Running speed help needed

I have exactly the same problem - can run for 45 minutes at 9km/hr, but if I push up to 10 km/hr I can manage about 10 minutes before I feel like I'm going to die. I think I'm just quite intolerant of the higher heart rate that running at the higher speed requires. It was putting me off running, so I've decided to not worry about it, to stick with my plodding and gradually increase the distance instead. And in so doing, I've actually got a little bit faster too.

Increase your overall weekly mileage. Going from 10 to 25 miles a week will make a difference. Do most of your runs at a comfortable pace. Once a week, do a 1-2 mile warmup, then do short 1-3 minute hard intervals followed by the same time recovery at a very easy pace. You can also do short 50-100 m. sprints at the end of an easy run to get your legs used to a faster turnover. Or do some running on hills, either running uphill hard for a minute or two, jogging down and then repeating, or just find a hilly route that will challenge your lungs and heart and help strengthen your legs. Only do the harder workouts once a week.

maiomaio71 wrote: »

Good to know there are others that run at or near my speed. It's a bit disheartening to always get overtaken! I'll mix up my speed and distance and see how I go.

I will never be the fastest runner in my running club, but I comfort myself with this: I am 100% faster than I would be if I was sitting on the couch. That's the time I focus on.

Patience.....you've only been running for 4 months. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, your only goal should be building aerobic fitness. Don't worry about speed yet, if you're consistent it will come. My best ever 10K was 54:41 a few years ago but it took years of very consistent training (I didn't start running until my early 50s) to get there (my very first 5K race was closer to 8:00/km and was, at that time, very difficult)

I do not know why this is an afterthought but it is: strength training. I did not do any strength training last Marathon but I've been muddling through it now for a couple of weeks since a few people told me that it would improve my runs. It's something to consider...

Something else I thought about... Posture! I ran 15.5 strong miles today but I consistently have to remind myself to keep my head up because I look down at the pavement or at my feet too often. Looking down affects my running...circulation of air and speed. Husband made me more aware of some of my bad running habits. I bring it to my consciousness, more aware of it now, to eliminate this bad habit. I'm just throwing this out to the wind but it's something to consider...

Work in a sprint or hill sprint day once a week. 10-15 minute slow, 1 minute full effort, 5 minute walk x3, 10 min CD

Follow a sprint day with a rest day. It should be taxing.
I like a MWFS schedule with Monday doing my sprint, Wednesday and Friday are steady state runs (middle distance) at race pace and Saturday is a long slow run.
Have you tried the training runs on the Nike app? It’s free and a pretty good program to follow.

I had the same issue, and did something similar to a few of the suggestions here I did 2 things to up my speed and endurance.
I already added 3 lamppost sprints into the end of my run, so 3 away from finish up speed, 2 away speed up again, 1 away full sprint: jog back to 3 and warmdown dynamic stretches.
Where I lived was a short steep road that went over and old train track, I ran up there as fast as I could sustain for the whole hill and then walked or jogged back down and did that 4 times.
The other thing I also tried was 10 min runs on the treadmill 2 min warm up at normal pace (after being warm already) then upping .5mph (or whatever it was set at) every minute until I was at a speed I couldn't keep up for a minute, slow down 2 min warm down (jog or walk) then off do something else or finish.

Both of those worked really well, and not only up my speed but also my endurance so I could run further, or faster (I couldn't do both to start with).
I did each once a month. I left it that long to let my body get used to the new speed and distance, once I could do the new distance at the new speed, I did both again a week apart.
I did those two alone with no other running that day. Eventually got to the point where they were part of the long run or a bit of cardio before weight training, karate or a gym class etc (i usually find gym class and karate warmups aren't long enough).
You might not like hiits but they definately do the job. If you find them too hard, lower the pace and effort so you can sustain what you're doing.

Hopefully my or someone's similar suggestion will work for you, have fun trying them out.

I really miss running in the dark 🙁

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

maiomaio71 wrote: »

It's not the cold that's the problem with winter, it's the shorter days. I don't run in the dark, freaks me out too much! By the time I get home from work I'm lucky to have an hour of light left. By the time I get home, change etc it's 45 mins max.
And rain. I'm ok running in the rain but if it's thundering, which happens often, then I prefer not to.

Instead of driving home, changing clothes, and then going for a run, why not bring your running clothes to work and run from there? That gives you all the extra time that you use commuting, plus you can run different routes. Or change at work, then stop at a park on the way home and run there. Or go to a school and run the track.

Just bring a towel to sit on in the car if you sweat. I actually bought a purposely designed terry clothe seat cover for this purpose.

I love doing this for a change of scenery. Hit some trails I'd normally never have time for. Use the lunch time for spying out routes from the office perhaps if wondering streets to avoid or use, online usually tells enough story about close by trails or paths.

Glad you mentioned this - was just contemplating how the route I was planning to do tonight was going to feel boring, and where else I could go. Now I know - not from home.