Timed myself today for the first time and.....
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Anonymous
| I went a 9 minute mile. I've been running for about two weeks now. Is this decent? I'm only up to running two miles at a time. |
Anonymous
| For me, that would be great. Keep it up! |
Anonymous
| Thanks! I just want to know if this is an ok starting point. |
Anonymous
| When you run, could you hold a conversation with someone? If not, you are going too fast. Slow down. You build endurance through longer, slower runs. It sounds totally counter intuitive, but there is a lot of research that shows running slower helps you build endurance for faster race times. |
Anonymous
| It took me months to build up to a 9 minute mile, so I think it sounds great! |
Anonymous
| Running is hard on your knees. |
Anonymous
|
PP is completely incorrect. Speed work and intervals build endurance. And the conversational threshold is a barometer for an easy paced workout. Which you should have sometimes. But you should also have workouts that challenge you well beyond holding a conversation. Depends on your goal.
That being said, yes a 9 minute mile is a good pace. It's not considered really speedy but it's certainly not slow. I'm in good shape and workout 6 days a week and a 9 minute mile would tax me. Keep it up for sure! |
Anonymous
| Many people start out at a 10 minute mile, so a 9 minute mile is great! |
Anonymous
|
It's great! Congrats. I'd suggest your first goal should be to increase your total exercise time to at least 30 minutes. So slow down a little and extend to 3 miles. Then, gradually increase your speed, so you're covering slightly more mileage in those same 30 minutes each time.
Keep up the good work! |
Anonymous
Nope. PP is spot on. The OP is a new runner. Adding speed work without a strong base is a recipe for injury. And the way for OP to build that base is by slowing down and making a goal to add a few minutes (or a half mile to a mile) to a long run each week. Also, depending on how many days OP is running, adding a day, for instance going from 3 to 4 days per week. I wouldn't suggest true speed workouts until 6 months in and 20 mpw. Doing some speed play before that is fine (run hard from here to that mailbox, then comfortable jog) but even that should wait awhile. OP, you're off to a great start! |
Anonymous
this is not true, running actually builds stronger bones and results in less issues. as long as you are not doing extremes, but this is true with ANY activity |
Anonymous
|
I think many people here are jumping to conclusions about what OP is trying to accomplish, and offering lots of misguided advice. 9 minutes per mile over 2 miles is great for a beginner. OP should be proud of herself. What she does next should depend on what she's trying to accomplish with her running ...
1. Just run for fun and stay in shape without risking injury? 2. Train for a 5k? 3. Train for a marathon? 4. Get faster? 5. Run farther? 6. Prevent injury? 7. Lose weight? Almost all this advice is pointless, because it presumes goals for OP that we don't know exist. |
Anonymous
| OP here, I'm training for a 5k. I have a very competitive nature which is why I'm worried about my speed. Losing weight would also be great, but it is not my top priority. |
Anonymous
| OP, that's great! I've been running since September and can only do an 11 and a half minute mile. You should be very proud! Good luck with your 5K |
Anonymous
You're making a lot of assumptions for someone you don't know anything about. OP may be new to running, but at a 9 minute mile pace, not to exercise. Sure, he or she can take it slow to build mileage and avoid injury. That's a good general recommendation. Regardless, I was speaking in general terms. Speed work builds endurance better than long runs. |