Does anyone have suggestions on how I can slow down my jogging? I'm a beginner so I can't jog for long. I'd like to build up my endurance. The problem is I can't seem to jog slower. I jog on the treadmill at about 5.0-5.5 mph. Can't go for too long because I feel like I'm about to pass out due to my breathing. However, if I slow the treadmill down to about 4.5, I seem to get tired quicker because it takes a lot of effort for me to not run faster. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Am I just a weirdo?
Hi Pink Sparkle!
Running speed efficiency is something that's discussed a lot in running groups. It sounds like your body may have found an optimal running speed, at least for now. I personally find it easiest to run within a 9-9.5 min mile pace than to run either faster OR slower. There was a fascinating article in Science Daily in March 2009 about this - I can't post the link (I lack enough posts here!) but here are a few quotes from it:
"The most efficient running speed determined in the study varied between individuals but averaged about 8.3 miles per hour for males and 6.5 miles per hour for females in a group of nine experienced amateur runners."
"Interestingly, the slowest speeds — around 4.5 miles per hour, or about a 13-minute mile — were the least metabolically efficient, which Steudel attributes to the gait transition between walking and running. For example, she points out, both a very fast walk and a very slow run can feel physically awkward."
So, I think your body may know that it's easier to just RUN than to try to slow-run/fast-walk at the 4.5 pace. It seems likely that stamina will come with time. Run/walk interval training may be the way for you to work up to longer periods of uninterrupted running on the treadmill, rather than slowing down your overall speed.
You can find the article by searching "running speed efficiency" on the web.
Hope this helps!
If you can't jog for a long distance at a 5, why not try doing jog/walk intervals? Jog for a few minutes at 5mph, then drop to 4mph to recover. You should get some more endurance built up this way, and you can slowly decrease the walking times and increase the jogging times until you are able to run for longer spans.
I am moving slowly into running and feel SO FAST at 5.5!
I walk at 4 (incline 1),then jog at 5 (incline 0), then walk at 4 (incline 2), then jog at 5.5 (incline 0), walk at 4 (incline 3), jog at 5.5 (incline 1), then do the reverse until I end up walking at 4 (incline 1), then cool down - about 45 minutes total. I'm only week 3 of my exercise regime.
I can't imagine going 9! I've only done 6 a couple of times and thought I would go flying off!
Thanks! I actually do jog/walk intervals but I don't feel like I'm making much progress in the endurance part. And then I always hear/see people saying things like some people can't run long because they're running too fast. Maybe I just need to be more patient. I started C25K today, so hopefully that helps. JayZeeJay, I'll be sure to check out that study. Sounds interesting.
I'm not very comfortable at less than 5 on the treadmill either, it just doesn't feel good. I can go a little slower outside, but not on the treadmill. I agree with the run/walk intervals for building stamina, too.
Do you feel out of breath at your 5mph? If not, then you aren't going too fast for you I don't think.
Last edited by Shannon in ATL; 06-22-2010 at 04:08 PM.
I only start to feel out of breath once I get to the 5 minute mark lol. Before then I'm comfortable and feel pretty good. When I try to jog at 4.5 though I feel like it's taking much more effort and I start getting out of breath within 2 to 3 minutes. At least now I know I'm not alone!
Glory87, I may have confused things by switching units on you! I run at around 9 minutes/mile, which is around 6.7 mph setting on the treadmill. For some reason my brain works better in the "minutes per mile" setting. I also cannot imagine going at a 9 mph setting on the treadmill! I would go smashing into the wall behind me!
^^^ Ha! There are a couple of teens who come to the gym and practice their sprinting (or whatever) for track team on the treadmill. They're running at 10-11 mph. Even though they're the ones doing the running, watching them makes ME feel like I'm the one about to fly off the treadmill.
I'm in the same boat you are with not feeling comfortable with running under 5.0 on the treadmill. And I spent about a year on the treadmill trying to increase my indurance but found I could never get more than 1 mile at 5.2 - 5.5 without having to walk.
Then this past winter I took to the streets for a few months. I would do bridge runs (I live on the coast with no hills, so bridges are my only way of getting inclines). Running on the street was way different and I learned to listen to my breathing. I also wear a HRM and a GPS or rather when I'm on the streets I'm wearing my gps with hrm.
What I found is that when my heart rate would skyrocket and my breathing would get out of control I'd slow down my jogging speed but still keep up the jogging motion and do that until heart rate and breathing came back into control then I'd work back up. I found I could handle longer distances and could even make it up the 100' incline of the bridge I run.
Now I've been running outside for a while and last week did a 4 mile recovery run and made the whole way. I was running with a friend who has also been struggling with endurance, distance and breathing so I made her slow down her pace too and we ran together.
Looking back at my gps/hrm logs for these outdoor runs, my speed ranges from 4.7 to 7 but averages in the 5.5 range.
Bottom line is - it took me getting off the treadmill and onto the street to find a way to work it. I haven't been back to the gym on the treadmill since last fall, but I've been running outside a few times a week.
I wish I could/would run outside. I'm in Houston and this heat is whoa! Even when I head to the gym at about 8 a.m. it's sweltering. I had to deal with a bit of heat exhaustion earlier today just from being outside too long. I think I'll have to try to do this in the gym (until it cools down here...which probably won't be until the end of winter lol).
I dont like to go much slower than 5.0-5.5 either, unless I am running uphill. Running uphill shortens your stride naturally instead of you merely trying to take slower strides.
Most people can do a far wider range of paces than they think they can though. Although I agree with chnky, that outside it is easier to go slower, the belt isnt dragging your feet behind you.
So yeah the intervals of run/walk is a way to try and also try slowing the treadmill down but increasing the incline and see what that feels like. It is harder, but is more natural.
In the meantime also try when you slowdown instead of reducing the number of steps you take in a minute, merely make the steps shorter.
The reason why it feels more exhausting is usually because in an effort to go slow you slow your cadence which turns your run into a series of mini lunge leaps. You pause on the standing leg and sink lower than normal while waiting for the next step which pulls a lot of other muscles not normally used for running. For some reason outside people more naturally go into a shuffle instead. Focus on taking small steps, keeping your posture up and keeping the same rhythm as you do at 5.0 and you may find it easier to go slow.
Also, and this is going to sound weird, but if 4.5 doesnt work try 4.4 or 4.6 . In my training I have found that I repeatedly have "sweetspots" that are paces I can hold. If I get more fit and I get faster, I still have the same periodic sweetspots. For example when I was training for my BQ I was supposed to do race pace work at (CHANGING UNITS ) 8:30 min/mile. But I could not hold that pace. I could hold 8:15 or I could hold 8:45 (and during my last 4 miles of my marathon I found myself doing intervals of the two to meet my needed 8:30). I can run easily at 9:45 or 10:15, but 10:00 is hard. I always say I have gears.
I don't walk/jog/run on a treadmill so can't comment on actual speed. However when it gets hot here my walking time moves inside and so I add running intervals. Now I have the same problem as the OP, a hard time staying down to jogging speed, my mind wants me to run!. My concern isn't so much endurance but damaging my 50 year old knees by doing too much, too soon.
So my compromise is jogging speed for 1/4 mile then running like I was 10 years old at field day for 50 yards, walk for @ 10-15 minutes then do it again. That little sprint is what my body and mind is crying out for and I'm often laughing out loud as I slow to the walk.
Jogging speed (what's wrong with me?)
I jog on the treadmill at about 5.0-5.5 mph. Can't go for too long because I feel like I'm about to pass out due to my breathing. However, if I slow the treadmill down to about 4.5, I seem to get tired quicker because it takes a lot of effort for me to not run faster. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Am I just a weirdo? 
