Hi-5, Freudian Slit! I generally run between eleven and twelve minutes per mile. This is my fourth summer running (or would be if I hadn’t torn my ACL back in March). Generally I’m with you - it would be nice to be faster. A program for intermediate runners I once saw offered at the YMCA was meant to help you get faster but was only recommended for people who already run at least fifteen miles a week. On one of my best weeks I think I cracked ten miles.
My running buddy has to frequently remind me that I’m already in the ninetieth percentile just by getting out and running any distance at any speed. I know she’s right but it’s still frustrating, especially when I’m always the last one in my age group to finish (I’m 33).
Jayrot, don’t get frustrated about not being able to go a mile right off the bat! I remember my very first day running - I made it two tenths of a mile. Downhill. And boy was I sucking wind when I got there. It’s a gradual progression. I find that, despite the monotony, running the same course over and over again is helpful to me. It lets me easily see that I’m improving with each run by being able to go a little bit further before I have to stop and walk.
Racing the mile is not for the faint of heart.
Your mile time will decrease as you work through the program.
Finishing the C25K will give you the endurance to race the mile.
Training for the mile mostly involves running intervals: short, intense runs(100-400meters) with recovery jogs in between.
Meaning you run 200m,jog 200m to recover, do this 4 times jog 400m to recover from the set, run 300m jog100m recovery run 300m jog 400m to recover run 4x200 again.
The possible variations are endless.
The paces are set according to your current performance level.
The mile is highly anaerobic and the training will build your capacity for that level of effort.
Thanks for the kudos, Kingspades, right back atcha! I do feel a sense of accomplishment–back in high school I could barely run/walk the mile, and afterward felt super exhausted. Now I can do it without walking and it does feel good. It’s nice to know my time isn’t so uncommon.
runner pat, thanks for the advice. I’ll look into that.
I think C2K was where I read about the interval training–that is run about a quarter of a mile progressively faster, focusing on small distances rather than long. I may start doing that, maybe to mix it up a little. Variety’s always fun.
WARM UP with dynamic stretches. Spend the first 5 minutes of your run going back and forth between jogging, and stretching.
Slow down a bit, then work on lifting your knees up quite high, resume jogging.
Slow down again after a bit, and focus on bringing your feet back and kicking your butt, then resume jogging once more.
Slow down again and turn sideways. Shuffle slowly, bringing your butt as low to the ground as possible. Make sure you dont cross your feet, and remember to stretch both legs this way, resume jogging and go from there.
I ran track in high school and kept up decent fitness now, probably a 5:10ish mile. A large part, as others said, is anaerobic fitness. The longer and stronger your training is, the fitter you’ll be and the better you’ll hold up for the last 800 meters. So don’t add miles of pointless jogging, but make your runs (or ellipticals, or swimming, or whatever) a little faster, so you can really feel it, and go that extra few minutes each time. Keep a training schedule and stick to it. As you build strength add longer runs, hill workouts, etc. Try and find a running partner a little better than you and try and keep up with them.
With a time I’m guessing you’re aiming for, I don’t think speed is much of a factor at all. But if you do want to get a bit faster, add some track workouts to your routine and strides (basically a bunch of short fast runs keeping care of form) after longer runs. Also some push ups/core work so you can pump your arms for more power and not look like an anorexic model.
I realized I confused anaerobic and aerobic in my last post. Runner Pat, is the mile really more anaerobic? I would put 800 meters as something that combines about equally endurance and speed, and everything above that firmly in the endurance category. Our top milers would all be top cross country runners and put in 40 miles per week. Sprinters (the guys who trained with just the short intense runs) would laugh at the suggestion of doing anything more than a lap. And to go from a mile in 12 minutes to 8 minutes, a solid fitness base is more important than anything else, no?
otorophile, I don’t remember exactly what %'s hold for different distances. I have seen slightly different numbers but I’m pretty sure the mile is around 50/50.
Even the 800 is an endurance event as can be seen by the fact that mile/1500 runners will move down to run the 800.
The 400/800 double is very rarely seen in high end competition.
