any advice for increasing my pace?

[Eeyore]

As many of you know Steve and I are pretty new to running. He's naturally much faster than I am and I feel like I'm slowing him down. So I'd like to work on increasing my pace but I'm having a really difficult time. I'm at the point where I really enjoy running a 12+ mile slow run at about an 11-12:30 min. mile pace but dread a 3 mile run at a 10 min. or under pace. Anything from about the 10 min. mark and under is like pure torture and I can't sustain it for more than a half mile or mile on a good day. I have a horrible time breathing and my body feels like it wants to shut down. We've been trying to push ourselves on our short runs and then slowing the pace for the long runs. Am I best to just keep pushing myself on the short runs until I improve? Am I just not built for speed? :lol: Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Texas84]

I sound like a broken record, but check out Jeff Galloway's web site, jeffgalloway.com. He has some good drills for increasing speed. Funny, I run 10-11 miles faster than my 3 miles. Seems like it takes me 3 miles to warm up.

 

[joel_maxwell]

You can try some speed work. Run a distance (200 meters per say) almost like a sprint and then walk or jog back 200 meters. You can repeat that and increase your repeats every week by 2 or 3 reps.

You can do some tempo work too. You can google some tempo workouts as well. Both will make you faster. I try and combo those into those weekly runs. Over my 3 mile run, Ill jog the flats and sprint up the hills. There is enough of both that it is a real workout.

Getting creative like that helps the boring repeats of sprints and you can cover your normal distance.

 

[JillC LI]

I agree that over time speedwork will make you faster than simply trying to run the entirety of all your shorter runs at a pace that is uncomfortable for you. Maybe you and Steve can do one of your shorter runs separately each week so that you can do speed drills without feeling like you're slowing him down.

I give you credit though. I've always been a solo runner because (in part) I didn't want to feel like I was slowing anyone down (with the exception of my 11 year old son who is faster than me at any distance under 3 miles and then my stamina level wins out!). However, I did have company while training for the marathon because my father hopped on his bike and rode every single long run with me to keep me company (and carry my gatorade bottles!). Those father-daughter times together are such wonderfull memories for me. So I think it's great that you are training with Steve.

 

[joel_maxwell]

I agree that over time speedwork will make you faster than simply trying to run the entirety of all your shorter runs at a pace that is uncomfortable for you. Maybe you and Steve can do one of your shorter runs separately each week so that you can do speed drills without feeling like you're slowing him down.

I give you credit though. I've always been a solo runner because (in part) I didn't want to feel like I was slowing anyone down (with the exception of my 11 year old son who is faster than me at any distance under 3 miles and then my stamina level wins out!). However, I did have company while training for the marathon because my father hopped on his bike and rode every single long run with me to keep me company (and carry my gatorade bottles!). Those father-daughter times together are such wonderfull memories for me. So I think it's great that you are training with Steve.

WOW. That must have been really neat and special. I wish my dad would do that. He could... but I dont think he would make it past the 30 degree weather and having to leave the cozy environment of his couch.

Besides, he would probably get bored after about mile 3 and start saying, "Hey buddy, how much longer do we have to go?" over and over and over like a kid in the back seat on the way to DisneyWorld.

 

[JillC LI]

WOW. That must have been really neat and special. I wish my dad would do that. He could... but I dont think he would make it past the 30 degree weather and having to leave the cozy environment of his couch.

Besides, he would probably get bored after about mile 3 and start saying, "Hey buddy, how much longer do we have to go?" over and over and over like a kid in the back seat on the way to DisneyWorld.

LOL. I trained in the summer and fall months. We'd head out around sunrise to beat the heat in the warm weather, and it never got particularly cold. My dad was as into the training as I was. He'd chat when I wanted to chat; he'd hold up the entire conversation by himself when I needed to be distracted; and he'd shut up completely in those times when I just needed silence. His only disappointment - and it was a big one - was that he could not ride next to me in the actual marathon.

I had my mother, father, husband, and sister each write me a tiny note of encouragement which I folded up and placed in a baggie in my pocket before the race. During each of the final miles when I was truly in agony, I opened up one of those notes and smiled for a moment. The note that truly carried me through the end of the race was from my dad. It said "I'm right there beside you on my bike." I teared up and finished the race with him in my heart. Regardless of all the support I got from everyone I knew, when I think of the marathon, I think of my dad.

 

[joel_maxwell]

LOL. I trained in the summer and fall months. We'd head out around sunrise to beat the heat in the warm weather, and it never got particularly cold. My dad was as into the training as I was. He'd chat when I wanted to chat; he'd hold up the entire conversation by himself when I needed to be distracted; and he'd shut up completely in those times when I just needed silence. His only disappointment - and it was a big one - was that he could not ride next to me in the actual marathon.

I had my mother, father, husband, and sister each write me a tiny note of encouragement which I folded up and placed in a baggie in my pocket before the race. During each of the final miles when I was truly in agony, I opened up one of those notes and smiled for a moment. The note that truly carried me through the end of the race was from my dad. It said "I'm right there beside you on my bike." I teared up and finished the race with him in my heart. Regardless of all the support I got from everyone I knew, when I think of the marathon, I think of my dad.

THAT is really neat and I can imagine the overwhelming emotions. I got chills when I read it.

Maybe one day I can do that with my daughter. I would just love too. You know, the local Mercedes that Im doing the Full in has a kids marathon every year. You run through out the months of December and January and then I think you finish up your 26.2 with a 5K on the Saturday before the Half/Full. I hope my daughter (2.5 now) wants to do that in a few years.

 

[JillC LI]

THAT is really neat and I can imagine the overwhelming emotions. I got chills when I read it.

Maybe one day I can do that with my daughter. I would just love too. You know, the local Mercedes that Im doing the Full in has a kids marathon every year. You run through out the months of December and January and then I think you finish up your 26.2 with a 5K on the Saturday before the Half/Full. I hope my daughter (2.5 now) wants to do that in a few years.

That sounds like a really cool thing to do with your daughter. My son is 11 and will be old enough to participate in Track at school for the first time next year. He's superfast, and I think he'll really excel at it. I can't keep up with him in a sprint, and he can even outrun me at any distance up to about 3 miles, but then he loses stamina and I can keep going far longer. I'd love to run a marathon with him someday when he's older.

My daughter is 9 and more like me physically. She got so upset 2 years ago when she had to run "The Mile" at school and couldn't make it into the "Mile Club" whose names were posted on the gym wall. So I practiced with her and taught her techniques for overcoming tiredness, and I went to cheer her on the day she tried for the Mile Club. By the end of that mile she looked like I must have at the end of the marathon, but I hollered and yelled like crazy for her, and she slogged on, and she made the Mile Club! She was never so proud of herself, and I knew just how she felt, and I was so glad to be able to give my daughter that pride and confidence in herself. Parenthood is amazing.

 

[Phonedave]

THAT is really neat and I can imagine the overwhelming emotions. I got chills when I read it.

Maybe one day I can do that with my daughter. I would just love too. You know, the local Mercedes that Im doing the Full in has a kids marathon every year. You run through out the months of December and January and then I think you finish up your 26.2 with a 5K on the Saturday before the Half/Full. I hope my daughter (2.5 now) wants to do that in a few years.

That was a great story

About your daughter - look into Girls on the Run.

There are a LOT of chapers in the Atlanta area.

My 9 y/o is into running. She will be in one of the Atlanta area chapters this spring (she lives in Atlanta with my ex). I'll be flying down to either run or cheer her first 5K (depends if they let me run or not, and if she wants me to or not). She is already talking about running the local July 4th 5K here in town with me.

-dave

 

[joel_maxwell]

That was a great story

About your daughter - look into Girls on the Run.

There are a LOT of chapers in the Atlanta area.

My 9 y/o is into running. She will be in one of the Atlanta area chapters this spring (she lives in Atlanta with my ex). I'll be flying down to either run or cheer her first 5K (depends if they let me run or not, and if she wants me to or not). She is already talking about running the local July 4th 5K here in town with me.

-dave

I looked a few months ago when you mentioned it and there isnt one in Birmingham. Maybe there will be one by the time she can exercise like that. Still 2.5... and likes to run down the hall, but a mile might be too much.

 

[JillC LI]

That was a great story

About your daughter - look into Girls on the Run.

There are a LOT of chapers in the Atlanta area.

My 9 y/o is into running. She will be in one of the Atlanta area chapters this spring (she lives in Atlanta with my ex). I'll be flying down to either run or cheer her first 5K (depends if they let me run or not, and if she wants me to or not). She is already talking about running the local July 4th 5K here in town with me.

-dave

I, too, have been unable to find a chapter close to us for my daughter, but I'll check again now that you mention it because it's been awhile since I looked. I ran a Fall 5K with my son recently, and he was kind enough to slow down a tad so that we could cross the Finish Line together! It was actually the first race we ran together and it was very special to me. But he has since said, "Next year, Mommy, can I run it as fast as I can and not wait for you?" The stinker! Maybe I'll secretly train really hard and show him who has to wait for who!" :lol:



I ran the

 

[lukacseven]

You can try some speed work. Run a distance (200 meters per say) almost like a sprint and then walk or jog back 200 meters. You can repeat that and increase your repeats every week by 2 or 3 reps.

You can do some tempo work too. You can google some tempo workouts as well. Both will make you faster. I try and combo those into those weekly runs. Over my 3 mile run, Ill jog the flats and sprint up the hills. There is enough of both that it is a real workout.

Getting creative like that helps the boring repeats of sprints and you can cover your normal distance.

Check out "Runnervals." It's a DVD series geared for triathletes, but it has some really good treadmill workouts. I converted them to mp3s and use them once a week at the gym. It's similar to a conventional track interval workout, and adds some incline work.