Improving running times?
 

I currently jog a few miles a few times a week pretty much just to clear my mind as I've never been a huge fan of running, but do enjoy the feeling I get after. As someone who can currently run a mile in about 7 minutes (I'm out of shape I know) how hard would it be to improve this time to 6 min within 3 months? What type of training would you do to accomplish this? I just know close to nothing about how to improve running times as I was never in track.

Re: Improving running times?
 

Trying to get faster takes some hard work and commitment, or at least for me it has. A couple training techniques (broadly/loosely stated) I use:

1. Do regular weekly runs with some sort of idea of "easy", "medium", and "hard"-- intensity wise, doing all, but fewer hard than medium or easy, and varying the distance a bit accordingly.

2. Do spring or interval or fartlek training-- but once a week, and not for more than about 3-4 weeks in a row. And if the idea makes me sick-- take that day off or at least do something else than what you planned.

3. Take some time to work on technique, or think about some point of technique during a warm-up which you carry into that workout.

I should add I'm not much of a runner or trackster. These are things that I've picked up and tried from others and had some personal success with-- not sure if they would work for others, and they are unlikely to be best practices.

Re: Improving running times?
 

Moving from 7 minutes to 6 minutes in 3 months should be easy by someone who does something retarded like running 5k as fast as possible everyday for 3 months.

Shemp is right on.

Re: Improving running times?
 

Tremp,

My sarcasm detector is giving me mixed signals here, what was the 5k every day comment about? Or was "does" supposed to be "doesn't".

Re: Improving running times?
 

Interval/fartlek workouts that shemp mentioned are a very effective way of training. Basically in a fartlek workout, during your run, you pick up the tempo to near race pace for 30-90 seconds and then return back to your normal pace. Once you have recovered, rinse and repeat until your run is done. Its not a very structured workout, its meant to be an easy and fun way to get in a workout and get your body used to running faster.

If you are really serious and have a track nearby, you can do interval workouts which are a more structured form of fartlek. After a mile warm up, a sample workout would be 8 200's(half a lap) at race pace with a 200 jog between. So run a 200 in 45sec, then jog(don't walk) a 200, run a 200, jog 200 etc. Then jog a mile to cool down. Since you are starting out, you may want to do 4x200 the first week and work your way up to 8x200. Once you find 8x200 easy, you increase the distance or shorten the recovery jog. So do 200 with a 100 meter jog or 400 with a 200 jog.

Re: Improving running times?
 

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Tremp,

My sarcasm detector is giving me mixed signals here, what was the 5k every day comment about? Or was "does" supposed to be "doesn't".

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I meant that someone who trains very poorly but logs miles will be able to do this.

Hell I could likely go from my current no cardio at all pace of maybe ~8 to sub 6 in 3 months.

Re: Improving running times?
 

I dunno, when I first started running I couldn't go from about 7:30 to sub 6 running 3 miles every other day for 2-3 months. I was a freshmen in highschool though.

But if you're a seasoned jogger running at around 7 minutes and not out of shape, 2 months of high intensity intervals should easily get you to sub 6.

Re: Improving running times?
 

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As someone who can currently run a mile in about 7 minutes (I'm out of shape I know) how hard would it be to improve this time to 6 min within 3 months?

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I don't think 7 minute mile(s) are that slow. If you can do that for entire 5k that's not too bad for general public. Sounds like you want to get faster and there's some good advice in this thread to help get you started.

Re: Improving running times?
 

droopy,

There's no way I'd be able to keep up that pace for 5k as after running the mile in 7 min I felt like I was close to death.

all,

Thank you for your advice.

Re: Improving running times?
 

I would add that in my experience most of the things that help aren't fun (running slower than your present "natural" pace, running faster than you want, intervals) -- so you will get a gut-check as far as your goals. Holy crap: "How bad do I want to get faster?" You may decide you enjoy just being able to get up and go, and a good kick at the end, and the feeling after for stress relief.

I'll agree with the above that fartlek may be best combination of fun and effective. And for me, anyway, it is important to do something else or plan a break if an upcoming session seems so unpleasant that you dread it. Running seems to be helping your moods, so I'd personally be careful with that.

edit: I removed some thoughts that I suspect are completely idiosyncratic with me.