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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]An 11 minute mile (you were a bit faster) is actually more "fast" than it is "slow". Assuming you are female, sure there are women running 7 minute miles or better, but it's a very good pace for 46 yo.
[b]
It's really frustrating to 13 minute/mile runners when someone running a 10 or 11 minute mile says they are so slow. So stop saying that![/b]

You should aim to run 3-4 times a week, do strength training a few times, always take 1 recovery day and do something on the 7th day. I believe your goal should be longevity in running, ease when running and speed should be a lower goal.

I started marathon training at 40 and ran my first 5K in 30min. I never got faster, because my goal was to complete a marathon and running shorter distances faster could conflict with my goal of not getting an injury and instead increasing my distances.

If you only want to run 5Ks, then I would suggest slowing increase to running 5 or 6 miles. Then on race day, 3 miles will seem easy. Also, a goal should be to get to where you can complete your run while talking to a running partner the whole time. If you are too out of breath to talk, then you are running too fast.  Save that for the last mile and a PR (personal record) on race day.

Check with your local small running shoe store. Not only will they make sure you are in the right shoe, they may sponsor weekly group runs, divided by pace. Sometimes they offer clinics for a few months where they teach different running workouts and ways to avoid injury.

One of my partners when running was 76 years old. I made it my goal to be like her. I didn't want to get faster, just keep healthy enough to continue running.

If you want to branch beyond 5Ks, look for a 10K (~6 miles), but practice getting your base up to 8 miles. As you are nearing 50, avoiding injury is a priority.

One technique for longer miles (if you want to do a 10K or longer) is to do intervals of running and walking. My running group started with 10min run, then 1 minute walk, then repeat. We experimented and ended up with pace groups doing 5/1, 3/1, 2/1 and 1/1. At first I was annoyed, but believe it or not, when we moved from 5/1 to 2/1, our minutes per mile pace got faster!

This was possible because you use different muscles running and walking. So in the 1 minute of walking, you are giving your running muscles a rest. When you do the running interval on a rested muscle, you can run faster. Of course, elite or serious runners hoping to BQ (Boston Qualify) don't want to do this, but for the rest of us, it's an amazing technique. The best benefit is significant reduction of injury from over stressing your running muscles.

If you go beyond 5K, experiment with hydration and fueling. Find what works best for you pre-run - a banana? a bagel with peanut butter? For a 10 mile or longer run, I always fueled starting at 6 miles, then every 3. Gu gels, gummies, protein bars. Don't eat or wear anything new on race day.

Probably the most important advice from above is getting the proper shoe from an expert who will evaluate your old shoes and your gait for balance, motion control, cushioning and stability. The shoe will cost $125 or more. They last about 400 miles. If you like them, after a few months buy a 2nd pair and start alternating wearing them. This will give you 2 broken in shoes. The worst thing is needing to replace your shoe right before a race, so with this method, you just wear the newer shoe for races.

If you graduate to longer miles, watch your diet in the days and night before a long run. Aim for lean meats, not greasy fried foods, and avoid alcohol.

Find a running partner either through a running store or a gym and get into a pace group that fits. Learn to run without headphones. It's safer, and you will find chatting with a partner makes the miles fly by. Have fun![/quote]

OMG so much this!!!  When people ask about my goals for a race, it's to PR (personal record).  I don't care what other people are doing.  I want to see my training pay off.  People who assume you have to be fast to be a runner are THE WORST.  You are discouraging people from enjoying the sport and doing it properly (not running too fast).  A person who runs, is a runner, full stop.[/quote]

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