Why do I run so slow?

Question

If it's a sprint, I'm ok. But distance? Forget about it. I run about as fast as a turtle wearing ankle weights in a tar pit. It takes me 16 minutes just to run one mile. Granted I'm pushing 40 years old, I just started running for the first time in years about a month ago and my BMI is about 24.5 but still, that's pretty darn slow. Is this normal? Last week was my first attempt to run a mile in about 20 years and the elevation was a measly 500 feet. Should any of that matter? How fast should I be running a mile?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Your body is probably just not used to running yet.  It's hard to get faster, but just make your steps quicker (bigger steps are not always better, they can actually slow you down!).  Focus less on your breathing and more on your posture and body movement.  Try jogging more and walking less, even a slow jog is faster than walking and it can cool your body down.  A reasonably fast mile would be around 10 minutes.  Good luck!

Why do I run so slow?

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