15 minute mile ; running newbie - any tips?

[ploppy]

I am 16
female
height : 5'4
weight : 110

I started running recently,
and yesterday I did a mile for 15 minutes
(jogging & walking)

is it ok for a beginner level?
I want to try to get an 8 min mile.
How long do you think I can reach my goal if I train 3x a week ?

 

[kittykrazy7]

First let me just tell you its really great that you want to start running! im 15 and i do cross country for my high school. I no starting to run can be difficult. And no worries a 15 minute mile is perfectly good for a beginner! Your body has to get used to running. So just practice practice practice. You should be at your goal in about I would say 2-3 months maybe even less. In the next few weeks you should work on trying to complete the full mile without walking. It will be hard but with a good mental additute and practice it will happen. Just keep telling yourself that you can do it. Cause you can.

I hope this answered your question...or atleast gave you a little encouragement

 

[cirestan]

First of all, the only reason you did a 15 minute mile today was because your body just didn't know what the hell it was supposed to do. You'll shave 3-5 minutes off of that in a couple of weeks.

Find a good training plan that will slowly build your speed and endurance.
Halhigdon.com has some good ones, Google "Couch to 5K."

 

[Wisconsin Bison]

Time doesn't matter when you are starting out, so 15 is as good as 12 or 20. I agree the 3x /week is fine because one thing you DEFINITELY do not want to do is to go so hard your get a muscle strain. Also, your run-walk approach is perfect for a beginner. Each time out try to extend the running portion till you are running the whole way. Along the way, you will naturally start running faster. You can also add an extra day at some time. I you find you reach a speed plateau, you can start doing "speed" work one a week, where you go back to the run-walk strategy, but with hard short runs (100-200-400 yards, you pick 'em or mix 'em up -- have fun) followed by walks of about the same distance. You could also pick up a training book like Bob & Shelly-Lynn Glover's The Competitive Runner's Handbook -- one book and you'll use it for years as your running goals evolve. (Sorry I can't predict a time frame. Too individual a process in my mind.)

 

[Jehosephat]

You just need to keep running. It's only one mile. Just start with a half mile one day, and keep going further. 3x a week is not enough, you'll probably want to go at LEAST 5x a week.

 

[Edgar Sonneborg]

3x a week, it might be a bit. 5-7 times a week, 2-3 weeks tops.