Do you think it would be possible for me to get my mile run down to 5 minutes by fall?

Question

I was training for track in high school and i was doin real good. until it got cold. and i hate running in the cold. any way my mile run was 8 min and 30 seconds. i started training in september and i was just doing it in gym class maybe 2-3 times a week. when i started i was running the mile in 10 and and it was november when it was 8 min 30 secs. i was eating healthy too. but i lost my composure and just started scarfing down all the foods i was doing so good at avoiding. and i haven't run since november : ( so i'm positive that i suck now. i need help with better eating habits and maybe suggestions on how i can get my mile to 5 minutes or less

Answer 1

i would say yes dude !

Answer 2

I've been a runner for more than 40 years. I can still occasionally break 8 minutes for the mile if I'm on the treadmill, no hills, no wind, pretty girls in the gym to keep my mind off the pain. However 15 years ago, when I was able to do a 6:48 pace in a 5k road race. This was the first time I ever broke the 7 minute barrier. I use to train with a friend. Every week for years we would essentially do the same type workouts, but he was always much faster than me even though we did similar training. He could easily break 6 minutes. My point is that you may or may not be able to get to 5 minutes, because your best time with maximum training efforts will be determined by your own biology. Such as the ability to take up oxygen, and whether you have fast twitch or slow twitch muscles, running form etc. etc. The only way you'll ever find out is to work at it, and that does not mean occasionally, but every day. I'm old enough to be your grandfather and I still run 5 to 6 days a week for about 25 miles per week. If you think you can do it, then go for it. I'd suggest that you get coaching by joining your HS/College track team or a running club where there are experienced runners who can give you direction. Good Luck!!

Answer 3

It's still around winter now, so DEFINETLY! Don't practice that hard and dont' forget to give yourself a break! Eat all that healthy stuff and sleep early - it helps trust me! STAY AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD AND SOFT DRINKS. 3-4 times a weeks isn't that much, try going 5 times a week. And practice isn't just all about running the mile over and over again. Just pace yourself. A good tip my coach always tells me is that I run fast the first lap (make sure you don't tire yourself) run the second lap a bit faster and maintain that pace for the 3rd and go a bit faster on the fourth and give it all you got on the last 150 meters! START RUNNING NOW....It's also easier if you run (not necessarily train) EVERY SINGLE DAY....On the days that you are not actually training, try running 4 miles (by just pacing yourself- not going for a specific time or anything). Stretching for at least 15 minutes before you run is also important! A good tip is also to eat a banana 2 hours or 1 hour before you run - no cramps. Stay away from soda on days that you have a race. Don't forget to drink lots of water (but not too much) So remember, dont' strain your muscles right away (since you haven't ran since november) Try for a 8 minute mile, then a 7:30 mile, then a 7 min mile, then 6:30 mile and so on and so forth. Don't put your body through torture by doing it all all of a sudden. It's a gradual process. Tempo running also helps. And don't forget to ask your coach for advice! Good luck (I'm also trying to get it to a 5 minute mile, currently it's a 6 minute mile )

Answer 4

if your mile was 10 minutes in november its gonna take a long time to cut it down to below 5 minutes. start practicing now. you probably wont be able to get it down by fall. but running only a mile 2-3 times a week wont help. run a couple miles or 35 minutes a couple times a week and do track workouts once or twice a week. you can do 8 200s, 4 400s, 2 800s, 200 400 600 400 200, 3 600s, 200 300 400 500 400 300 200, lots of different kinds of workouts. this helps your endurance and will help your time. your time is worse in the cold weather, so don't freak out, but its not like doubled. so just keep practicing.

Answer 5

It may take a long time for people to shave 10 seconds to a minute off of their marathon time, but this is only a mile we're talking about. I can almost promise you that if you run every single day, no matter what you feel like, you can reach your goal in about a year. By running every day, I mean running more than a mile, I'd say a minimum of 2-3. However, since I've never seen you, this is only a guess.

Answer 6

being an experienced distance runner, ive trained for a year just to cut down ten seconds off a race time. Usually you can improve rapidly up to a certain point, but then you hit a bit of a wall. Thats when you have to push yourself extra hard just to improve the slightest bit. Your natural ability to run may not be as high as others if you run an 8:30 mile, but I believe it will be possible for you to cut down considerably on that time if you push yourself to do so. I dont know if 5 minutes is a realistic goal for you quite yet, but create a running schedule and diet plan as suggested by a professional.

Answer 7

Sorry dude but there is NO WAY IN HELL you're getting your time from 8:30 to 5 minutes. You obviously don't know what the ranges for the times in the mile are. Under 5 minutes is for elite high school athletes. The people that run under 5 minutes have been training everyday for years. You're getting WAY WAY too ahead of yourself.

Answer 8

Highly unlikely. I could see you getting it below 7 minutes, but with being out of practice for 2 months, there is a lot of ground to regain. It is said that for every day of exercise you miss, you need 3 additional days to regain it. Also, trainers will tell you that 3 days of exercise a week is minimum to retain current physical skills, but 4-5 is needed to increase muscle development. Now, obviously you did improvement on 3 days a week, but if you really want to focus on doing much better run every other day, every day of the week. I have people I work with who marathon run and they run every day, but in my opinion that stresses the muscles too much unless you have been running for years.

Answer 9

first off you need to get your mile time back to where it was. and yes i think you could run a sub 6 min mile i would work my way there. 7:30,7:00,6:30,6:00 miles than bingo minus 5:00? good luck in all your running endeavors.

Answer 10

get your butt out there and run