Improving 1.5mile run

ToejaM

ToejaM

ToejaM

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I want to get my 1.5mile run time to below 10minutes, currently its at 11:36.

I've been running 1.5mi every Monday as fast as possible and then every wed/fri 3miles at a steady pace but always trying to beat the previous time without killing myself.

Done a bit of reading and people are saying to forget the mileage but go out for a time rather than a distance and run at a steady pace to build endurance. a lot say 40minutes, 3miles takes me 27ish.

What are your thoughts and advices?
 
There are two ways to improve your speed. One is to run longer distances, which builds your endurance strength. The shorter distances feel easier as a result and you're able to run them faster. The second is to condition yourself to run faster, which you do by intervals of sprinting and recovery runs, also known as Fartlek, interval training and HIIT. You sprint for a distance as hard as you can and slow down to a slow jog to recover. Rinse and repeat. You do this to get your body used to running faster.

If you're running 1.5 miles in 11:30 but 3 miles (4.8k) takes 27 minutes then you're flagging quite a bit in the second half. If you can run a 23 minute 5k then that's pretty fast. I'd build some endurance first, then you can go at the 1.5 miles hammer and tongs.
 
Instead of doing it without trying to kill yourself, do it to kill yourself.

Try throwing some slow 10k runs in there too and defo some HIIT. Beleive it or not doing some circuits etc, weight lifitng, leg exercises can all help your running.

Try stopping the 1.5 mile run every Monday and change it to every 2nd week, you will see more of a change that way (obviously). How many times are you running a week? Just the 3, you may need to up your workouts if you have time I know it isn't all that easy due to other commitments.
 
Personally I found my 1.5 mile time drop considerably when I upped my mileage. I also used to do 3 miles in around 27 mins but, again, this dropped when I upped my mileage.

I am not an expert but try this:

Tues - 3 miles (normal pace)
Thurs - 3 miles (normal pace)
Sat - 5 miles long, slow run (LSR) = about 60-90sec/mile slower than midweek pace

Up the midweek distance by 0.5 miles per week and the LSR by 1 mile/week. Do this for 4 weeks and then, after a couple of days rest from your LSR, attempt the 1.5 mile at race pace and see how you go.



Edit: To equate this to a real World example i.e. me -

I did similar to above and dropped my 5K time to 22:50.

Unfortunately I have never timed a straight 1.5 mile run since but even my 1.5 mile time during a 5K is 10:40. Bear in mind I am not going as fast as I can for the 1.5 mile as I need some reserve for the rest of the 5K. I would hazard a good guess that I could get my time down to low 10min or even just break the 9:xx min mark if I went for a flat out 1.5 mile knowing I wouldn't have to go further....
 
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Got this problem myself.

It's taking me 27 mins to do 5 km (3.1 miles) at the moment (yes I've been slacking something wicked :D :o :( ), so I've changed to doing the same but increasing the speed every couple of mins to that of a sprint. Absolutely knackers me out, but it brings the time down and hopefully my body will adapt to a higher speed soon. :o
 
I'v been running for the last 2 years and I'd say that the more miles your running the faster you'll get as Jonny69 explained.

Just wondering but why the interest in your 1.5 mile time?

Only times I've been interested in since running are the traditional race distances. Thats just me though and wanted your thoughts. :)
 
1.5mile times are the general standard for fitness tests from places like Armed Forces, Police etc.
 
Yeah looks like I need to just put more mileage in. I ran for 40(30+10)minutes on a treadmill yesterday as planned and plan the same again tomorrow. Couldn't tell you the distance covered.. I'd say I averaged about 11kph meaning around 7.3km I guess. At first did 30minutes solidly with a walk after and then a faster 10minutes. Was dying at the end so hopefully if I can keep doing this I'll get some more speed on my 1.5mi times.

Its for the Army fitness. I want to be below 10 before I even do my fitness test with them but I don't think that'll happen so at the very latest I want to be sub 10before I join and well below that to.

Ive also got a stone to drop aswell so that'll help, its coming down quickly enough at the moment! Started at 19stone, around 13 now and been running since August. Started on a 17minute time but work and baby duties make training difficult especially as the gf works alternate shifts so it was a case of running late at night after being up from 5am but with my brother here it means he can baby sit while I go at a more reasonable time.

I don't slow down on my second half when I do the longer runs I just keep it at a steadier pace, no racing to the 1.5mi mark and then slowing down after that. Maybe a little too steady but its hard to know what speed you're running when you're out on the concrete and your phone things you're zigzagging across the road lol, once got to 0.25mi and it said I'd done 2miles.. I read elsewhere that its best to keep to a speed you feel you can do constantly though obviously the faster the better.

My route is far from flat to, as it gets near the end of the 1.5mi run it starts to climb so that drains me quicker!

Thanks for the advice people. After the long run I did yesterday it certainly is easier to see how that would make the 1.5mi run better. Will keep at it and I have also been thinking about timing my run every other week as suggested so I'll be doing that to :)
 
Yeah I've read that to.

A second question and probably retarded but when running, especially longer distances.. do you guys start at your pace speed or is there a slow build up for you?

I'm wondering if by quickly getting to the speed I plan on staying at I'm doing myself no favour in terms of stamina?
 
When I' doing a long run (9 Miles plus) then I'll set off about a minute or so slower per mile slower for the first 1-2 miles while I'm warming up then I'll be steady all the way through at the same pace until the last half mile when I'll speed up to practice for running on empty.
 
TBH, I have no idea what my "standard pace" is. There are quite a few different routes I take and they all have hills (no choice due to where I live). Even my 3 miler has over 200ft of climb... In fact, I just checked my last runs and all the routes round here have anywhere between 65ft/mile - 85ft/mile of climb. The upside is the great scenery as it takes me circa a 1/4 mile to get into countryside from my front door

What I am saying is I don't really have a set pace speed as it depends on the route so can be anywhere from 7:35-8:35/mile. I just run and don't concern myself about the pace. I do it to stem the boredom :o
 
My run has about 127ft peak according to runkeeper, near the end (for the 1.5mi)

Looking at it, from 0.25mi to 1.25mi it slowly increases from 40ft to 127ft at its maximum. Is that much? :S
 
90ft is about 25m, not a huge amount but it's not flat. Try the Parkrun 5k at Crystal Palace for hilly, two lots of 75m climbs. The guys who have run that in sub 17 minutes are machines :D
 
Just did a 6mile this morning (LSR)... 576ft (176m) of total climb. The toughie was the 370ft (113m) climb over 1.7 miles of it :eek:. Def not flat round here :p Albeit that is one of the tougher courses I do
 
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