Running Speeds

airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
edited September 2008 in Fitness
Hey, I'm just trying to get a quick reality check.

I run 2 miles (walkjogrun route) fairly regularly (3-4 times per week is what I aim for) Sometimes I take it leisurely, but tonight I pushed myself about as hard as I could go for a constant speed and had to take a 30 second - 45 second break to walk.

Anyway, I ended up coming in right at 15 minutes for 2 miles. So 8 miles an hour. Is a 7.5 minute mile average, good, horrible? I don't really know anything aside from the fact that I'm pretty worn out. I was working on my distance but I got that up to two miles and tonight I pushed myself speed wise.

Is this a good approach?

Comments

  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    World record is around 8 minutes i think. so, run faster.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    lol. If I ran two miles in 8 minutes my heart would explode.
  • NiGHTSNiGHTS San Diego Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    Varsity soccer had to run a 12 minute 2 mile to make the team when I played.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    7:30 isn't bad but it's nothing amazing.

    For reference, when I ran a 10k (6.6 miles) two years ago I averaged out 6:48 a mile. Runners in the marathon at this year's Olympics averaged just around five minute miles for the entire race. Individual mile times should be lower obviously since you can exert more energy into a shorter distance.

    I would say for the casual/amateur runner breaking under six minutes is a basic barrier. Beyond that, five minutes is intermediate level, four minute ranges are very competitive depending on your age.

    There are a lot of different training ideologies. When I ran that 10k, I won my age grouping (18-24) and did not run for two months leading into the race because I instead opted to tax my legs with heavy squats, high jumps, front squats, and cleans since running is not my forte. If I had a little more knowledge then, implementing interval running probably would have improved my time a lot.

    Hopefully Miracle will chime in, he knows a great deal about these things.
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    Nomad was right on there with the time issue, if you are actually trying to run you should not be satisfied with anything above 7 minutes.

    If you want to work on your time with a 1 or 2 mile time trial then like Nomad has already said doing intervals can really help, especially if you can run a decent pace without stopping. Doing 200&400 m/yard intervals would help with that distance, speed and explosion the ability to push hard after you have been running hard.

    Now if you want to add distance, I would recommend to you JUST RUN....then RUN SOME MORE. All of my distance coaches have all said the same thing, "once you have gotten a few hundred miles under your belt then we will work on your speed". Trying to build your distance ability just takes lots of running, you need to run enough to find a pace that you can run comfortably in for 3-4 hours(serious). This usually isn't to quick but its the fact you understand how you run and how much energy you use as well as shows that your body is ready to train hard....800 yard intervals six times in a training session.

    I know I just said some rather bold things since you are just at running 2 miles but its not hard to get there, just add one more day of running and each time just go out and run 3 miles;if you have to stop just walk in a circle you need to run the 3 miles. Always try and run a decent pace until you get to the last half mile or mile and push yourself some.

    You have a breathing pattern you use when you run right? Also, do you understand a distance running form and a sprinters running form.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    No I really don't know much about running form other than move your feet faster and you go faster. As far as breathing goes I usually inhale over two steps and then on the third step exhale for two more steps It seems to work. Sometimes my legs want to give out others its my chest. Which my dad is asthmatic so I think I may have some mild asthma but I'm not sure.

    The main goals I have are to get in better shape (read: lose beer belly) and also possibly run in the 5k this spring that one of the sororities puts on and do well in it for my division.

    I'm sure there will be some people running it that all they do is run marathons and the such and will make me look like a fool, but I don't care. If I came in top ten I'd be proud.

    Right now I'm around 150 pounds and I think I'm about 5-10 pounds overweight. At the beginning of the summer I was 178 pounds and pretty damn fat (freshman 35...) so I've lost quite a bit of weight. But I'm still not happy cause I have this little pouch of fat over my stomach that will never go away.

    My legs have gotten a lot more defined and when I flex are pretty damn hard. I've been doing push ups so my arms have also gotten a little bit bigger and fat free. My chest and back I am satisfied with, they aren't cut, but at the same time there is a little bit of definition there. It's just my stomach.
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    Form: Distance wise you need to think in terms of minimizing. Run fairly flat footed(the runners shuffle), your hands should never come back past your torso and your elbows should never do the same, keep your hands relaxed and your face relaxed(this helps keep your whole body relaxed). Sprinting wise you run with your whole foot heel to toe, you can straighten out your hands but they should still be fairly relaxed(helps avoid back tension), as with distance limit your arm motion, and keep your face relaxed(really important with sprinting)./watch olympic runners
    --BOUNCING IS BAD, BUNNIES BOUNCE YOU SHOULD NOT.

    When you are running hard or easy do you ever feel like you lose breath or it feels unnatural some times? The fact that when you run its makes you want to breath at the wrong suggest you need to change your breathing patter. I.E. When I run I start with a 1:1 breathing at a moderate speed when it starts to get some what fast I switch to a 2:1(inhale:exhale) while the one other guy I ran with in middle school and high school that was close to my speed always used a 3:1. Inhale quickly and short and the exhale should be just a little bit longer, each part should feel like its not really filling your lungs. I just went over teaching one of my bosses about this and it helped him with his running. If you start a pattern and let your body control the speed and magnitude of your breathing you should find something good for you, that is after you have run more than 2 miles at a time. To make sure you have the correct pattern for you it takes running far enough that your mind numbs out, runners stare, you just look off in the distance for where you are going but can't really think.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    Also, how you exhale—which portion of your step—can affect side cramps people commonly get when beginning to run.
  • MiracleManSMiracleManS Chambersburg, PA Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    I just caught this thread, so I guess I can chime in, although the majority of my experience is with sprinting. I think I can throw some insight into the mix.

    The funny thing about breathing is to remember to do it. Quite a few people have this tendency when pushing themselves that they totally forget to exhale for several seconds at a time, which is terrible. This isn't to encourage hard, rapid breathing but to encourage you to remember to do it. While you won't be in aerobic respiration for long, when it comes to the 200/400 training that's been suggested (it works, its great even for mid-distance runners. The longer you can stay in aerobic respiration, the longer you can pump out some serious force. Even as a sprinter we did a form of interval training [ex. : 100 100 200 100 100 200 break 100 200 100 100 200 200 break 100 100 200 200 100 finish]. We made sure to give our body time to get some rest, but it encourage the development of increase aerobic respiration. The worlds best 400m runner ever, Michael Johnson, stays in aerobic respiration almost his entire 400m supposedly).

    About running form: I wouldn't suggest running completely flat footed, but not being "on your toes" is going to be key for distance running. Unless you have some death wish for your calf muscles. In any case, being comfortable in your form is the key, some people run in a strange manner (at least what I call strange anyway). Focus on staying relaxed, don't worry too much about keeping perfect form, but remember the basics: good posture, relaxed arm movement, steady and rhythmic breathing. Everything after that is gravy, really.

    If you end up wanting to train for speed I know I can help in that department. Unfortunately anything over 800m and I lose a bit of knowledge and tend towards generalities.
  • UPSWeezerUPSWeezer Behind you... GENTLEMEN Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    NiGHTS wrote:
    Varsity soccer had to run a 12 minute 2 mile to make the team when I played.

    that's what my team had to do.
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