how fast can/should I run?

I've recently taken up running. Right now I'm going at 5 MPH for 25 minutes, just working on endurance (I couldn't run more than 2 minutes at a time a few months ago!). I am 5 feet tall and have short, stubby legs, so I wonder how fast I should run. I'm running pretty fast at 6 MPH. Should I go faster, if I can? I don't want to kill myself on a treadmill because my legs are too short. :(

I'd say you should gauge how fast to run by measuring your heart rate, rather than worrying too much about the speed.  But then, I run for fitness and weight loss, not for a sport or to compete...

Remember..its not about speed...You can run super fast but most likely you will only last a few minutes. Its about being consistant. Work your way up to a speed you are comfertable with and stick to it. When you fee like you are ready to move up to a faster speed then go ahead but remember stay consistant and dont worry about speeding up.

I started out walking at 4.0mph..seriously..i thought that was "fast" lol.....

a month later i was jogging at 5.0 mph...

Today im at 6.5 mph and finish a mile and a half in 15 mins :)

As a beginner the BEST and only way to build up endurance is long slow running.  Those 25 minute sessions at 5MPH are great, but if you run a little slower for longer you will do way more to build up your endurance than running faster plus you run less risk of injury.  Try to do at least one run per week that is slower than 5MPH, but longer than 25 minutes, and then build up your long run duration from there as you can. 

Fast paced training is not for endurance but to train the "fast twitch" fibers in the muscles for improved speed.

depending on your age go up to about 190 ish BPM  till you get in shape, then shoot for 10-12mph and you should be fairly average.

um...not to be argumentative, because I'm not trying to start any kind of debate.  But I really think 10-12 mph is very very fast.  Don't shoot for that!  I'm 5'2, and I've been running fairly steadily for a year and a half now...I usually run (and it is jogging, not sprinting!) within the range of 6.0-6.5 mph for 40 minutes.  This is partly because my knees can't handle running any longer than that.  I usually switch to the elliptical at that point. 

Do not shoot for 10-12mph...... ><

Whoever said that that is "fairly average" is wrong.

They must have meant pace - a pace of 10-12 MINUTES PER MILE is perfectly normal, 10-25 mph is darn fast (and impossible for a beginner)

haha wow 10-12mph is really fast.. i started running 2 miles everyday at about a 8minute mile pace.. when i started college i used treadmills more and i started at about a 10minute mile for 30minutes, then i went up to 45minutes and 10min mile, then i tried 60minute runs at about 10 and half minute mile. and now i usually run about 6 times a week for 70minutes at about a 8minute mile pace.. i guess the point is you work your way up and stop when you feel its hard enough where your challenged, but not gonna die..

10 mph is a 6 min mile... that is average.... very average.

Original Post by giggle_puppy:

10 mph is a 6 min mile... that is average.... very average.

 

It's very average if you are a competitive miler, if you are not a serious athlete, or are not focusing on 1 mile or shorter races it's not a very realistic goal.

I ran a 10 mile race a couple of weeks ago, of the 154 finishers 3 ran under 6 min/mile pace.  In the 5k run the same day 4 of the 243 finishers ran under 6 min/mile paces. 

Run at a pace that allows you to converse in short sentences.  If you cannot talk and have to gasp for breath, you're running too fast. For some people this might be an 8 minute pace, for others it might be a 14 minute pace.  As your endurance builds, you will be able to push yourself and you'll get faster.

are you a competitive runner?  that's impressive.  did you work up to that pace?  if so,  from what and how long did it take you?  

Sounds like you are doing awesome!!  I have been a runner for over 7 years and have run many races including 2 marathons.  Over the years I have learned to listen to my body first and foremost.   IF you feel good, pick it up a little, if you're struggling, maintain.   I wanted to give you a tip about improving your speed, over time your current pace will begin to feel easier, a good way to transition to higher speeds is through interval training.   That is, jog for 5 minutes at your regular pace, then bump up your speed (5.2 - 5.5 or higher depending on how you feel) and hold that pace for 1-2 minutes.   Repeat that cycle throughout the workout.   You'll be surprised how quickly you will be able to maintain the higher speeds for longer.   It's a great way to keep your workout exciting and challenge your body.  Only do this workout 1-2 times a week, not every time.  Good luck, keep it up!

If you are asking me i used a tabatha type set up, at least when i was at my fastest, but i dont think much anyone really likes to push themself to that point, as it isnt fun in any sense at all.     

I run 6 miles in 25 min is that good ?  

Really? 

yea i don't kno because i never run against anyone in a competition ,so i need some type of prospective on how am doing.

There's a school of thought that posits that as far as cardio exercises go, intensity is the most important thing. What I do for running is run as fast as I can (12-15 mph), up the steepest hill I can find, then jog back down, then run back up until I feel like I'm about to throw up (this only takes maximum 15 minutes).

Using this training plan I can run a 5k in under 19 minutes, while rarely doing an actual 5k. My 10k time is 39. I run the 2.4k in 7:30. In my experience this seems to be top 3% of anyone but crossfit and p90x athletes.

My point isn't to brag, it's to point out that doing long distance, slow running is a waste of time unless you're aiming to train for long distance runs. If you want to improve cardio fitness or burn calories, or become generally fit for a variety of cardio activities, intensity is the most important thing.

So how fast should you run? As fast as you can, in my opinion.

johnmanface:

this is the reason I have started doing HIIT along with my usual distance running. 2x 5k @ 26 minutes each for regular running training (trying to get faster) and 30 minutes of HIIT (running fast 12mph for 30 secs at a time) for fat burning cardio. Gotta get that intensity workout in there to do some real calorie burning.

Original Post by hey242:

I run 6 miles in 25 min is that good ?  

I think that would be close to a world record...?