I need help. I have been just a recreational runner for about 2 years. I average running 15-25 miles per week depending on the season / weather. I am getting more serious about running now as I am currently training for a half marathon that is 6 weeks away. I am running a consistent 9 - 9 1/2 min miles for a 4-7 mile run. I run with a heart rate monitor (I know "real" runners hate HRM's) and that is the sole gauge of my excertion. I have a "number" that I feel I have to hit and the sucess of my workout hinges on that #. I am 30 years old (6 Feet Tall, 190 lbs) and my running HR "goal / window" is to average HR of 155-160 for the duration of my run. Here is the problem...I want to get faster. I think I focus too much on my speed. To hit the magical # average of 9 minute mile, my HR averages 165"ish". At the end of my run, I am completely exhausted and worn out. I have tried many times in my runs to ignore my HR and just "listen to my body". However, I always pick up the pace during my run and push myself. Especially during my long runs; I have read your long run days should be as low as 60% of HRM. At that pace, I run a 10 minute mile. I also feel like this isn't pushing my body and hence I feel like I wasted my time. Everyone that I know has told me...forget about speed, focus on distance. If you put the mileage in, speed will come. Well, I havent seen this. I am getting in better shape and to get my HR up, I have to run faster / harder. Running faster / harder puts more stress on my feet, and legs.
I guess the point is...has anyone faced this??? Is speed or distance more important??? Do I just need to come to grips with the fact that I am slow??? If I solely listened to my body when I ran, and ran at what was comfortable, I am sure my HR Avg would be around the 140, to 145 mark. This is a failure to me (I come from you have to get the HR up to burn calories). I should add that all my exercise comes from an attitude of merely burning a ton of calories.
Lets face it, we are all slow compared to 58 mins, but I would say anyone (normal) completing a half in under 2 hours is doing really good.
Distance or "time running" is more important for what you are aiming for at this stage, not speed.
For some training I have done, my targets have been "run for 1:30", "run for 1:35", "run for 1:40" etc, not counting miles, just minutes of running.
Looks like you are heading for around 2 hours, so use that in your training, i.e. working up to "run for 1 hour, then run home" a week before your race.
You're approach all depends on what you're looking to gain from running... if your single objective is to burn calories than you'd be better off walking 10 miles than running 10 miles because it burns more calories (research has shown calories burned is based on time of exercise and not necessarily distance or level of exertion, in most cases at least related to running and walking). Although if you enjoy running, then it's irrelevant how many calories you're burning, as well as if you're training for a half. I would try not wearing the HR monitor just so you could get used to basing your run off of what you're physically able to handle.
If you're looking to get faster I'd try doing some speed workouts. Look up "fartlek" and try doing some of those... it's essentially interval training. Throughout your run, doing a minute or so at 80-90% of your max then slowing down to your normal pace for recovery, and do that interspersed throughout your run. You might also do some speed work without the distance... 60 seconds at 80-90% then 75 seconds at 30-40% (slow enough to allow for recovery), do 5 or 6 of those intervals. It's pretty grueling but it definitely helps you in the speed area and can greatly improve your pace on distance runs... it did for me.
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