Is jogging 3 miles per hour helping?

I have noticed that I jog reallllllllyyyy slow compared to others. People are talking about 9 minute miles and it takes me 15-20 minutes to run a mile. I run 3 miles 3-4 days a week and it takes me almost exactly 60 minutes.

Should I start trying to run faster and end at 45 min.? Or should I be okay at the 3mph jog?

Should I add sprints? What do most people run/jog?

depends on what your goals are!  If you want to burn the same number of calories in 45 minutes run faster.  If you want to burn more calories in 60 minutes, run faster.  I started out running 14 minute miles, and I can do sub-10 minute miles pretty easy now.

Push yourself a little bit, but keep it fun!

Look up the Learn to Run program.  It will help you run.  I like to run and walk and I average about 5 mph (12 minute mile) doing this for 3 miles.  The combo creates a good Cardio workout and a high burn. 

Thanks for the replies. After reading them and some others earlier, I've decided to start implementing sprints and working on picking up my speed overall.

The only thing I am still debating is whether I will try to go for more than 3 miles since I heard that we should do an hour of cardio and I was trying to stay in that time period. If I run faster won't I finish earlier? Is three miles enough or should I do more?

Anyway, thanks again!

it doesn't matter how fast you run in terms of calories burned. it's more efficient to run faster because it takes less time to burn an equal number of calories. if you ran faster but still for 1 hours then you'd burn more calories, but if you ran the same 3 miles only faster then the calorie burn would be the same. so it would only really benefit you if time were an issue and/or you were going to run for the same amount of time only faster :) 

Right, but I guess what I'm saying is:

Is 3 miles done in a faster time enough?

or

is an hour of cardio more important?

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

neither one is better in terms of calories burned, they are equal. however, running faster will increase your overall aerobic fitness and provide additional cardiovascular benefits because of the increased intensity. so, i'd run the 3 miles faster!! :) hope that helps.

I think it does! Thanks.

I'm going to start going faster.

I recommend the Couch to 5K program.  I did this on my treadmill last year and I'm up to an 11-minute mile on the treadmill when I could only run for a minute or two when I first started.  I've got further to go, but I see progress which is good enough for now.  I recently restarted the program running outside.  I can tell you this.  The more you do the more you can do, and if you push yourself a little more each time, you'll find you improve a lot quicker than you think you can.

Well, I ended up trying to up my speed today. I ran the first mile in 11.5 minutes. But I went back to regular pace for the next two miles. I expended pretty much all of my energy and am thinking that I'll keep working on my endurance at a steady pace with occasional sprints.

I don't want to get overwhelmed and quit!

I'll look up that couch to 5k program. Thanks!