What Running Speed is Best For You?

Run fast? Run slow.

When someone tells you that running is either an aerobic or an anaerobic exercise, you might respond with a question – “running how quickly?” Many people who haven’t had a lot of running experience simply imagine the activity as being one of full-on sprints, working through pain in order to burn as many calories as possible. But what if you run slower? What if you run in intervals? What if you include plenty of walking?

Running doesn’t occur at just one speed unless you’re in the gym and set the treadmill to the same speed for an hour, which isn’t always the most effective workout when you’ve already done it a million times. In order to determine your personal ideal running speed, you’ve got a lot of variables to consider. Let’s take a look at them individually.

What are you training for?

Are you trying to lose ten pounds before summer, or are you training for an intense running competition? Either way, you’ll want to work progressively and gradually improve the speed at which you run, but you’ll also want to approach these scenarios differently. If you’re training for weight loss, you’ll want to simply concentrate on developing good habits and burning plenty of calories. If you’re building up for a race, then you’re going to want to concentrate on the actual results of your runs.

What kind of shape are you in?

If you’re in bad shape and decided to take up running for the first time today, then you won’t want to run as fast as you can. In fact, simply jogging will probably enough to get you winded in a short amount of time. Don’t decide that you need to “feel the burn” or anything like that in order to lose weight and get in shape. Take things realistically. You’ll also want to consult with your doctor about a running program if you’re of a more advanced age and haven’t run in a while.

How do you feel?

Perhaps the best indicator of the best running speed for you is to examine how you feel. You’ll want to hit a sweet spot of “pained, but relatively comfortable” when you exercise. In other words, you’ll want to exercise moderately enough that you’re not out of breath. If the exercise is too easy, ramp up your speed; if it’s too hard, throw in some walking intervals or slow your pace. It doesn’t always have to be rocket science.

Photo Credits: OskarN

Originally posted 2009-08-05 05:42:44.

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