When will I run faster?

How much are you running now. The answer may be as simple as developing your aerobic capacity more. If you are not doing this already then increase your runs to at least four days a week and your weekly mileage up to at least 30 miles a week. Build a base on that for around three months. After that your feet and legs will have gained the necessary strength to do some speed training.

But even without the speed training you will get much faster just by developing your aerobic capacity.

My 5k pace per mile dropped by 4 minutes in a year with mostly just a lot of base training and a minuscule amount of speed work.

Running 5Ks faster is a little different than preparing for a 10K, Half Marathon (HM), or a Marathon. Scott has a good point, building miles definitely will build your endurance and increase your aerobic capacity. It flat out makes running 3.1 miles much easier. On the other hand, it is very important to build in some speed training through intervals or fartleks. I also subscribe to the school of strength training to build up the speed and burst, as well as prevent injury.

Here is my quick 5K story - hoping to add to it after my upcoming 5K on Saturday:

Oct 2009: 34:07 (did little to no running to prepare)
Oct 2010: 34:02 (did very little running to prepare)
Jan 2011 (mid): 31:22 (started running 2-3 miles 3 times a week to prepare)
Jan 2011 (late): 30:32 (same amount of running as above)
Mar 2011: 27:08 (started running 3-4 miles 3-4 times per week to prepare)
Oct 2011: 25:13 (running 3-4 miles 5 times per week)
Jan 2012: 23:57 (running about 15-18 miles per week AND intervals AND strength training)

I am now averaging about 18-25 miles per week, and hitting weights 3x, as well as intervals no less than 2x per week. I can feel a huge improvement, and obviously going from 11+ minutes per mile down to 7:44 in Jan is proof that the training works.

My goal for Saturday is sub-23, which I think is completely achievable.

Keep on running, add miles (in increments - not too many per week - about 10%), intervals, and work in some strength training.

On top of all of this, I am down about 25 lbs from my first run, so that certainly helps too!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

I'm still slow but the simple answer is that you'll become faster when you train faster.

One of the previous posts mentions HIT or you could build intervals into one of your runs and (and I hate these) you could run hills once a week.

Another factor is body mass, running is your body vs gravity and friction; as you lose weight your speed will (modestly) improve. (This is why marathons are always won by runners who look like they'd blow away in a strong wind)

5 things to run faster

1. lose weight (every pound = 2 seconds per mile off your time [up to a certain point])
2. run more miles (only increase 10% per week)
3. run some fast runs like intervals
4. run hills
5. weight train

You'll get there. It takes considerable time. Interval training helped me a lot (bursts of speed for a minute or two followed by a slow jog for two minutes). I do 30 minutes or so of interval runs twice a week, with 45-60 minute runs at a sustainable pace 2 or 3 more times a week. My pace is slowly but steadily improving, I started out running a 5k in about 30 minutes, and I'm trying to get down to 26 minutes or less by this summer.

Question for fast runners who were once slow I'm slow. I am new to running, just finished my first 5K. And I'm super excited and just ready to continue on this running journey! But I'm super slow, I may run as fast as many walk. How can I build up to a faster pace such! I've already improved from 15:00 pace down to a 12:55, my goal is to run a marathon at a 9:25 some day...

you just finished a 5k with a 12:55 pace and you're worried about your marathon pace? O_O .... think you should get to the point where you can run 26 miles, then worry about your pace. The speed will come, first work on distance

I have no fitness advice but I would be happy to loan you a big dog that loves to chase people and I'm sure can run faster than you.

Im in the same boat dont want to add too many miles tho as suffered from shin splints the whole of last year I run 5k 3 times a week at the moment they are starting to niggle again tho so gonna keep the mileage at the moment and try some interval training. On a gud note have nocked 30 seconds off my time tonight hopefully things will only get faster

Question for fast runners who were once slow I'm slow. I am new to running, just finished my first 5K. And I'm super excited and just ready to continue on this running journey! But I'm super slow, I may run as fast as many walk. How can I build up to a faster pace such! I've already improved from 15:00 pace down to a 12:55, my goal is to run a marathon at a 9:25 some day...

Weight makes a big difference, of course, but you may not need to lose.

I started "running" at a really slow pace. I was pulling 17 minute miles. (I'm not all that tall, so don't make fun.) I had to really work on my pace, which wasn't easy. Once you get used to a pace, it's hard to get out of that habit.

I started by adding a minute of faster running, on and off like that. Then I increased it to two minutes and so on, until finally I got used to the new pace. My pace now is a tad over 5mph, nothing great, but a marked improvement.

Have fun with it. Add biking to your workouts. Do high intensity cardio to build the aerobic stamina, and add time to your runs.

Hills and HIIT
start slow but incorporate hills and/or HIIT in 1/2 your runs - will build muscle/endurance/etc