Jogging

CliffyG

CliffyG

CliffyG

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
17,942
Location
Cambridge
I've can now run 3 miles in just over 21 minutes but seem to have reached a plateau. In order to run that time i really need to head out quick and usually i end up getting too tired early on and slowing down to 22 / 23 mins. On the rare occasion i don't slow down it feels like i just cant go any quicker. I was really hoping to break 20 minutes this year but don't feel like i'm progressing. Here's what im doing exercise wise at the moment:

Mon: 1 hour 5-A-Side footy or 3 mile jog
Tue: 2 hours Judo
Weds: Nothing
Thurs: 3 mile jog
Fri: Occasionally 1.5 hours judo
Sat: Nothing
Sun: 3 mile jog

How do i go about improving?
 
Do you have a pacemaker (digital jobby) If not get one as you are probably starting off to fast, Pace yourself better & stay consistant throughout the run rather than trying to blast a time out.
At the right pace I can run forever & I am old ;)
 
I'd look at increasing your distance to at least 5 miles and then bringing in some intervals (3, 4 and 5 minute sprints with 5 minutes of recovery in between). This will increase bother your general endurance, your speed and your lactic acid recovery time.

If you are running twice a week then you could look at doing one distance run and one quick run rather than two the same.

Also, I'd say that you were going out two quickly; I prefer running a negative split, ising the first few km to walm-up before stepping up the pace.
 
Try getting some hills into your routine, I only run in an hilly area, but last week, whilst I was away for work, I found a nice flat 4 miler and the time difference between my normal run and this run was pretty significant, im still fairly slow, as im concentrating on endurance rather than speed, but I normally run 3.5 miles in 28 mins, on the flat this was about 23 mins:o
 
I don't have a pacemaker, is it the thing that clips onto your trainers and connects to an ipod? I think i can kind of maintain a good pace but not when i'm trying to do a fast run. I can't seem to find the spot between running a consistent but slightly slow time and heading off too quick. I was expecting someone to say run further, i get bored enough on the 3 mile run. I really need to get myself an ipod. I think i might try 6 miles next week and see how i go. No hills near me unfortunately.
 
You need to do some interval training. You won't get much faster just doing 3 miles over and over.

Try including some Yassos:

Taking a marathon time for you at an average of 7min/mile (from your current speed) is roughly 3 hours. Lets be generous and call it 3:30:00. as you're new to running.

The theory behind Yasso's is you run 800 metres in the time taken to run a marathon, in minutes. So in your case 0:3:30. You then recover (walk or jog) for the same amount of time, then repeat. Start with four repetitions, and over the course of a few weeks build up to 10.
 
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I'll give that a try next time i do a short run. Need to get myself a stop watch etc and plan the routes though. Isn't 3:30 for 800 metres a little slow?
 
CliffyG said:
I don't have a pacemaker, is it the thing that clips onto your trainers and connects to an ipod? I think i can kind of maintain a good pace but not when i'm trying to do a fast run. I can't seem to find the spot between running a consistent but slightly slow time and heading off too quick. I was expecting someone to say run further, i get bored enough on the 3 mile run. I really need to get myself an ipod. I think i might try 6 miles next week and see how i go. No hills near me unfortunately.
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You do need to be running longer, but slower. Look to extend the longer run to 5 or 6 six miles initially, at around 9-9.5 min/mile easy pace. Your mid week runs should be steady and just off target pace. Then every few weeeks stretch your legs and see if you can hit the 20min target.

That said... 3 miles in 21 mins isn't a jog by any stretch of the imagination and getting it down to 20 is a fair effort. I think you need to consider getting in another regular mid week run to be honest. Can you run to footy?
 
CliffyG said:
I'll give that a try next time i do a short run. Need to get myself a stop watch etc and plan the routes though. Isn't 3:30 for 800 metres a little slow?
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It is for me, certainly. But thats the idea behind the intervals. Just because I said 3:30 doesn't mean you have to stick to it, try 3:00 :p.

You can pick up a Garmin 101 or Forerunner 50 fairly cheaply for a good training aid.
 
firstborn said:
You do need to be running longer, but slower. Look to extend the longer run to 5 or 6 six miles initially, at around 9-9.5 min/mile easy pace. Your mid week runs should be steady and just off target pace. Then every few weeeks stretch your legs and see if you can hit the 20min target.

That said... 3 miles in 21 mins isn't a jog by any stretch of the imagination and getting it down to 20 is a fair effort. I think you need to consider getting in another regular mid week run to be honest. Can you run to footy?
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Yep im going to try a 6 mile slow one next thursday. I can fit another one in on weds but think it might be best to have a rest on that day.

platypus said:
It is for me, certainly. But thats the idea behind the intervals. Just because I said 3:30 doesn't mean you have to stick to it, try 3:00 :p.
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I'll try 4 goes at 3:30 first :D. How do you go about working out how far 800 metres is from when you stop walking though?
 
It's also important to vary your route, running the same 3 mile route over and over will lead to an inevitable plateau.
 
That forerunner 101 looks pretty nifty, i think i need to get myself some proper running shoes before splashing out on something like that though. I really need to get myself an ipod too, running is boring.
 
CliffyG said:
That forerunner 101 looks pretty nifty, i think i need to get myself some proper running shoes before splashing out on something like that though. I really need to get myself an ipod too, running is boring.
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Can you get the 101 anywhere? It's been obsolete for a while now (that's not to say that it doesn't do a good job). I've got a Forerunner 50 with a Footpod.

Get yourself to a specialist running shop for a shoe fitting. It's free and it will save you aches, pains and injuries in the future.

If you get yourself an iPod then you might be able to use a Nike+ Ipod. It has a footpod distance / speed monitor that fits into the shoe and feeds back to the ipod. Pretty cheap too.


As for wearing an iPod, just remember to check over your shoulders occasionally (nothing more annoying to cyclists than drifting runners and vice versa) and take more care when corssing roads.
 
Seen it on ebay, its pretty much last on my list of things to get anyway.

Yeah there is a good shop in Cambridge apparently, i think i should get the shoes first and worry about the rest later. I don't have much cash to burn at the moment.
 
CliffyG said:
I don't have much cash to burn at the moment.
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If you want a 1gb iPod Shuffle (the clip style one) I can probably sort you out with a free one; I've got two (freebies from companies) and the Mrs got me a Nano for my birthday.

Email in trust if you are interested.
 
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Not only do you want to be increasing distance you also want to be doing shorter faster runs aswell.

for a month do 2 slow longer runs every week with a 3rd shorter fast run. you're doing a 7 minute mile at the moment, try something slower, 10ish minute mile but run 6 miles, or just head out slower run for an hour and then next time increase speed or distance depending on how the run felt. then the other run inbetween run at 6-6.30minute mile pace for a as long as you can. doesn't matter if its a mile, just next week try a little further.
 
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