Jog 2 miles?

[mike314]

Quick one
Yesterday I jumped on the treadmill to see how I stack up and I jogged 2.01 miles in 21 minutes. My question is that good????

I am a healthy 24 year old male, and I mainly stick to weights when at the gym. Whenever I do cardio, I mainly shoot for 10 minutes on the treadmill as a warmup then go on to bike etc...

What SHOULD be my time for lets say a 2 mile run and what should be my time for a 2 mile jog??

thanks!

[maverick]

faster. And as soon as you get it faster and post your new time, my answer will still be faster. Keep pushing.

In my opinion, a 10 minute mile pace is good for an average 24 year old "Joe Blow" non-runner who is warming up for some other more demanding activity. If it is warming up that you are doing, I personally do not believe it is necessary to go more than 1 mile.

Personally, I believe that most fit 24 year old non-runners should be able to run a mile in 8 minutes. If you can run a mile in 6 minutes or less then you are doing very good in my opinion.

Run don't jog. Jogging is high impact and offers a cardiovascular demand equivalent to sitting in a rocking chair knitting. Better to walk very fast engaging your entire body with wide range arm swing motions than "jog".

To score 100 points on the running part of the U.S. Marine Physical Fitness Test, you need to run 3 miles in 18:00. Now that is excellent in my opinion.

[mike314]

Yeah I would love to get to military standards since they are like a good benchmark.

So 3 miles in 18 minutes??

yeah I was jogging the whole time, next time I will run/jogg. Running most of the time then jog to catch my breath. BTW is that ok, running for most of the way then jogging to catch your breath or is that a sign that your out of shape/not a good runner???

Running then jogging to catch your breath is an example of interval training where you run a fixed distance or fixed time at a pace that you cannot sustain, then walk/jog to recover before repeating it. This is a way to learn how to run faster and may not mean that you are out of shape but merely that you are engaging in a high intensity running workout. I train this way at least twice a week.

To run fast you have to train fast.

[Weston]

Originally Posted by mike314

Yesterday I jumped on the treadmill to see how I stack up and I jogged 2.01 miles in 21 minutes. My question is that good????

Compared to what? You need a standard.

To graduate basic training in the US Army, you would need to score 50 points on the 2-mile run for your age group (22-26). You would have scored only 11 points according to this table http://www.army.com/enlist/2-mile-run.html

For the US Marine Corps, you would need to complete 3 miles in under 28 minutes for your age group (17-26). You would have failed according to this table http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/l/blfitmale.htm

If I could do only one exercise for the rest of my life, it would be running. Especially HIT running (tabatas, sprints, intervals). Sprinters have muscular bodies. If you run fast and intense enough, you can build muscle ALL over your body.

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by Weston

Compared to what? You need a standard.

To graduate basic training in the US Army, you would need to score 50 points on the 2-mile run for your age group (22-26). You would have scored only 11 points according to this table http://www.army.com/enlist/2-mile-run.html

True story. However, once you're out of training and at your first duty station, you then have to score 60 points, not 50, to pass.

I'm 42 and my standards just changed (from age 41 to 42). I took a PT test in July with age 41 standards and ran the two miles in 13:34, which gave me 100 points. I had to take another one for a school last Friday and although I had not prepared for this one, I ran the two miles in 14:06, which by age 42 standards, gave me 100 points again.

So Weston is correct. When you ask if your time was good, it depends on your standard. What is it you're trying to accomplish? Sure, your time was good if all you were doing was warming up. Your time was terrible if you were trying to win a 5K race.

So it all depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

[mike314]

ok great input guys

I'm trying to aim for the standard of being able to run 1 mile in 6:50 flat everytime (or atleast in that range)

Likewise, I'm trying to aim for a 2 mile run in around the 13:50-15:00 range, but really trying for 14:20

Heres an update just this weekend I ran 1 mile in 7:58 and 2 miles in 17:33. Basically I timed myself at the 1 mile mark and then the 2 mile mark. My question to you guys is when I run, what strategy should I aim for. For example should I just gun it on the start meaning something like 9.0 miles an hour for as long as I can, and then slowly dip it down to 8.5, 8.0, 7.5, 7.0. 6.5 til I finish the 1 mile?

or should I interval run like 8.5 mph for a minute, then 6.5mph, then back up to 8.5mph etc..

I tried both and I like the 1st approach cause I usually have more energy initially then later in the run I'm getting out of breath

I'm trying to run 4 miles a week,(2 miles sat, 2 miles sun) but I might start a 1.5 mile run sometime during the mid week.

comments?

First of all, the way to train for 1 and 2 mile distances for best results is a bit different than how you run those distances when doing a timed trial, in my opinion.

To train for improvement in those distances, I recommend interval training. I recommend 200 meters at a pace around 30-60 seconds faster than your targeted mile pace, then walk/jog for a 200 meter recovery x 8 rounds. For 2 mile training, I recommend the same, except do 400 meters at 30-60 seconds faster than your targeted 2 mile pace, then walk/jog for 400 meters x 8 rounds. Do this no more than twice a week. No more than every 2 weeks, test yourself at these distances to see your improvement. One week do a timed trial for the 1 mile and the following week do a timed trial for the 2 mile, then not again for another 2 weeks. You'll want to test yourself more often, but be patient and put your energy into the interval workouts.

Now with regard to testing yourself, I believe that your best running performance will come from having negative splits. That basically means that you run the second half of the distance faster than the first half. You may be different, but most people I know do their best with negative splits. Regardless of your race strategy, make sure you have thoroughly warmed up and your heart rate has been elevated to be close to the lower range of where it will be for the test distance.

And don't forget to stretch after you are done with your running training.

You are doing good and you can expect more improvement with smart training.

[sooner_ed]

Not one person has asked you your purpose for running.

What is it you want to accomplish with your running?

Do you consider yourself a body-builder who runs?

Do you consider yourself a runner who lifts weights?

Tell us what your goals are first and we can give you better advice. The advice given so far is good, but it's good for certain goals. And if those goals differ from yours, then you're defeating your purpose.

So what exactly are you wanting to accomplish with your running?

[mike314]

sooner_ed, I consider my self a body-builder who runs. I mainly weightlift but I'm 5'10 150lbs, 10% body fat, so I have the body of a triathalon type.

My goal is basically to try and get my running down to 6:50. I want it down to around 6 minutes to be more agile and mobile and build speed to my muscle.

[CF-OC_gal]

How can one tell if they are running or jogging?

Good question Brat.

I've never read a standard answer so I will give you my answer, as I see it.

Running is characterized by a longer stride, a faster turnover, and a more apparent forward motion and, hence a faster pace. It is slower than sprinting in intensity and speed.

Contrast that with walking which we all know and recognize what that is.

Jogging is everything else that isn't running, sprinting or walking.

So from speed and intensity we have #1 = sprinting - #2 = running - #3 = jogging and #4 = walking. I guess some would add #5 = crawling.

Maybe someone else will chime in and give you their two cents but that's mine.

[CF-OC_gal]

I thought jogging was what people called running during the beginning of the fitness craze. By the time that marathons were popularized the term jogging was relegated to the ranks of those who were "running without a purpose other than putting in time or just socializing and running."

I have no idea other than the two are used interchangably it seems in beginner programs.

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by mike314

sooner_ed, I consider my self a body-builder who runs. I mainly weightlift but I'm 5'10 150lbs, 10% body fat, so I have the body of a triathalon type.

My goal is basically to try and get my running down to 6:50. I want it down to around 6 minutes to be more agile and mobile and build speed to my muscle.

Now your questions can be answered relative to your goals.

You say you want your running down to 6:50, but for what distance? Then you say you want it down to around six minutes. Again, what distance?

I can run 1/4 mile at a 6:00 pace, but of course it's much harder to keep that pace for five miles.

Now that we know the pace you want to keep, what distance do you want to keep it for?