How to get faster at running
Discussion
As part of my "lose the spare tyre and get a six pack" I am running twice a week.
I can run 3 to 3 and a half miles ok/ish in about 28-30 mins. My Endomondo app tells me about the best I average is 9:17min a mile over 3 miles.
I'm pretty knackered after the run, if I wear a heartbeat monitor it's up to about 170 constantly (I'm 35)
Weigh 71kg and 5 foot 6 so a bit podgy with short legs.
I need a goal, a target as I quite fancy these 5km ParkRuns. Would an achievable target be 7 min miles or is that just being mad? If it is reasonable what kind of training to get there would you recommend? I run twice, sometimes 3 times a week and don't feel i could go much/any faster at the moment. I've run on and off for about 18 months.
Thanks as always.
I can run 3 to 3 and a half miles ok/ish in about 28-30 mins. My Endomondo app tells me about the best I average is 9:17min a mile over 3 miles.
I'm pretty knackered after the run, if I wear a heartbeat monitor it's up to about 170 constantly (I'm 35)
Weigh 71kg and 5 foot 6 so a bit podgy with short legs.
I need a goal, a target as I quite fancy these 5km ParkRuns. Would an achievable target be 7 min miles or is that just being mad? If it is reasonable what kind of training to get there would you recommend? I run twice, sometimes 3 times a week and don't feel i could go much/any faster at the moment. I've run on and off for about 18 months.
Thanks as always.
Do a few hundred feet hard, then walk, then hard, then walk - do reps, have a plan.
I fully believe that HIIT is the best form of training. Even if you don't agree/fancy doing another plan/have other ideas then have a plan, going running is pointless if that session has no aim.
Work on a 6 weekly plan - I'd personally do intervals at high intensity but there is plenty of other advice out there.
Also - food is as important as the training.
I fully believe that HIIT is the best form of training. Even if you don't agree/fancy doing another plan/have other ideas then have a plan, going running is pointless if that session has no aim.
Work on a 6 weekly plan - I'd personally do intervals at high intensity but there is plenty of other advice out there.
Also - food is as important as the training.
Daniel's tables are quite useful also.
http://www.electricblues.com/html/runpro.html
Key thing is try to run comfortably first, build a good base of an easy, economical style (forefoot/natural running) then add the speed-work. Most people fail by trying to run too fast, too early. Rest days are important, as is some cross training.
http://www.electricblues.com/html/runpro.html
Key thing is try to run comfortably first, build a good base of an easy, economical style (forefoot/natural running) then add the speed-work. Most people fail by trying to run too fast, too early. Rest days are important, as is some cross training.
knk said:
Daniel's tables are quite useful also.
http://www.electricblues.com/html/runpro.html
Key thing is try to run comfortably first, build a good base of an easy, economical style (forefoot/natural running) then add the speed-work. Most people fail by trying to run too fast, too early. Rest days are important, as is some cross training.
Agree totally for the comment on forefoot running, running faster than I've ever gone but you do need to make a good steady transition to forefoot running so your calf muscles can build up.http://www.electricblues.com/html/runpro.html
Key thing is try to run comfortably first, build a good base of an easy, economical style (forefoot/natural running) then add the speed-work. Most people fail by trying to run too fast, too early. Rest days are important, as is some cross training.
knk said:
Fck me, I tried to read that but failed.I'm sure the information is sound but that is a literary turd, I couldn't follow it.
Edited by dave_s13 on Friday 11th January 12:29
There are loads of beginner running plans online. I'd start with www.runnersworld.co.uk and see what fitted my free time. You don't need to be a certain standard to do ParkRuns so I'd worry less about building up to one and just get along to your local one and do it (tomorrow!). You can then build on it from there.
I'm no athlete, and have a good few years on you at 48, but I've built up my running from pretty much scratch over the past couple of years, really just for weight loss and general fitness. Depends how seriously you want to take it - I'm definitely not at the 'serious athlete' end of the scale, to put my comments into context!
You say you've run 'on and off' for about 18 months. First step is to make sure it's 'on'... 3 times a week, every week. I'd suggest keeping to roughly what you're doing at the moment until you've got a comfortable base to build on - running 3 times a week, 30-40 mins, consistently. As your pace improves, just add to the distance to keep the time up.
Once you've got that, then work on targets for pace or distance (or both). You'll also have a better feel for what you want to do.
Interval or Fartlek training really seemed to help to improve my pace, so you could think about trying one of your sessions week doing that. It has the advantage that you can get results with a shorter workout session. Some alternative training, such as weights, also helps with general fitness, and will read across to running.
Set some intermediate goals rather than the 7 minute mile (sounds pretty fast to me!). A consistent 9 mins per mile, over 3 sessions a week might be a start from your current pace. Then maybe a distance goal - push yourself out to 8k or 10k, or look at your pace and look to knock it down by 10 or 20 sec per mile (aiming for consistency) etc
You say you've run 'on and off' for about 18 months. First step is to make sure it's 'on'... 3 times a week, every week. I'd suggest keeping to roughly what you're doing at the moment until you've got a comfortable base to build on - running 3 times a week, 30-40 mins, consistently. As your pace improves, just add to the distance to keep the time up.
Once you've got that, then work on targets for pace or distance (or both). You'll also have a better feel for what you want to do.
Interval or Fartlek training really seemed to help to improve my pace, so you could think about trying one of your sessions week doing that. It has the advantage that you can get results with a shorter workout session. Some alternative training, such as weights, also helps with general fitness, and will read across to running.
Set some intermediate goals rather than the 7 minute mile (sounds pretty fast to me!). A consistent 9 mins per mile, over 3 sessions a week might be a start from your current pace. Then maybe a distance goal - push yourself out to 8k or 10k, or look at your pace and look to knock it down by 10 or 20 sec per mile (aiming for consistency) etc
I am by no means an expert but have been taking my running a bit more seriously over the last 2 years- mainly as a way of improving fitness for football.
I started off in a similar fashion doing around 28min 5km a couple of times a week. After a while struggling to make any significant impact on improving my time, I began swapping some of my running sessions to doing either a 1 mile falt out, or 2 miles flat out.
I'd start at a fast pace and then gradually keep increasing the speed each time I got past the half-way mark so I was dead on my feet by the finish. Doing this I got so I could run a mile in just over 6mins, and the two miles in just under 13mins.
After around 6-7months of doing this at least once a week I managed to get my 5k time down to a personal best of 22mins 18secs which I was pretty pleased with!
My aim is to sometime manage a 20min 5k time, but at the moment I know I don't have the inclination to put the work in to get there- partly as I am currently trying to put on weight so my running is down to the odd HIIT session once a week.
I'm certainly not advising anything (I have no scientific training background!), just simply offering my experience of how I improved my own running times and if any of that is of any use then great!
For referrence I am 28, around 5ft 10, and 11 stone- and play 90mins football once a week, 2-3 weight sessions, and a cardio day (of either rowing, spinning, or circuits). I've also only recently started taking my nutrition seriously- whilst I was improving my running times I was still eating/drinking whatever I wanted, so I suspect if I had sorted this earlier I could have done better!
I started off in a similar fashion doing around 28min 5km a couple of times a week. After a while struggling to make any significant impact on improving my time, I began swapping some of my running sessions to doing either a 1 mile falt out, or 2 miles flat out.
I'd start at a fast pace and then gradually keep increasing the speed each time I got past the half-way mark so I was dead on my feet by the finish. Doing this I got so I could run a mile in just over 6mins, and the two miles in just under 13mins.
After around 6-7months of doing this at least once a week I managed to get my 5k time down to a personal best of 22mins 18secs which I was pretty pleased with!
My aim is to sometime manage a 20min 5k time, but at the moment I know I don't have the inclination to put the work in to get there- partly as I am currently trying to put on weight so my running is down to the odd HIIT session once a week.
I'm certainly not advising anything (I have no scientific training background!), just simply offering my experience of how I improved my own running times and if any of that is of any use then great!
For referrence I am 28, around 5ft 10, and 11 stone- and play 90mins football once a week, 2-3 weight sessions, and a cardio day (of either rowing, spinning, or circuits). I've also only recently started taking my nutrition seriously- whilst I was improving my running times I was still eating/drinking whatever I wanted, so I suspect if I had sorted this earlier I could have done better!
dave_s13 said:
knk said:
Fck me, I tried to read that but failed.I'm sure the information is sound but that it a literary turd, I couldn't follow it.
Simplistically, build up miles keeping pulse rate lowish. Every so often do a fitness test based around a known flat route, run at a set of pulse rates. If improvement between tests is seen, increase mileage and pulse rate gradually. Test again and repeat until bored... After a good few months of this you will be motoring along, running loads of miles and not seeing your spouse much after work.
It's a bit more complex than that and I suspect that this might be overkill in your case (I was running 70 miles +/- a week).
Hadd's write-up first appeared on the letsrun boards at least a decade ago, as part of one of its long running (hah!) threads, spread out over a series of posts, mixed up with all of the trolling, name calling and general disagreements that occur when loads of cretinous US high school and college students get involved with things (not saying this is typical of the US population, just extremely noticeable on letsrun). That might be why it doesn't read so well.
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