Is a 12 minute mile too slow?

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  • Lauriej0426
    Lauriej0426 Posts: 12
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    I have been running for a few months now. I run 5 miles and average an 11 minute mile. Maybe it is slow but, to be able to run the whole time I have set a slower pace. So 12 min is fine. Just keep up the running!! Great job!!!
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    Nope, it's about my pace now. But the first time I did 5k without stopping last year, it took me over 40 minutes.

    There's no point comparing yourself to other people; my husband is a long distance runner and when racing runs about a 6 min mile, yet he often tells me that he's far from the fastest at his running group. There's always someone faster, except, as others have pointed out, those on their backsides.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
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    Well you said you are a beginner, so of course it isn't slow. If you have been doing it for a long time, then yeah a 12 minute mile is slow as heck. It really depends on your physical ability and your overall level.

    Don't bother comparing your time to other people's times.
  • Runner5AbelTownship
    Runner5AbelTownship Posts: 243 Member
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    Too slow for what?

    Als what distance runner runs a 6 minute mile? I mean, how much distance is that?

    I middle of the road trail runner can do fine at 17 min miles about and I'm thrilled to run a marathon at a 15 minute mile pace at this point, actually, I have no desire to go faster. Faster isn't really better unless you are competing.
  • Raasy
    Raasy Posts: 972 Member
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    OMG NO!! I would kill to be able to maintain a 12 minute mile pace. I am a slow runner and am lucky if I can maintain a 15 minute mile consistently. That is awesome!!! You should not compare yourself to others, we are all built differently and have different conditioning.
    Just keep going and you will eventually get better / faster!!
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
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    Its a good time for starting out. Try to get faster as you get in better shape though! Unless you are comfortable with it. You are getting exercise and that's what is important!
  • TomZot
    TomZot Posts: 165 Member
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  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Who cares what your time is as long as you just do it! Stop comparing yourself to others. I also run a 12 min mile and that is the way it is.
  • haymck123
    haymck123 Posts: 21 Member
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    I've been running on and off for years and still run a 12 minute mile (admittedly often uphill)- but even on the flat I struggle to get much above that and I consider myself reasonably fit. I can trek for days. I've always been a slow runner! I've never done interval training and I expect that would help, but I just do my lazy 5K 3x/week...
  • HermioneDanger118
    HermioneDanger118 Posts: 345 Member
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    12 min mile.......................I can only wish..............I think that's pretty good!

    Me too! I'm aiming for a 12-minute mile!
  • AlessisMore
    AlessisMore Posts: 179 Member
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    I've been running for two decades. I've run something between 15 and 20 marathons. I still run an 11 to 12 minute pace. I'm just extremely grateful that I have the ability to run at all. Your 12 minute pace is fine. If you get faster that's great. If not, that's great too.

    Don't worry. Be happy!
  • pocohr
    pocohr Posts: 1
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    I think its more about what your hear rate is doing than how fast you are going exactly. I do a 12 minute mile right now, I started running a few weeks ago, and my heart rate is pretty high (around 170) at that pace, so I think it fits for me right now. Check how fast your heart is beating and if it is slow, you could consider speeding up, but if its right in that sweet spot then keep your 12 minute pace!
  • AverageHuman
    AverageHuman Posts: 1
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    Unfortunately a twelve minute mile is pretty slow. If you can't do better than that, you should consider saving your self the trouble and just staying on the couch. It's really not too different when you think about it, ha ha. If you insist on wasting your time trying to run but can only manage 12 minute miles, maybe try running with weights or only using one leg. Something to make it slightly challenging. Anyway, best of luck!
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
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    OMG NO!! I would kill to be able to maintain a 12 minute mile pace. I am a slow runner and am lucky if I can maintain a 15 minute mile consistently. That is awesome!!! You should not compare yourself to others, we are all built differently and have different conditioning.
    Just keep going and you will eventually get better / faster!!

    This. I'm thankful I can complete a mile without dying.
  • MikeLAdams
    MikeLAdams Posts: 40
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    I suggest you get a heart rate monitor and train by heart rate, and completely ignore your pace. Here is a good site to calculate what your target heart rates should be:
    http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/heart-rate-calculators/hrtp?minHR=60&maxHR=177&Submit=Calculate

    Insert your own resting and max heart rate and recalculate. I am a beginner as well, so I generally try to keep a slower pace until I build up my leg muscles and tissue structure to support harder running in the future. At an average heart rate of 145 today, I ran 11 minute miles, and it really didn't seem like a whole lot of cardio effort. I'm just trying to build up legs right now to prevent injury.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    There is no "too slow!" You can't compare your speed to anyone other than yourself, since every one is at a difference fitness level. As your fitness improves, then you'll be able to up your speed. I go by the "breathing test." If I'm getting comfortable enough at a pace that I can sing along with whatever music I'm listening to… then it's a little too slow for me. That's when I up my pace. I aim to be able to talk, but not sing. Personally… I would love to be able to jog a 12 minute mile! But I'm not there yet. It'll come in time.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    if you are trying to qualify for the olympics, yes, it is too slow.


    if you're out there running for fun and fitness, no. no it is not too slow.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
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    Twelve minutes per mile is way faster than anyone on a couch. The fact you are enjoying yourself and getting fitter is all you need to know.
  • congruns
    congruns Posts: 127 Member
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    It depends, but to Usain Bolt,, yes.

    To you, depends are what your aspirations are, but it is always good to want to improve on any performance and comparing where you are now to where you were before. I spent my entire 30's over 2 bills, am happy to say that I never was over 200 40 yrs on.

    Though at times, I get curious to see how measure to the rest of the crowd. If you break it down the population (especially in N America), you are way ahead of the curve. If you want to break it down to smaller groups, enter a race and your results will show your percentile for all entries and for your sex/age group. I find that the bigger the race, the lower my percentile is because popularity attracts elite runners.

    Fitness-wise, before I couldn't play full court basketball, but now I can keep up with the 20 years old in a fast pace pickup game (noted that this is running up and down playing man-to-man defense, but I still shoot at a 10% proficiency). I know that I am one of the fastest guys in my rec softball league, but that's D level. Sometimes I am curious how I measure up to a MLB catcher or NFL offensive linemen. In a short sprint, they probably blow me away, but stretch it out to a 5K/10K, I think I can hang.

    Ultimately, it is about y you now vs you then. Curiosities are fun and games.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    if 12 min miles are too slow, I'm screwed. I've taken my mile time from 22minutes to 13 minutes 13 seconds, AND what's better is I can do TWO whole miles at that pace without stopping. Most people are faster than me, and hell I know some people that can almost walk at my pace. But it's about my health and my improvement and I can't compare my time to anyone but myself.

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