Ok, I thought. I've been working out for 6 months now. I should be able to run a mile. I decided to put that to the test. I just got back from a 1 mile run.
Going in I had high hopes. A 6 minute mile? Maybe...but 8 is probably more like it.
The first quarter mile went well, I kept a brisk pace and even had the temerity to think it was going to be easy. Wrong.
By the half mile mark I was breathing heavily and realized that I probably would not be able to keep up the pace.
By the 3/4 mile mark, I had to slow my pace, but not due to the same reason I used to slow down. For the first time in my life, my muscles did not have any lactic acid buildup and didn't hurt at all. What slowed me down was that I felt like I couldn't breath in enough air. I was chugging air in and out as fast as I could, and I was starting to feel that "you ain't getting enough oxygen" feeling. A stitch was beginning to form as well.
I was able to finish the mile, but at a much reduced pace. I was coming around the final turn (I ran on the local college track) and realized that I only had about 12 seconds left before I passed the 9 minute mark. I was able to muster a (slow) sprint and came in at exactly 9 minutes.
I felt exhausted because I felt like I couldn't inhale enough air, and my lips and throat were dry despite drinking a lot of water before the run. The stitch never fully developed, but a lingering feeling of dull pain could be felt in the general area of my diaphram on my right side. My throat has gotten a bit raw, but I hope to control that with water intake. Interestingly enough, I had absolutely no muscular pain, from lactic acid or otherwise, throughout the entire experience.
So, is a nine minute mile repectable?

I'd say good job for your first time!

On a scale you're a little below average:

Sub 5 minutes - amazing
Sub 6 minutes - most "peak" here
Sub 7 minutes
Sub 8 minutes - average time
Sub 9 minutes
Sub 10 minutes
Sub 11 minutes

An important part of running is learning to pace yourself. You should be a fairly good clip for the first half of a race, and the second half is where you need to give it your all, progressively.

It sounds like you also weren't hydrated as well as you should have been. You need to do more than just gulp water before your run. If you were to wake up at 8 AM, and was going to run at 4 PM, then I'd say you should have a gallon of water between 8 and noon, slowly sipped throughout that time, another half gallon between noon and 3 PM, and a two pints sipped up between 3 and 4 PM.

You might want to work on some long distance endurance running to learn how you breathe best and find your rhythm. With sprinting, learning to breath is half-the-battle.

I made up the scale, but I believe it pretty accurate. I compete in XC if that helps qualify me in any way to make a scale.

Could you explain what you mean by "learning to breath" more? I felt like I was pulling and pushing air as fast as possible for the last 1/4 mile, and it took about half the track in a slow walk to finally make it feel like I wasn't gonna lose consciousness due to lack of O2. (I was never actually in danger of losing consciousness, it just felt like it...difficult to explain, cause I've never experienced it before).

He means you should be inhaling and exhaling, say, every 3 strides. Also at least in my XC program they teach us to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth

Could you explain what you mean by "learning to breath" more? I felt like I was pulling and pushing air as fast as possible for the last 1/4 mile, and it took about half the track in a slow walk to finally make it feel like I wasn't gonna lose consciousness due to lack of O2. (I was never actually in danger of losing consciousness, it just felt like it...difficult to explain, cause I've never experienced it before).

What Vires said.

Pushing air in and out of your lungs as fast as possible is a horrible way to run, even when you're really going at it. Your body will work better if you keep some kind of rhythm.

Try getting on a treadmill, and increase the speed 1 MPH every minute until you are basically sprinting. Walk for as long as you can, before jogging, and then running. Watch your breathing, as you get into very fast speeds keep your breathing rhythm, and increase its speed as you need. Once you've hit the fastest speed you want to go to, drop the speed by 1-2 MPH every minute until you get to a walking pace and then walk for at least the time it took you to get to your fastest speed.

Don't injure yourself by going too fast, you can't gradually slow down as you can free-standing. The key is to watch your breathing patterns, not max out on the treadmill. It's safest to stay in the 8-10 MPH range. 10 MPH for six minutes is a mile: aka a six minute mile.

I like to take two short breaths in though the nose, and then let one longer one out. But do whatever works the best for you, in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Well that explains alot of things. I usually take very shallow and fast breaths when I'm running really fast cuz I wear out. But I'll keep that in mind bcause I'm doing interval training now to make me faster, build up my V02 max and lactic acid resistance. Could you post proper breathing techniques, for example, 60% max HR to 95% max HR?

I don't think being able to run a mile in a certain amount of time is a good gauge of overall fitness. It's a good gauge if you compete in the mile but that's about it.

chicanerous: I'm no expert either but I don't think the average non-runner could come off the street and expect to run an 8 minute mile. I think the average non-runner would have a similar experience to Collegefour.

Collegefour: If you want to use the mile as a fitness gauge I would recommend running the mile on a regular basis. You can't do all kinds of other training with no running and expect your running times to improve.

Here's some things you can do.

1. Don't run the mile just jog very slowly. Concentrate on controlled breathing. Breath in for four steps, breath out for four steps (or what ever is comfortable). Once you get used to running the mile, you can then concentrate on improving your time.
2. Improving your time. In order to run fast you have to practice running fast. Do intervals on the track. Jog for a lap, run for a lap, jog for a lap run for a lap. Don't limit yourself to a one mile a workout. I would do the intervals for like 3 miles. You could also go for long slow runs off the track, this will improve your cardio vascular endurance and also condition your legs for the mile.
3. I would only do the intervals like once or twice a week. Do the 1 mile jog once a week and then a long slow run once a week.

Good luck, and let us know how you're doing. :tu:

chicanerous: I'm no expert either but I don't think the average non-runner could come off the street and expect to run an 8 minute mile. I think the average non-runner would have a similar experience to Collegefour.

I wouldn't expect the average off-the-street non runners to be able to run an 8 minute mile either. They aren't runners, so why would they be included in a statistic about runners.

I wouldn't be surprised if the average off-the-street American (for example) could only run about a 10-11 minute mile, but already Collegefour isn't your average citizen, he's been working out for six months.

If he continues to run and wants to know where he is in relation to runners, then I think a 7-8 minute time is a good average time. A speculation of an average time best serves him if it projects him into the group in which he could belong.

Appreciate the reply's guys. I think it would be very difficult to cut a full minute off of what I just ran...but it might be a good goal. We'll see.....I'm glad to hear that you don't think I'm average though, Chi. :)

I wouldn't be surprised if the average off-the-street American (for example) could only run about a 10-11 minute mile, but already Collegefour isn't your average citizen, he's been working out for six months.

"Working out" is a phrase that can include a number of omissions and sins. The average american, off the street, is overweight in his late 30s, he doesn't participate in any exercise program. He never runs, barely walks.

No, it would be a miracle if he could run a 10-11 mile. The 9 min mile is a dern good start for a first try.

Running more you will expand your lungs to take in more air. Steady breathing will also help. 9 min isn't bad for first, I run about a 6.5 mile and it took me about 2 years to get to this point. My first mile was at about 10 min.!

Guarantee if you keep running you'll shed minutes off your time and inches off the waist. Running is the most pure form of exercise and I preach this to everyone here on the forums. Remember to pace yourself, don't reach for it all at once.

nate1

Now you have me inspired. I've got to get over to the local high school and try this out. One question though, our school has what looks like a standard running track that goes around the football field, it has six lanes and a rubberized surface. How many times around this sucker makes a mile?

I wouldn't expect the average off-the-street non runners to be able to run an 8 minute mile either. They aren't runners, so why would they be included in a statistic about runners.

I wouldn't be surprised if the average off-the-street American (for example) could only run about a 10-11 minute mile, but already Collegefour isn't your average citizen, he's been working out for six months.

If he continues to run and wants to know where he is in relation to runners, then I think a 7-8 minute time is a good average time. A speculation of an average time best serves him if it projects him into the group in which he could belong.

My bad, thought you meant average person/non-runner.

Now you have me inspired. I've got to get over to the local high school and try this out. One question though, our school has what looks like a standard running track that goes around the football field, it has six lanes and a rubberized surface. How many times around this sucker makes a mile?

Four times around most likely.

Also check out: http://www.fact-index.com/m/mi/middle_distance_track_event.html