How have your times changed since you started running? - General running

Neems22

05/09/2006 at 15:46

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of inspiration!

I recently ran 5k in 28.26 and although this is a personal best for me I would love to get a sub 25min 5k.

Just wondered how people's times have altered since they started running, e.g. when you first started running a 5k, 10k etc. what was your time then and what can you run it in now? And what timescale was that over?

My improvement seems to be relatively slow and need to know it's possible if I keep working hard I can get that time down!

Be interested to hear some stats!

dynamokev

05/09/2006 at 16:29

I've improved a fair bit since starting. For some daft reason I started off with a half marathon in April 2004 in 1:35. Did the same course 2 years later in 1:23. First marathon two years ago in 3:37, followed 6 months later with 3:19. Hoping to go quicker again in Berlin next month but a few injury niggles may have put pay to that idea.

Plodding Hippo

05/09/2006 at 16:30

ive got slower

Geryi

05/09/2006 at 16:39

I started running april last year. first 10k time was 47 mins, now down to 35.

stuart72

05/09/2006 at 16:43

Went from a 54 min 10k to 40:38 in 16 months on basically the same training except gave up smoking four months in. I've reached a plateau so need to up the mileage to go to the next stage (if I'm capable that is).

So from that you could take that you naturally speed up for a certain period of time on the same mileage as you get fitter. It will become apparent when you plateau and you need to up the mileage or speedwork etc....

Hope that helps

Grendel

05/09/2006 at 16:49

started running with a 1:56 Half got that down to 1:15 would probably take a couple of weeks now

Neems22

05/09/2006 at 17:05

Ok so the majority of you have taken quite big chunks off your time then? It's taken me a year to get my time down from 32mins for 5k to 28.26 - not great really!

Maybe I've got to train harder then? Or could it possibly just be that I don't have a particularly fast 5k time in me!?
Don't really want to accept that I'm not and never will be a fast(ish) runner.

Maybe I'm just being impatient, everyone's bodies work differently I guess.

Northern Gear

05/09/2006 at 17:06

Dynamo Kev, Geryi, Grendel - f*ck me!!!

That is seriously impressive, how did you do it!

I want some of that!!!!

I accept that some of that will be down to training - is the rest down to knowing how hard to push yourself in a race?

Northern Gear

05/09/2006 at 17:09

Neems22 - you've made over a 10% improvement in a year, that IS good!!!

If you applied that to a 10k that would be about 7 mins.

Neems22

05/09/2006 at 17:11

Thanks MVB, I guess I should be pleased really but I can't help wanting to take more off! At least it keeps me with something to work at.

But like you said, those times above are really impressive and such huge differences. Why can't I be like that?!

sprinting toffee

05/09/2006 at 17:13

my 10k pb has gone from 52 to 36 mins this year...

Neems22

05/09/2006 at 17:14

And hippo, you are seriously impressive with the marathons that you do - I couldn't do that.

Plodding Hippo

05/09/2006 at 17:15

you could if you wanted to
it is true that people improve at different rates though

comparsions can lead to unrealistic expectation

Neems22

05/09/2006 at 17:16

What sort of mileage are you guys on a week? I guess you get out what you put in as they say.

Welsh Poppy

05/09/2006 at 18:57

Sprinting Toffee who long did it take you to reach a 36 min 10k?

first 10k 63 mins 3 years ago
Sunday 48.34

Geryi

05/09/2006 at 19:31

MVB. I do about 30 miles a week and some speedwork but thats my weekness. Going to build up to 50 over the next few months and do some regular speedwork with the aim of going sub 35 next year.

Neems22. Well done on your times, your improvement is very good! Out of interest have you tried any speed work yet and are you a member of a club? Both these helped me heaps.

claire14

05/09/2006 at 19:36

My first 5k in Summer 2004 took 26.10, my 5k this year took 18.33. I am limited to train as I have a baby and a toddler to care for. Also I stopped running for about 5 months from october 2005 till March 2006. I am going to try and get out to train more now but I am abit stuck for time as husband works full-time and trains as well

YP1

05/09/2006 at 19:59

I ran my first 10k last September in 68 minutes, and got that down to 47 minutes in April (the last 10k I've raced). Since then I've focussed on increasing distance rather than getting faster, so if anything I suspect I'd run it rather slower now!

AaronP

05/09/2006 at 22:40

Hey YP1 thats impressive. What did you do - intervals or tempo runs. I have just started ( 10 weeks) and increased distance from 6 miles to 20 miles, but with a really slooooow pace. After a couple of weeks backoff I want to speed up. Sugestions?

sprinting toffee

05/09/2006 at 23:42

welsh poppy - Ive entered the odd run for the past couple of years but never really trained for them, joined a club in april so only really been training properly since then...its going well at the moment im enjoying it! youve done really well yourself considering your first one was 63, keep up the good work...