Is this pace improvement possible? (Running)

[Deleted]

So at the beginning of the year my pace was a 15 min mile over about 5-10k, I had been running for just over a year but very happhazardly. I am now running a 12 min mile over the same type of distances. My ideal time is 70 min for a 10k, which is just over an 11 min mile.

I know this is still slow for some of you, but do you think it is possible? How do you know when you have hit your limit as a runner?

[Deleted]

Absolutely, but to run faster, you have to run faster. It means speedwork and pushing past your current comfort zone. But it is totally doable!

I'll let the more experienced sorts around here comment on how to best incorporate speed work.

[shauni27]

I think it is totally doable! Twice a week add in a speed workout. That is what I did and my pace has dropped a bit. Even if it does not drop 100% before the race, keep working at it and over time you will see your pace continue to drop.

[ebeth]

I think you need to work on building your base before you start worrying about interval and tempo workouts. you will see improvements in pace when you are first starting out as you build endurance even in the abscene of deliberate training. you'll probably have huge PR's as you figure out running and racing. eventually you'll plateau at your 'natural ability' level and have to work really hard to see gains, but it's hard to say when that will happen.


my experience (paces are race paces):
I transitioned from high 9's to low 9's without having to work too hard at it. low 9's to high 8's took some hard work (increased mpw, intervals, tempos), but high 8's to low 8's came fairly easily. now, I'm working on breaking into the 7's and it's been really tough. I've been stuck here for awhile.

[stingsharkruns]

May 23, 2012 7:50:36 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I think you need to work on building your base before you start worrying about interval and tempo workouts. you will see improvements in pace when you are first starting out as you build endurance even in the abscene of deliberate training. you'll probably have huge PR's as you figure out running and racing. eventually you'll plateau at your 'natural ability' level and have to work really hard to see gains, but it's hard to say when that will happen.


my experience (paces are race paces):
I transitioned from high 9's to low 9's without having to work too hard at it. low 9's to high 8's took some hard work (increased mpw, intervals, tempos), but high 8's to low 8's came fairly easily. now, I'm working on breaking into the 7's and it's been really tough. I've been stuck here for awhile.

pretty much that last paragraph exactly.

[clseale]

May 23, 2012 8:13:25 GMT -5 stingsharkruns said:

May 23, 2012 7:50:36 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I think you need to work on building your base before you start worrying about interval and tempo workouts. you will see improvements in pace when you are first starting out as you build endurance even in the abscene of deliberate training. you'll probably have huge PR's as you figure out running and racing. eventually you'll plateau at your 'natural ability' level and have to work really hard to see gains, but it's hard to say when that will happen.


my experience (paces are race paces):
I transitioned from high 9's to low 9's without having to work too hard at it. low 9's to high 8's took some hard work (increased mpw, intervals, tempos), but high 8's to low 8's came fairly easily. now, I'm working on breaking into the 7's and it's been really tough. I've been stuck here for awhile.

pretty much that last paragraph exactly.

Tritto, except I'm hovering in the mid 8's on average at the moment realizing it's going to take some work to consistently get to the low 8's. Incrementally this is how my pace improvements went though. Just adding mileage and improving my endurance took a big chunk off without any speed work. Now I'm going to have to get more deliberate about it.

[keweenawlove]

Ditto everyone else how said speed work is the way to go. The faster paces hurt for awhile, then start to get easier.

I had a friend who was a pro skier for awhile and one of her quotes (not sure who actually said it) has always stuck with me - "It never gets easier, you just go faster"

[gt7301b]

How many miles do you run a week? I found my pace improved quite a bit when I added mileage. Now that I have a pretty solid base it takes more work to get that pace down.

I don't know how much you weigh, but dropping a few pounds could also help you speed up. I have read that 10 pounds can cut a minute off your 5K time. (I don't want to cause any anxiety, but thought I would throw that out there too)

[aurora]

I think it's possible for any healthy adult to reach an 11-min (or below) mile pace with the right training, so I think you should go for it! Making sure you have both adequate (but not too much) mileage and appropriate speed training will go a long way toward helping you achieve your goal.

Also, I tend to find that it is easier for me to run faster in races with other people around and adrenaline surging, so you might find that if you can run say 11:30 in training for that distance that 11 doesn't feel so hard.

Good luck!

[jillybean222]

i have been running for awhile, but i take breaks here and there too so i basically start from scratch every year or two. i started 5w PP after DD#3 arrived and ran 3.1 miles @ 10:30 pace. i was sucking wind big time and everything hurt during, but also the next few days. i ran a 5k this past weekend @ 7:42 pace and felt really good doing it. DD is now almost 10months so it took awhile. i didn't do speed work per se, but when i felt like my runs were too slow, i picked up the pace a little.

[gumi]

May 23, 2012 0:18:49 GMT -5 @maggie78 said:

I know this is still slow for some of you, but do you think it is possible? How do you know when you have hit your limit as a runner?

I really do not believe that this is possible. Well, assuming you are under your peak age (women tend to peak around 40 - which is one reason why 35-40 is such a competitive age group).

One thing I have learned is to never set your limitations in your head. Assume you can do anything because if you believe you cant run a certain pace, then you never will.

[grk2012]

I say it's possible. You just have to work for it and not expect results overnight. My pace dropped from the 11-13min/mile range to mid-7s (5Ks) and low-9s (marathons) over a span of 6 years. Once I started adding distance getting faster naturally followed. I don't regularly do formal speedwork.

[shelbyann]

How much are you running right now? Unless you're hitting something like 30+ miles a week, I'd agree with just adding more mileage and that will probably help your pace improve without adding speed work.

[foundmylazybum]

What is your mileage?
My first thought is increase base first. Then speed.

Realistically it's pretty hard to get in quality speed workouts without increasing mileage.

When I increased speed workouts--they were 10-12 miles each--I went to two a week, and my mileage doubled.

[Deleted]

I run 25 k or 15.5 miles? This is 2 x 6K, 1 x 10-14K and 1 x 4k "intervals" (but not trully intervals). I guess seeing I've currently cut off 3 min per mile in the last 6 months (and I was only running 8 - 10K a week then so I can see how uping milage works), so it's perhaps a bit in my head (which is why I think my kinda intervals has been working, I can't run a 5 min/k for 6 k but I can for 400m). I plan on running 2 races this year, a 12k in a few weeks and a 9k in Sep, both are flat courses.
Thanks for the advice so far.