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why do you want to run faster? (Read 218 times)

wcrunner2


Are we there, yet?

    So I don't have to worry about missing cutoff times in races.

     2024 Races:

          03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

          05/11 - D3 50K
          05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

          06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

     

     

         

    JimR


      runningafast what?

      Cyberic


        Because I'm racing, and that's the idea of a race. The day I stop trying to run faster, I'll stop racing, and I'll run for fun. Or the other way around. Same difference.

          To defeat Father Time.

          GinnyinPA


            I like to challenge myself. Getting faster is one way of doing that. It's also fun to place in my age group. As someone who was never athletic, it is a lot of fun to find myself enjoying competition.

            Mikkey


            Mmmm Bop

              I started running 10 years ago at 41yo and I love the natural high of training hard and the buzz of doing well in a race.

               

              I have more energy, lost weight, look better, quit smoking and generally happier since running. I wouldn’t call myself competitive...but I need races to stay motivated and with marathons it’s always been about achieving a time goal rather than winning AG awards.

              5k - 17:53 (4/19)   10k - 37:53 (11/18)   Half - 1:23:18 (4/19)   Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)

              yomonk1


                Hi everyone,

                I am thinking about trying to run faster and am interested in your thoughts on why you want to/try to/work to run faster?

                thanks.

                runningafast

                 

                I, too am trying to figure this. I've only been running for about 6 months. My first race was a half marathon. I finished 4th from bottom in mens, but I was very happy with that, for my very first race.

                 

                I know I run slow. I'm a 10-11:30 mile, depending on distance. I don't have an expectation on winning races, but I do want to do better. I want to push myself to do better, and thus, improve from my previous races. Not sure how many halfs I'll be doing. Maybe one or two a year, but I will be doing many 5 and 10K races and want to improve with each one.

                 

                So that being said.... I run between 13-20 miles a week, usually 4 days a week (since I work 12 hour shifts). What can I do to steadily improve? My goal is a sub 30 min 5k. This weekend I did a workout in 30:29 and that was really tough. My legs can take it but it's hard for me to breathe at that pace. What's a good plan to improve on speed and duration?

                LedLincoln


                not bad for mile 25

                  To defeat Father Time.

                   

                  Good luck with this.

                  ilanarama


                  Pace Prophet

                     

                    I, too am trying to figure this. I've only been running for about 6 months. My first race was a half marathon. I finished 4th from bottom in mens, but I was very happy with that, for my very first race.

                     

                    I know I run slow. I'm a 10-11:30 mile, depending on distance. I don't have an expectation on winning races, but I do want to do better. I want to push myself to do better, and thus, improve from my previous races. Not sure how many halfs I'll be doing. Maybe one or two a year, but I will be doing many 5 and 10K races and want to improve with each one.

                     

                    So that being said.... I run between 13-20 miles a week, usually 4 days a week (since I work 12 hour shifts). What can I do to steadily improve? My goal is a sub 30 min 5k. This weekend I did a workout in 30:29 and that was really tough. My legs can take it but it's hard for me to breathe at that pace. What's a good plan to improve on speed and duration?

                     

                    The best way for you to improve is to be patient.  Most of your runs should be slow - you should not only be breathing easily, but you should be able to carry on a conversation with an imaginary friend while you run.  If you can run a 5k in 30 minutes, the corresponding suggested easy pace is 12-12:40 pace, so although it sounds counterintuitive, you should slow down most of your training runs.  This will build the endurance you need to sustain your pace over the distance of 5k or 10k.

                     

                     

                    Once a week, run faster.  You could warm up and then just try to run as fast as you can for your planned distance, or you could do strides (accelerate over 6 seconds, run as fast as you can with good form for 10 seconds, then decelerate to an easy pace over 4 seconds - recover fully between strides), or you could do formal intervals on a track or on a marked course, or just fartlek - choose a landmark and run fast to it, then run easy until you're ready to push again.

                     

                    The more miles you can run (easy), the easier it will be for you to run faster.  Good luck!

                    Mikkey


                    Mmmm Bop

                       

                      I, too am trying to figure this. I've only been running for about 6 months. My first race was a half marathon. I finished 4th from bottom in mens, but I was very happy with that, for my very first race.

                       

                      I know I run slow. I'm a 10-11:30 mile, depending on distance. I don't have an expectation on winning races, but I do want to do better. I want to push myself to do better, and thus, improve from my previous races. Not sure how many halfs I'll be doing. Maybe one or two a year, but I will be doing many 5 and 10K races and want to improve with each one.

                       

                      So that being said.... I run between 13-20 miles a week, usually 4 days a week (since I work 12 hour shifts). What can I do to steadily improve? My goal is a sub 30 min 5k. This weekend I did a workout in 30:29 and that was really tough. My legs can take it but it's hard for me to breathe at that pace. What's a good plan to improve on speed and duration?

                       

                      If you’ve only been running for 6 months then you should see some decent improvements if you stay consistent. Continue to build up your mileage/endurance with mostly easy running as a common rookie mistake is to push it on every run. For some of my easy/recovery runs I don’t bother wearing a watch and just go by feel.

                       

                      Also check out Brad Hudson’s ‘Runner Faster’ book which is a great read and teaches you how to be your own coach. He also has training plans at the back from 5k to the marathon (3 different levels) which will give you an idea of what workouts you should be focusing on.

                       

                      Also, join a local running club as they usually do midweek track workouts and group runs at the weekend. Good luck!

                      5k - 17:53 (4/19)   10k - 37:53 (11/18)   Half - 1:23:18 (4/19)   Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)


                      #artbydmcbride

                        Fast running looks better than slow running

                         

                        Runners run

                           

                          Good luck with this.

                           

                          I think more than luck will be required.

                          When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

                          Seattle prattle


                            For a sense of discovery and to avoid boredom.

                            I was given this body and put on this earth. Whle I'm here, i'm going to see what it can do and maybe discover some things in the doing. That means pushing it most of the time and stretching the boundaries, finding what works and how the things are put together and perform, optimally.

                            Having done this for a few years now, i find that i find something surprising or intriguing in most every workout. Would i get that if i wasn't trying to progress and push my limits? I doubt i would.

                            That's what keeps me pursuing the ability to run faster. And i am happy to report that in my estimation, running fast, efficient, and "strong" is it's own reward, at least from my experience.


                            On the road in MN

                              I find in a fairly average/normal life - often I'm not put to the test very often (maybe ever), put in situations that are at or beyond my ability....

                               

                              I find running or biking super far....super fast....faster then ever before for farther... when vision goes white.... on the verge of puking... sure you should stop when your blister breaks....or whatever that run might bring...  Just... does something to me, different state of mind, hard to explain... I might feel like death, want to stop, not sure how ill make it the 30minutes home during a hard workout, but I carry on.

                               

                              Sometimes I'm in the car, see a runner, hear a certain song... gives me goose bumps thinking of I wish I was out in a race...or a hard interval... seeing what is possible!

                               

                              In the end, I'll not be winning any real hardware at arace, besides maybe small local charity races (AG),but after winning a small snow trail race (overall!).  It triggered a thought....wow, that felt really great... to pass the 2nd place person....then 1st.... then be in the FRONT!   Not a feeling i'll soon forget !     I'd like to that to happen again some day...!   Unlikely, but makes me try!   Little miles stones keep me in it also (sub4hr marathon, sub## 5k, dreams of BQ...etc), like a game to me in a way.   I wouldn't just play the first 5 minutes of Mario brothers over and over... i'd want to get further, more coins, etc.

                               

                              I think the more and more you run.... the faster and faster you Can run.... so its just a natural progression as well.   Eventually that super slow training pace run  becomes so easy that it feels like an easy jog and HR stays so low its crazy!   Eventually that super hard 5k pace.... is your EASY run pace....eventually your 1mile best.... is your 5k pace!   Smile

                                      5k: 19:29  Oct'17      26.2:  4:03 Oct'15  3:22 Grandmas June'17       Upcoming: Grandmas Marathon June'18 

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