4'11" - 5'2"....how fast do y'all run??

I'm just curious for those of you who are runners/joggers (or trying to be one like I am). How fast can your little legs take you?

I've been trying not to be competitive at the gym. Most of the folks who run on the treadmill are guys and are much taller than I am. They all seem to be going so fast!! When I glance over to see what speeds they are running, it's like 8.0mph or faster!! That's totally insane to me! When I first started running, I was doing anywhere from 5.0mph to 5.5mph - depending on whether I was running shorter times (20 minutes or less) or longer ones (20 to 30 minutes).

I've been at this for 9 months and am finally able to run around a 10 minute mile (6.0mph). I feel like I'm sprinting like a maniac, but then I see others going way faster......also, when I talk to other runners (female and male) - they are all doing like 7 minute miles or less. Dear God - how does anyone run that fast?!?!?

Are there any shorties out there that are able to run a 7 minute mile....for more than a mile????

im a 7.5 er...I take it up slowly, every 15 sec at on a bit of speed...till im flat out.

My wife is 5'2" and averages about 11 min miles for long runs.  10min per mile for 5k. 

I track her stats in races and she is middle of the pack, so don't feel like everyone is running 7 minutes miles.  Its just not true.

Best Wishes, Geo

wow. i start huffing and puffing at 4mph. not a good sign.

I just started (again) this whole exercise thing, and right now I am running between 5.0 and 5.3.  My brother, who's taller (but younger) than I am runs at about 7.5 and I think he's insane, lol.

5'1" here and I average 6.0 mph outdoors and a little faster on the treadmill, but not by much.  The thing that irritates me when I tell people I've started running-they say are you running or jogging?  The way I look at it is if you are moving period, it's good for you!

I speed walk, and i look odd doing it... But it's a stress on my little legs.. I can do a mile in 20 mins now.. When it use to take me 40 mins to walk a mile with out the speed walking.. My uncle he is 5'11 and he can walk 3 miles in under 60 mins.. I wish i could do that.. I am no runner or jogger.. But i do love to speed walk.. I love the way the twisting tones my gut.. It is a great work out, and it tones the legs really good...

I average about 7.5 minutes to the mile for a 5k, and a little more than that if it's a longer run. When I started running though, I was going about 10-11 minutes to the mile, it just takes practice!

Jeez, you guys are making me look pitiful!  I can run no faster than 5 mph, but at least I'm running.  I'm 5'5".  But I'm still on the heavy side, and my time has gotten better as I've lost, so I'm sure there's hope for more speed.  It also depends on whether I'm running by myself, pushing a double jogging stroller, or pulling a wagon with 2 toddlers in it!   7mph is INSANE!  I'll never run that fast!

happy running

Any "running" is good in  my book as long as you are moving.  Keep up the good work.  It is amazing to me the difference I saw in my body after "running".  I have been unable to run for the past 2 wks due to an ankle injury and am in a dark area until I am able to resume running.  Again good luck to all us SHORT Folks!

I'm only 5 feet tall, 41 years old, and back into running only since October. I've worked my way up from a measly 15:00 pace to these days usually running around a 12:00 (5 mph) pace. My most recent 5K was completed in 33 minutes, so competively I can run a 10 minute mile (6 mph).

My personal all-time best 5K time was around 24 minutes, so way back when, I could run an 8 minute mile (7.5 mph). Back then, I learned quickly that if I couldn't compete on speed, at least I could compete with myself on endurance. So I started getting into long distances - try it! Maybe you can't run all that fast, but can you run really long?

The good news is, improvements come easily for beginnners. You still have a lot of room for improvement over the next few years, if you keep at it.

As for us shorties, there are tons of world-class elite runners who aren't all that tall. Just look at the Kenyans who keep winning the marathon. So just because we have short legs, doesn't mean we can't be fast.

While leg length is obviously a factor, the bigger factor is one's Vo2 Max, i.e., their fitness level, their heart's ability to pump and deliver oxygen quickly throughout the body. Short people who are fast don't rely on leg length -they rely on a faster cadence, i.e., more rapid turnover of their feet. They take short but very quick strides.

If you are trying to improve your speed, don't try to just take bigger steps. Overstriding is a sure-fire way to wind up with a hip or knee injury. It's okay to overstride if you are a sprinter, but if you are running for 30 minutes or longer, overstriding will result in injury. Instead, practice taking quicker, short steps that have a lot of power in them.

And be patient. You will get faster over time, as your fitness improves.

Subwaybusker - 4 mph is fine - you have to start somewhere! I started around that too. Just keep at it and you will get faster.

Aonebeach, I definetly consider 6 mph "running" not jogging. I have this program I use to track exercise and calculate cals burned, and if it helps, it lists "jogging" as anything below 5 mph. So you *are* officially running. And that goes for you too twinmama!

Lyn, I started out speedwalking too (back in June 06), about the same pace you are doing. By October I'd built up enough fitness to ease back into running. So keep it up! It's a really great activity and I definetly agree it is a great work out that tones the legs! It also improves cholesterol, blood pressure, insulin levels, and depression. Amazing, isn't it?

Anishak, if there's not much difference between your 5K pace and your long run pace, the chances are very, very good that you have potential to run a faster 5K than you think you can. Usually there is as much as a 3-4 minute pace difference between your 5K and longer "easy" paces. For example, when I could run a 7.5 mph 5k, 10-11 minutes was my "easy" long run pace... so if you are running say an 8mph long run pace, your 5K potential is probably 9mph or even 10mph... you might try one of those "improve 5K time" running programs. And keep running long & easy, that's one of the best ways to lower 5K times.

I used to race at @ 4:50 per mile for 5k - 10k and it's not because I'm 6' tall and have long legs.  In fact, the really great middle to long distance runners in the world are quite short.   If you've ever raced a Kenyan you'll be amazed at how tiny they can be... both in height and build.  Speed over distance simply requires training.  I coach 8th graders who can run sub 6 minute pace for a 2.5 mile race.  However, that doesn't mean that you should start shooting for these goals.  Alberto Salazar wrote an awesome book on fitness that talks about the maximum pace and mileage that a non-competitive person should be doing just to stay fit and injury free.  The miles were like 4 a day max and the pace was relatively slow.  Either way, as long as you are burning the proper amount of calories for your height, weight, and fitness level, you're doing fine.
Also, jenmcc is right about your race vs. training pace.  It's just something that you learn.  Most of my long runs were at 6 - 6:30 pace unless it was more than 15 miles.  Anyway, even in high school when we were racing at like 5:30 pace, our distance runs would be at 8 minute pace.   There should always be a difference between racing and training if you're taking it seriously. Point being, if you want to run a fast 5k, you have to do more training than just distance runs.  If you're running just for fitness, I wouldn't worry too much about pace.  time spent running is far more important.

I never run at less that 6.o on the treadmil, i feel like its too slow to jog any slower than that. I alternate between walking at a 3.0-5.0 incline at 4.3mph, and running at about 7.5mph for 30 minutes.

I'm 5'1" and I run at 7.0. to 7.5  When I first started running, I felt like 5.5 was fast.  Now, several months later, going that slow would drive me crazy.  It just takes time and practice. --and slowly increasing your speed until you're comfortable going faster.

I am a 5'1" female, 32 years old, and have been running for 3 years.  I can run a 7.56 minute mile pace in a 5K.  In a recent 5 miler, I ran an 8.20 minute mile pace.  Recently, training for a marathon, I ran a 9.20 minute per mile pace for a distance of 17 miles!

So, I can get into the 7-8 minute/mile pace, but the distance needs to be low!

I just started "running" last month and as of this morning logged 93 miles- I started out in good shape but not where near a 10 min mile. I was maybe 11-12 or even 13 on long runs. Now I can run about 6 miles in an hour (speed between 5.5-6.5)... I should mention that I am 5'8" but ALL BODY! I have short little legs so I figure my speed isn't too bad. Plus I have big boobs and I don't care what people say- they slow ya down! ; )

I say- you may not be the fastest, but at least you are doing it!!! Keep up the great work!

Shmoopy79

I'm 5'1", 15, and I started running about a year ago. I can run about 4:45 for a kilometer for 6.5-7k (that's about four miles and a 7.5 minute mile). My shorter runs have something closer to a four minute kilometer (seven minute mile); my longer ones are five and over (eight minute mile; eight and a half being the slowest). I've yet to run a sub-seven mile, but I'll get there. Running fast when you're short is definitely doable! Some of the best runners I know - guys and girls - are even tinier than I am.

I'm trying to increase my mileage, but it's tough (especially since I'm going crazy with the cross-training due to a triathlon). Any tips from you guys who run 6+ miles a day? I want to be able to have a decent 10k by the winter; there's a few races that length that I've been eyeing for some time.

I am 5'2'' and when I was in high school my fastest mile was 6:04.  I had been on the track team for years and was in really good shape.  Now I stick to about 8 minute miles.

I'm 5'2"... and my speed depends how far I'm going to run that day. If I run a single mile and stop after that, I'll run it in 7:45-8:00. However, if I'm going to be doing a 4-5 mile run, then I slow my pace to about 9 min/mile.

Now that it's July and I'm re-reading this post, I must admit that I agree with the others who are able to run a faster time. It does just take practice and dedication.

I'm still not very fast, but a 10 min/mile doesn't feel like an all out sprint any more. I'm still averaging about 6.3 to 6.4 mph on shorter runs (oh and those are much longer than how I used to define a "short" run) and about 6.1 to 6.2mph on longer runs.

I'm hoping to be able to hold a 9:30 minute/mile pace for 5 miles. That's my next goal. For now, I'll just look back and congratulate myself for the improvements I've made since the original post...