Running advice – new runner: speed or length?

Every winter for the last few years I’ve felt like I should be a runnerist, and each time I keep it up a bit longer before picking up a niggling injury and then getting out of the habit and stopping. This year, the urge hit me a bit earlier, and was fueled by reading Born To Run just before the local 10k race and Great North Run, which a few friends entered.

So, three weeks ago I started running every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. I’ve gradually increased the distance from 2.2km to 6km and seem to hit around a 5:16/km pace on each run regardless of length. (Strava link)

Yesterday, time was tight, so I did a short but fast (for me) run of 1.8km, where I managed a 4:33/km pace.

I want to up my pace, but I also want to increase my distance. So, do I repeat what I did over the last three weeks (running faster and gradually increasing distance up to 6km again)? Or, do I just keep increasing distance and hope that the speed follows?

TLDR version: Do I run at the pace I’d like to run and gradually increase distance, or run the distance I want to run and gradually increase speed? I’m inclining toward the first option, because it’s less time commitment.

I would start by slowly increasing speed and distance.

If training for a specific distance in a specific time, I’d do a mix of:

– much longer distances at a much slower than target pace
– much shorter distances at a much faster than target pace

Then I’d be running my target distance at an incrementally faster pace at regular intervals during the above training period. But, I’m not a coach or in any way qualified to coach so what I’d do is probably bad advice.

At entry level, and based on what you have said, I would…

Do 1 run a week of 6km at “your pace”, which at the moment is circa 5:16/km but will vary, just run at the pace that feels natural.

Do 1 run a week wheere you run much slower, say all the way down at 6:00/km but you run for say 8k one week, 9 the next, 10 the next.

Do 1 run a week at what I like to call “suicide pace”, maybe only 3 or 4 k, but so fast you make yourself feel sick.

This will work for a while, and then you can get into interval training and Heart rate monitors to really suck all the fun out of it

From experience, run longer runs at a much slower pace than you think you need to. Add in a couple of faster interval runs after a few weeks.

There is no substitute for long easy miles, and when I say easy I I mean somewhere between 65% and 72% of working heart rate, or rate of percieved efford 5/10

My advice would be to build up the milage until you are running at least 3X your goal race distance per week, for HM about 40 miles a week, once you can do that week in week out then think about some speed work, but the speed does come from the milage anyway.

I have found that drils to improve leg speed have helped me a lot recently, but I would probably only do one or two interval sessions a month and a couple of harder runs or races than describled above.

Run off road where ever possible too, the tarmac will shred your legs as a newcomer, 95% of my training is on the fell but I can bash out a 35 min 10k if required

As a few other folk have already said – mix it up.

Short and hard + long and easy, maybe throw in some hill repeats too.

I used to run 3 times a week roughly following this and ran my first marathon in 2:59 after 5 months of training along these lines.

Cheers, Rich

Thanks for the advice everyone.

There is no substitute for long easy miles, and when I say easy I I mean somewhere between 65% and 72% of working heart rate, or rate of percieved efford 5/10

I did wonder about an option three: stick at running ~5km, three times a week, at a comfortable pace for a month or so. Then, worry about speed and/or distance once running’s a proper habit and I’ve a bit more of a base to build upon.

IMO you want to work on your distance first; the pace will come naturally (to a certain extent) but once you are comfortable running for a fair distance then you can start to build in some speed work.

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey. Work out why you lost interest last time and avoid that? I’d try doing a k or so more on one of your runs a week. Then add a bit more after a couple of weeks. Say Sat if you’re less time pressed? Just run a bit further – not a load – and avoid looking at your watch till you get back 🙂

What are you training for and what are your weaknesses?

If 5ks, do lots of shorter, faster things.

If 10ks, a little bit of long slow, a lot of steady fastish and a bit of short fast.

If Half Mara (or more) lots more long slow, longish fastish and a little bit of short fast.

The principle that Jack Daniels works on is that the body reacts and adapts to stress and it takes a few weeks to see that adaptation. I’d largely go for this:

steve-g – Member
At entry level, and based on what you have said, I would…

Do 1 run a week of 6km at “your pace”, which at the moment is circa 5:16/km but will vary, just run at the pace that feels natural.

Do 1 run a week wheere you run much slower, say all the way down at 6:00/km but you run for say 8k one week, 9 the next, 10 the next.

Do 1 run a week at what I like to call “suicide pace”, maybe only 3 or 4 k, but so fast you make yourself feel sick.

… but up the duration of “your pace”, up the distance of your long steady run and up the speed of your fast run slightly every 4 weeks (though increasing each in differing weeks, if you see what I mean?)

A lot of it happens naturally as you get fitter, you get faster. I’d a create a few favourite runs of say, 2.5miles, 5 and 7.5 and time yourself on every run.

Experiment with pace and effort and you will soon get an understanding of what you are capable of and how to improve. If you’re competitive, you’ll always want to push your best times which will be enough to improve your fitness and speed.

Work out why you lost interest last time and avoid that?

Last December, I was trying to run 1km for every mince pie I ate. I ate too many mince pies to keep up 🙂

I don’t particularly have an aim, and I think that’s why I keep stopping. There’ll be a “bike thing” that I’m aiming for and I give up running to avoid injuring myself for that. (I then don’t train particularly well for the bike thing either, so actually keeping on running would have been better.)

A few colleagues are doing the Great North Run next year, so I might aim for running a half-marathon towards the end of next summer so that I’m doing something similar to others and that might keep me motivated.

What TallPaul says. Over distance a bit slower shorter distance faster. As someone above said once you introduce HR and intervals it can suck the fun out of it a bit but just introduce faster sections into your normal runs and that makes it fun.
Dont run too slow though as that is a waste of time. Save your energy for when you can run at a meaningful pace.

I’m hoping to keep it fun: when I did my longest run to date, I slalomed the trees along the grass verge I was running on 🙂 (Streetview)

Thanks again, everyone.

I think I’ll do a couple of weeks of three 5km runs at a natural, easy pace to consolidate what I’ve done so far and give my body time to catch up with what I’m making it do.

Then I’ll start making my Saturday run 0.5 to 1 km longer each week, at a slightly easier pace, while keeping my Monday and Wednesday runs at 4 or 5km and a slightly faster pace.

I’ll probably resurrect this thread in a couple of weeks for more advice 🙂

Mike, I’m an event-enterer, the sole reason that I’ve kept running after the GNR, is that I’ve got a ‘race’ in November to go at.

I’d also highly recommend joining a running club, I’ve joined the Sunderland Strollers, and it’s great having like minded individuals to get out with.

Don’t do what I did. Decided to start running, ran 5k, then suffered a bad back for a week. Not the best way to start.

I’m an anti social bugger, so won’t be entering events or joining a club 🙂

My first run of my last attempt to be a runner was a 5k, because some of my friends were doing the local park run each week and I knew I could run faster than they did 🙂

Have you considered gait analysis?

…and remember, the more expensive the trainers, the better they are. So buy expensive ones.

When I first started running I gradually increased distance. I was fortunate that the route I usually took had a lot of short sharp hills which I’d always blast up. I think that and just plain old consistency despite weather and anything else ended up bumping up my speed to a respectable level.

Have you considered gait analysis?
…and remember, the more expensive the trainers, the better they are. So buy expensive ones.

No, but I do use my phone as a sat nav.

No, but I do use my phone as a sat nav.

As should everyone. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a bit of a weirdo.

Today was 4 weeks since my first run. Managed three runs every week, so this was number 13. Recorded a 25:02 5km split 🙂

5:00/km pace over 5.3km, off-road with a bit of a hill. Quite liking this running thing.