# Trying to increase speed when treadmilling / running



## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

I treadmill about 5 times a week for 30 minutes treadmilling time.

For every 5 minutes, my slow speed is about 7 to 7.5 k for 4 minutes and 1 minute is 8.5 to 9k.

The few times that I have tried to increase speed, I have npoticed that I need to take breaks more often (always less than a minute).

Are there some habits that I could try that can push my speed ahead?


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## Ynot (Aug 26, 2014)

NextTimeAround said:


> I treadmill about 5 times a week for 30 minutes treadmilling time.
> 
> For every 5 minutes, my slow speed is about 7 to 7.5 k for 4 minutes and 1 minute is 8.5 to 9k.
> 
> ...


What do you mean by "taking breaks"? Stopping altogether or just slowing down? 
I started running by walking my route for several weeks on a daily basis. From there I alternated runs with walks, slowly extending the runs until I could run the whole thing. I know I had to tell myself NOT to quit a lot early on when I started running the whole route.


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## norajane (Feb 7, 2012)

I do "high intensity interval training." The idea is to warm up, and then do cycles where I go faster/higher resistance for a short time, and then slow down to catch my breath, then do another cycle of high intensity, then slow down, etc. throughout the workout.

So, on a treadmill, that could be 30 seconds of super fast running (as fast as you can), followed by a couple of minutes to catch your breath, rinse and repeat for your 30 minutes of treadmill time.

If you look up HIIT, you'll see it has a lot of advocates for it being a more effective workout in terms of losing weight and being more efficient (work out less for better results).


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

NTA, I was trying to figure out a way to burn calories more effectively due to my kiddo needing more of my time and I tried to take up jogging. I was having some of the same trouble as you. 

I tend to research stuff to death and this was no different. I learned that until you are a regular runner doing 3+ miles easily in 30 minutes, you shouldn't run every day. Your body needs a day of rest where you just walk that time, etc. but where you are stressing the muscles. To grow they have to repair and running every day means they never really get a good chance to repair, therefore aren't growing. You can't gain stamina without a day of rest.

So I wasn't making progress much on my own and decided to try the free app C25K. It was really good at gradually increasing my stamina. You shouldn't adjust your speed until you can do the whole time at the same speed. If you have to slow down that one minute you are going too fast the other 5. Slow it all down. If you can do all 30 minutes at the same speed, THEN you can push the speed up a notch. 

So you know you CAN do 8.5 but not for more than a minute. You know you can do 7.5 for a while. Do all 30 at 7.5. Skip a day and do a brisk walk. Then bump it to 7.6, 7.7, etc. If you are struggling, keep it there for a week before bumping it up. This is the way the C25K works regarding distance. Now my speed is naturally increasing. I can only do 6mph for a half mile before I have to slow it down. 

I find running outdoors much easier because the scenery helps distract me from discomfort.


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## simplysarah (Nov 5, 2015)

You should try to adjust the angle of the treadmill so you are running uphill. That will increase the difficulty and help to create greater leg strength and endurance.


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## MountainRunner (Dec 30, 2014)

simplysarah said:


> You should try to adjust the angle of the treadmill so you are running uphill. That will increase the difficulty and help to create greater leg strength and endurance.


I do the same. Sometimes when I'm particularly into "pain" I'll throw 30-40 lbs into my weight vest and crank up the incline to an 8% grade...WOOF!


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## As'laDain (Nov 27, 2011)

the one simplest method i know of to increase your over all VO2 max (how much oxygen your body can use, translates into how fast you can run before getting out of breath) is to simply sprint at about 90% of your max speed for as long as you possibly can, and then cool down until your at just above resting heart rate, and do it one more time. three times a week.

so, two sprints, three times a week, and the distance doesn't matter. 

you probably wont notice your overall speed increasing much at first. thats not because its not working, its because people dont naturally run at a faster pace just because they are in better shape. they have to train for it and get used to running at a faster pace. what you should see is that the time it takes you to catch your breath and your heart rate to go down will shorten quite a bit in the first month or two. thats how you know its working... you will notice yourself recovering faster. 

translating that into an over all faster over all pace requires you do pretty much what enjoliwoman mentioned above. but one caveat to what i suggested... if you are still starting out, its best not to do the sprints until you have been running for a while. sprinting when you are not conditioned is a good way to injure yourself. but, i assume your past that point and are now looking for ways to improve your ability to hold a faster pace. a higher VO2 max is what you need for that.

the biggest reason i suggest the sprinting as a good way to quickly increase your VO2 max is because it requires very little time. cuz lets be honest... it hurts to push yourself so hard. well, two sprints, carried out as far as you can go, is enough to spur just about anyones body to improve, regardless of what shape your in. plus, its pretty easy to measure the improvements. just keep track of how long it takes you to "catch your breath" and go back to a resting heart rate. 

now, if your hips, shins, knees, or back start hurting, you may need to work on your stride. or get new shoes. 

another thing that might help is things like the zombies run app, or audio books, music etc. basically, things that take your mind off of the monotony and discomfort of running. 
i personally like the zombies run app. its entertaining and you can load your music into it, which the app incorporates into its story by playing them as songs broadcasted from the local "radio station". 

https://zombiesrungame.com/


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## As'laDain (Nov 27, 2011)

MountainRunner said:


> I do the same. Sometimes when I'm particularly into "pain" I'll throw 30-40 lbs into my weight vest and crank up the incline to an 8% grade...WOOF!


i guess im not the only masochist...

>


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## antechomai (Oct 4, 2013)

I was a runner at age 40 but now I'm 57. In my experience, to run fast, you have to be light. I never saw a decrease in speed all the way down to what I called me "fighting weight" of 150lb. 
I charted weight and times and never saw a decline.
My first mile in a five mile race was 6:30, and I knew I had to slow down because I didn't want to die and have to stay at 7:00.
So, my theory is:
1. Thin down
2. Get competition, whether in a race, or a stopwatch.

Stronger men will crush you when it's flat and cool. You make it up on those days when it is hot and all uphill.

ME


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