if you do decide to incorparate speed work though, make sure you only do it once a week....you posted you were gonna incorporate some intervals this week and then do hills on the weekend......thats 2 speedworkouts a week.......... its not smart to put that much stress on your body as a beginning runner....

Thanks - sounds like you've been running for quite some time! That's a good tip - injuries would not be a good thing!

How long are you considered a "beginner"?

I have to say I'm loving running, it's my favourite exercise.

untill you do your first race!! then you are a PRO!!!

Seriously though, its my opinion that what sets apart a "recreational" runner (one who goes out and runs for fun, for exercise, just to get out, 3 or 4 times a week, not too concerned with distance and speed) vs an intermediate or more serious runner and up is that with the more serious runners, every single run has a purpose, a goal behind it...be it a long run to build endurance, a tempo run to work on building the lactic acid threshold, a speed workout, or a "race pace" run to build muscle memory at the pace you want to race a given distance at.... every week i incorporate every single one of these runs into my training schedule.....its very sad, i hardly ever get out and just "zen" run anymore!!! i feel like i have to make every run count...

I'm a slow and steady runner, 10 k in 51 minutes. I did ask this question to a few runner friends and they told me to add a few sprints into my run, not many to start, but to rev it up if you can. I tried...lol... but I like my speed it seems. I hope it works for you

AR4life- a 10K in 51 minutes is NOT slow!! What are you talking about? thats like an 8:30 mile!! took me a year and a half of running to get my 10K down to that!!

Really? I guess my friends are around the 35-40 min times for 10k, so they said I was slow and steady.
I never ran in school, they mostly wanted sprinters and I can't sprint. This made me believe I couldn't run at all, so when I started doing 10k's I found I could quite easily go for a long run at a slower speed, I was amazed.
Thanks though Mkroyer, I just wished I enjoyed it like you seem to.

35 minutes is a competitve 10k time.....

Ok, I've done a few races this summer so perhaps I can take myself out of the beginner category. So far the longest race has been 6.5K though.

My run week consists of a short run (about 5K) where I'm supposed to run faster, a long run (I've built up some good distance - up to 17K so far) and one hill training day. But I think I may switch that hill day to an interval sprint day...

My problem is that my average space on the short run day is almost the same as on the long run day...I don't know why that is. Hopefully trying some sprints in my workout will help.

My average pace for 10K is about 57 minutes so I'm still in "slower" mode.

Good golly I must be a turtle runner... I ran 9.1k in 1:18 this morning ... I did pass a few people walking though, so I coudn't have been that slow ...

Instead of running distance. Run some sprints 40,50, or more yards. You can also run for time 30,45,60 seconds. Walk then run walk then run (intervals) once or twice a week. Ya,ya I hate intervals to.

i wouldnt sacrifice your long run...are you training for anything in particular?? Your long run is supposed to be done at a pace quite a bit slower....... Not to pry or be personal, but you dont have any current weight or goal weight info posted....could possibly your weight be holding you back some?? I guarantee as soon as you OR any of us here drop body fat, the speed will come!! Naturally and without warning or effort!!!

I'd be happy if I could do a 5k in 35 minutes.

Thanks mkroyer - your advice is excellent! And no, not personal at all, I just hadn't put my info in my profile yet. My current stats are: 262/142/128 I'm close to goal but there is still a bit to go yet, my legs being a trouble zone. So losing some of that will help I'm sure! I'm training for a half marathon in mid November and hoping to be able to finish it mid-pack.

you know it wasnt until i personally got to right about where youre at, or about 140lbs, that my running REALLY started to get fast!!!

Ms Getfitchicks, you ARE keeping in mind that running isn't just about speed, right? I mean, sure it is NICE to have a competitive race time and to work to that and so on, but you need to run for YOU. What do YOU want to get out of it?

I knew that when I was running, I was never in a "competitive" time and I probably never would be. But I was running for cardiovascular health and fitness, and there is NOTHING wrong with that. Some of us turtles would like to run a bit faster, but really, running shouldn't be about having that 8 minute mile or about making every single run working towards being faster than someone else. IF that is what floats your boat, go for it. But it is absolutely acceptable to be a runner just for the sake of the joy of movement, the peace of mind you get when you run, and for the health benefits.

Just as long as you don't think you are any less of a runner because you don't have a "competitive time", you'll be just fine. And if competing is your direction, AWESOME. But it doesn't have to be.

Kira