Forums >Running 101>virtually no pace improvement at all in 6 months' running
rhetorician
well, it's all in the title, really (and the log). I've just bought a Garmin and my pace is actually even slower than I'd thought. Any ideas why I've seen almost no improvement over 6 months and nearly 600 miles of running? I am getting some distance in, I am not injured, but I find it hard to maintain any kind of pace at all. It's a tad dispiriting...
2012 goals
lose 8lbs
run injury free
run 3000k
run sub 60 min 10k
run 2 hour half
2013 goals
run 1750 miles
sub 55 10k
sub 25 5k
sub 2 hour half
Could be lots of reasons. If it makes you feel any better I've run twice that many miles in the last 6 months and I've seen no improvement in that time either.
Runners run
A Saucy Wench
If you just bought the garmin and you didnt really know how fast you were running how do you know you havent improved? I can tell you that my easy pace has changed marginally over the years, but my race pace improved. by what measure do you judge improvement?
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
Why is it sideways?
It's hot out.
Plus, unless you are racing regularly, how do you know if you have improved. I recommend racing a 5k every other weekend this summer. If you do that, you will see progress.
thanks all - it's not very hot where I am! so I can't use that as an excuse...
#artbydmcbride
We're supposed to be improving? <dmnt>
nice
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life
The King of Beasts
ugh
"As a dreamer of dreams and a travelin' man I have chalked up many a mile. Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, And I've learned much from both of their styles." ~ Jimmy Buffett
"I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way."”
I have to say I agree with Ennay. Don't sweat so much about whether your everyday easy pace is getting faster. I think as a whole, most people run their easy runs too fast anyway.
My easy pace right now is actually about 45 seconds per mile slower than it was a few years ago. But in that time, all my race times have gone down - especially the longer distances.
DespiteMyself
... Don't sweat so much about whether your everyday easy pace is getting faster. I think as a whole, most people run their easy runs too fast anyway.
So, being fairly new to running (finished C25K several months ago and now average 30-45 minutes 3x/wk) maybe I'm stressing too much about improving my easy pace. What does everyone consider a good easy pace to be? I'd love to be able to allow myslef to step back a little and enjoy my runs more. I do feel fantastic after I'm done and I'm sitting down, drinking a cold vitamin water and letting the sweat dry ... but I'm still sucking wind during my run.
If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot run," then by all means RUN, and the voice will be silenced.
Jiggle Monster
Seems like the answer is in your question: slow down until the wind sucking stops and the enjoying starts. That might be a good easy pace.
What does everyone consider a good easy pace to be?
Some people describe easy pace as the speed at which you can still hold a conversation.
but I'm still sucking wind during my run.
This does not sound easy. Slow down a little.
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
Climbing Mt Ruapehu
well you doing better than me my pace is getting worse
Personal Race Records:
M 3:52:48 (Auckland 2011), HM 1:38:16 (Taupo 2010), 10km 45:05 (Sir Barry 2010), 5km 20:21 (How Pak 5km 2010)
2012 Goals:Run the 75km Hillary Trail in a day (done 10/3/2012)
You can't be talkin' to me, Vino - LOL ... Looking at your PRs ... HM 1:38:16 (Taupo 2010), 10km 45:05 (Sir Barry 2010), 5km 20:21 (How Pak 5km 2010) ... if yer slowing down, I may one day be able to catch up!
Thanks everyone ... I think I inherently knew the answer was to slow down, but being new, I'm getting caught up in getting "better" i.e. faster. Plus the gal I run with a couple times a week is faster than me, so I have to balance the desire to keep up with her (i.e. not slow her down) with keeping my solo runs more for the fun of it.
But when I see comments like Ennay's " I can tell you that my easy pace has changed marginally over the years, but my race pace improved. " it is encouraging
100 miles per month easy? Some people may improve with it...some may stay the same...some will get slower. Basically, if you're not improving, then you've plateaued with what you're doing.