My very own running pace

I feel almost guilty that I even pay attention to this. A person really should just run and loose track of time.

On the other hand, just because you measure your pace doesn't mean you have to focus on running faster. It is just a piece of data to allow you to predict how long it will take to cover certain distances, and who knows what else. Comparison is the evil thing.

So, following the point of view that "data is good, numbers are better", here we go:

Running Pace

One marathon runner (not an elite runner, but middle of the pack) trains doing 6 miles/hour, i.e. 10 minute miles. (Note that a person running a 4 hour marathon covers 26 miles in 4 hours, i.e. 6.5 miles/hour. A decent runner doing "speed work" may run 8 minute miles (7.5 miles/hour), but only someone in superb shape could sustain this pace mile after mile (doing so would yield a 3.5 hour marathon time).

I measure myself running a 1 mile stretch of the Wasson Peak trail uphill (after a 1 mile warmup, pushing my pace as best I can) and I can run this in 15 minutes, i.e. 4 miles/hour.

Running the super trail to Josephine Saddle, (somewhat under 4 miles), I can push and do this in about 1 hour (somewhat less than 4 miles/hour).

Mixing running and hiking on the Four Springs Trail in the Santa Ritas, I covered almost 12 miles (and 3000 feet up then down) in 6 hours, an average pace of 2 miles/hour.

Have any comments? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's home page / tom@mmto.org