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As of now, I can run 4 miles in 47minutes. That is slow and I have been rather inconsistent with running. But I figure that now is the time to get really serious and I want to drop that run time by half in one month's time or no later than six weeks. But by that time I want to be able to run six miles in roughly 30 mins. Any suggestions? My idea was to get new running shoes because the ones I am using have given me ingrown toenails. And that is a bother after running. I look down and I see my socks are all bloodied and filled with pus.
If you can go from running slower than 10 minutes a mile to 5 minutes a mile - even for a single mile in just six weeks, you are the most amazing human on the planet. Unless there are circumstances you are not posting here (like you could run a five-minute mile before, but had to lay off because of an ankle sprain...), you would be lucky to run a 35-minute 4-mile race after six weeks of intense training.
Post your time for your fastest single lap around a quarter-mile track. It would need to be at about 1:15 to equate to a 5:00 mile.
If you can go from running slower than 10 minutes a mile to 5 minutes a mile - even for a single mile in just six weeks, you are the most amazing human on the planet. Unless there are circumstances you are not posting here (like you could run a five-minute mile before, but had to lay off because of an ankle sprain...), you would be lucky to run a 35-minute 4-mile race after six weeks of intense training.
Post your time for your fastest single lap around a quarter-mile track. It would need to be at about 1:15 to equate to a 5:00 mile.
I never could run as a 5 minute mile. The fastest I ever got as 7 minutes a mile and I could do that for 8 miles straight. I stopped because I got lazy. Ok, I will be going for the 35 minute 4 miles. But after that I think after 8 weeks of total training I would be able to run perhaps 4 miles under 30minutes?
What is your running history?
(ie; been running for # of years; run about # of times each week; do not have weight issues or health problems; ran cross country in high school; am # years old...)
. I look down and I see my socks are all bloodied and filled with pus.
you definitely need to take care of that because thats gross. if i wanted to drop my run times i would run more. probably do separate running sessions at different times in a day so my body has time to recover and get back to it. probably want to get plenty of food in between so my body has the energy to keep going.
What is your running history?
(ie; been running for # of years; run about # of times each week; do not have weight issues or health problems; ran cross country in high school; am # years old...)
I have been running since I was a senior in HS. So seven years ago. I started on my own. I use to run a lot. Now I have been pretty inconsistent but I am working on running five times a week. Its what I normally have always done. I do have weight issues, it was the same weight as in HS. Lost a lot of the weight as I use to run 8 miles 5x's a week. Which is something I am considering.
I have been running since I was a senior in HS. So seven years ago. I started on my own. I use to run a lot. Now I have been pretty inconsistent but I am working on running five times a week. Its what I normally have always done. I do have weight issues, it was the same weight as in HS. Lost a lot of the weight as I use to run 8 miles 5x's a week. Which is something I am considering.
OK... Kinda what I imagined. Fell off the horse for a bit, but not too far out of it. Running 8 miles, five times a week will help your weight issues. Try not to overdo it if you are a lot heavier. Tendonitis and fatigue may set in if you try to jump right back into a routine you did seven years (and many pounds) ago.
What I would recommend for your speed: Try making one of your weekly runs a speed workout. Go to a local HS track, or a trail that has quarter mile increments marked. The distance and number of repeats is up to you; but I would do the following:
- 1 mile easy pace (warm-up)
- quarter-mile repeats (8 x fast / 7 x slow):
((quarter-mile at a 'less-than-sprinting / faster-than-10k-race' pace))
((quarter-mile at a slow jog pace (can walk to recover from fast lap, but should start jogging as your body recovers)))
- 1 mile easy pace after the last fast quarter-mile (cool down)
It is almost six miles of running, with 2 miles at a fast pace. This should help boost your speed on regular runs. You can substitute (or add) hills to your regular run. Just push yourself hard uphill, and recuperate downhill. Try to make at least a third of your total run uphill.
If the pounding from the high mileage is taking a toll, and you want to do something with less impact, try incorporating some high-intensity body weight squatting. Squatting (through a full range of motion) 200-300 times as fast as you can will work your metabolic conditioning and leg strength, which are key factors in running faster. You can also throw this workout in as a substitute for your speed day.
You need a mix of distance runs and speed runs. The problem a lot of people have with getting faster is that it requires that you run outside your comfort zone a couple times a week, which is painful. Here's what I would do...each week, run at least 4 days. 1 day is a long run (6-10 miles...work up to it), and 1 day is a tempo run (like described by gumbyfly). The tempo can even be as simple as running 6 miles, alternating running really hard one mile with really slow the next mile. The other two running days can change depending on how you feel...1 can be a nice easy shake out run of 3-5 miles to clear your head and not worry about time, and 1 can be like a mini-race against the clock. In fact, I would map out a 4 mile route and literally race it like your life depends on it each week and try to set new records for yourself. You might want to take note, however, that it is summer and the heat and humidity can really wreck your running times. Don't be too disappointed if you struggle sometimes. Come Fall when that first crisp day hits, the weeks of plodding through the summer will pay off big time.
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