mile as fast as you can. Jog for 1/2 mile then run as fast as you can for 1/2 mile. Then cool off with a slow one mile.
RunningWorld.Com has a lot of info on this and their Smart Coach will develop a plan for you based on your skills and abilities.
Mike
I don't think the OP is up to even a 5k yet, maybe I'm wrong tho0 -
You don't want to run the same speed every time you get out. Generally each week you have three types of runs
(1) Long run - used to build endurance and increase how far you can run each time. Run at a slow pace
(2) Easy Run - used a couple days after a long run. Also run at a slow speed and it is usually low in mileage.
(3) Speedwork - This is what will help you run faster.
(a) Tempo run - Imagine you are running 5 miles. You warm up at a slow pace for one mile, bump up the speed to race speed for three miles, then cool off for a mile at a slow speed.
(b) Intervals - Again, imagine you are running 5 miles. Warm up at a slow speed for a mile, then run 1/2 mile at the fastest pace you can. Jog for another 1/2 mile, then run another 1/2 mile as fast as you can. Jog for 1/2 mile then run as fast as you can for 1/2 mile. Then cool off with a slow one mile.
RunningWorld.Com has a lot of info on this and their Smart Coach will develop a plan for you based on your skills and abilities.
Mike
My 2 cents:
I think she should complete the app before even reading about this!!! And after completing the app, she should work on beeing able to run at least 3 miles 5x a week....
OP: don't listen to people telling you to do speedwork.. I don't even do speedwork and I can run a 5k in less than 23min... The key is increasing SLOWLY your weekly mileage.0 -
Finish your program and see where you are. At that point you can either move on to a 10K program or (what I did) just start adding miles to a run or two each week. Little by little. When you're just starting out just doing that will make a dramatic difference in not too long a time. The more comfortable you get running 5 or 7 or 10 miles the faster you'll be able to run shorter distances.
Patience.
100% this. Endurance comes before speed. The more you run, the faster you'll get. (And then you can add speed work and intervals.)0 -
Best advice I ever got.....
"Worry about a fast 5K when you can complete a slow 10K."
I quit smoking after 25 years last April. I started running last June. Some days are easier than others for sure. Just keep going. Once you get done and you are running more, consistently, you will notice your speed picking up. Once you stop getting gains that way (probably at least a year) then look into the other advice given here.0 -
My 2 cents:
I think she should complete the app before even reading about this!!! And after completing the app, she should work on beeing able to run at least 3 miles 5x a week....
OP: don't listen to people telling you to do speedwork.. I don't even do speedwork and I can run a 5k in less than 23min... The key is increasing SLOWLY your weekly mileage.
I will agree a beginner should focus on the basics, but I did not read her question that way. So if my answer is more advanced than her present skill set, I apologize. That being said, telling someone to ignore anyone talking about speedwork is an error (for my two cents worth). You may not need speedwork, and congrats to you for your run times. You are in a minority, however, and your advice goes against cross country/running coaches across the country.0 -
Whatever level you are at running at a set speed all the time is okay but not optimal, i run for 30 mins, 20 mins and intervals, each one of these helps the others, the only way to get speed into your legs is to run as quick as possible, to start an easy way to do it is run as quick as you can for 60 secs then jog till your heart rate has recovered then run quick again and repeat
I do 60 seconds run,jog interval for 30 mins then increase speed and once i can go 30mins increase the speed again, pushing your heart rate will help greatly with all your running0 -
I'd suggest focusing on endurance first and finishing the C25K. Your pace will improve naturally with time and practice.0
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I'd suggest focusing on endurance first and finishing the C25K. Your pace will improve naturally with time and practice.
Pace will improve even quicker if she actually run's quicker0 -
OP you have obviously run into one of the coaching controversies in running - people who believe in a lot of speed work versus those who do not. There are smart coaches and accomplished athletes on both sides of this debate - and part of the difference comes from speaking to different training goals and different fitness levels. If you're a world-class sprinter, yes, you are probably doing a lot of speed work. If you're running 5Ks 10Ks or marathons, maybe not as much.
In my multisport group, we do about 80% of our running at a very easy aerobic pace, about 18% slightly harder, and only about 2% speed work - and anyone who is nursing any kind of injury or sore spot skips the speed work entirely.
This is a group that includes a large number of Boston qualifiers, two guys running in the nationals for olympic distance triathlon, and a woman who qualified for the Ironman world championships in her age group. Obviously none of us are sprinters. Myself, I am much more on the "participation and fitness" end of the spectrum and I do find I get the most benefit from increasing volume at an easy pace.
This is Bobby McGee, one of the world's leading running coaches, discussing this very issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buFPiauA8NA 0 -
OP you have obviously run into one of the coaching controversies in running - people who believe in a lot of speed work versus those who do not. There are smart coaches and accomplished athletes on both sides of this debate - and part of the difference comes from speaking to different training goals and different fitness levels. If you're a world-class sprinter, yes, you are probably doing a lot of speed work. If you're running 5Ks 10Ks or marathons, maybe not as much.
In my multisport group, we do about 80% of our running at a very easy aerobic pace, about 18% slightly harder, and only about 2% speed work - and anyone who is nursing any kind of injury or sore spot skips the speed work entirely.
This is a group that includes a large number of Boston qualifiers, two guys running in the nationals for olympic distance triathlon, and a woman who qualified for the Ironman world championships in her age group. Obviously none of us are sprinters. Myself, I am much more on the "participation and fitness" end of the spectrum and I do find I get the most benefit from increasing volume at an easy pace.
This is Bobby McGee, one of the world's leading running coaches, discussing this very issue:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buFPiauA8NA
there is a discussion about how much speed work to do, but by and large, not for beginners. There are all kinds of ways for experienced distance runners to drop their times, but I don't know any coach that would advocate for a beginner to go out and shirk distance training for Yasso 800s or something. It would be a waste of time without the proper aerobic capacity, and would increase the chance of injury
Sure, once you get up to the level where you can comfortably run 35 miles a week, we can debate how much of your mileage should be devoted to speed, but for someone who is training for their first 5k? That's pretty much a no-brainer on the side of 'run more miles'0 -
I'd suggest focusing on endurance first and finishing the C25K. Your pace will improve naturally with time and practice.
Pace will improve even quicker if she actually run's quicker
Repeat after me: OP is running a 14 minute mile0 -
Man, I was thinking a 14 minute mile was good. Mine is 15:30 per mile. Just keep it up. You'll get faster. That is what all my runner friends keep telling me.0
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OP you have obviously run into one of the coaching controversies in running - people who believe in a lot of speed work versus those who do not. There are smart coaches and accomplished athletes on both sides of this debate - and part of the difference comes from speaking to different training goals and different fitness levels. If you're a world-class sprinter, yes, you are probably doing a lot of speed work. If you're running 5Ks 10Ks or marathons, maybe not as much.
In my multisport group, we do about 80% of our running at a very easy aerobic pace, about 18% slightly harder, and only about 2% speed work - and anyone who is nursing any kind of injury or sore spot skips the speed work entirely.
This is a group that includes a large number of Boston qualifiers, two guys running in the nationals for olympic distance triathlon, and a woman who qualified for the Ironman world championships in her age group. Obviously none of us are sprinters. Myself, I am much more on the "participation and fitness" end of the spectrum and I do find I get the most benefit from increasing volume at an easy pace.
This is Bobby McGee, one of the world's leading running coaches, discussing this very issue:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buFPiauA8NA
there is a discussion about how much speed work to do, but by and large, not for beginners. There are all kinds of ways for experienced distance runners to drop their times, but I don't know any coach that would advocate for a beginner to go out and shirk distance training for Yasso 800s or something. It would be a waste of time without the proper aerobic capacity, and would increase the chance of injury
Sure, once you get up to the level where you can comfortably run 35 miles a week, we can debate how much of your mileage should be devoted to speed, but for someone who is training for their first 5k? That's pretty much a no-brainer on the side of 'run more miles'
I tend to agree with you - I definitely fall on the "more volume" side of this debate. If you click on the Bobby McGee video, you'll notice the title is "How to become a fast runner: Going fast through going slow" ;-)0 -
^^^^ yep, forget speed work, it is no good for you at the moment. The way our bodies process energy changes with intensity. What you will need to do right now is strengthen your cardio system. To do this move (run/walk) at a pace that you can just about have a conversation at. If you go faster your muscles will be working in a different mode of operation. Pushing hard in this will just knacker you out and the actual training effect could well reduce while the level of fatigue you are going to feel is going to dramatically increase (i.e. your are getting tired and increasing the time it is going to take before you can effectively train again while getting less benefit than if you just took it easy to start with)
A great book on this is "total heart rate training" by Joe Friel. You can pick a HRM up off ebay for $20 which will allow you to train yourself optimum.
Dont forget one important thing though - YOU ARE DOING FABULOUSLY. You really are, most people don't get off the counch, you have grabbed your health by the horns and are riding it so well done for this. Our bodies do take time to adjust, increasing volume while giving yourself plenty of rest is the way forward. When doing this I do a three on one off process (this is called periodization) . I would recommend you increase your time by 10% a week for 3 weeks and then go back 20% in the fourth week. Then start at the volume of the longest week in the 5th week and repeat. Training is all about getting your body to adapt to the stress. As you adapt you will get faster and run longer. Adaptation needs two things though - a stimulus (us moving our *kitten*) and rest (us not moving our assess or reducing the amount of *kitten* movement) I know for me the second part is more difficult than the first part but it is absolutely vital or else you will start to over train (which means you will put a lot of effort in and your body just won't adapt at all) or you will injure yourself.
Good luck, remember though the most important thing again - you are doing brilliantly - no mater how fast you are doing it you are doing it, you are in the few % of the population that are :-)0 -
I'd suggest focusing on endurance first and finishing the C25K. Your pace will improve naturally with time and practice.
Pace will improve even quicker if she actually run's quicker
Yes, that's true for later on but at the moment she is just learning how to run and is still doing intervals of walking and running. Once she's done with the walking intervals her pace will be a lot better on it's own. Then she can focus on doing speed work.0 -
Also for reference. I am getting fit again now after letting myself go. In September I was running 14 - 15 minute miles. now in Feb I am running 10:20 in my cardio zone (I can go at 9:30 going faster now). Looking back I am knocking off about 20 seconds per mile per month over the last couple of months . This rate of decrease is slowing but it shows me I have a lot of improvement in me. I really recommend you keep a log like this from the start so in 6 months time you can look back and see the great leap in fitness you have achieved by your hard work.0
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I'd suggest focusing on endurance first and finishing the C25K. Your pace will improve naturally with time and practice.
Pace will improve even quicker if she actually run's quicker
Repeat after me: OP is running a 14 minute mile
Doesn't make any difference, you have to train your body and mind to run faster, sure you can plod and then plod further and then a bit further, and then plod a little faster but this isn't the best way to do it, i am not talking usain bolt here, i used to just jog at 11kmh and go a little bit further until i reached 10km, i did this for ages and felt comfortable, one day i just carried on and did over two hours, it is easy to get into a comfort zone and any increase in speed seems hard. if i upped it to 12 kmh it felt too fast
once i started doing intervals at 14kmh and working my heart rate and legs suddenly 12kmh didn't seem quick anymore and i progressed much quicker
It is all relevant whether your running a 14 min mile or a 5 min one, pushing your heart rate is key0
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