Best tips for improving pace without a running watch?

This Fat Girl Runs

I currently run at a pace of about 8.10 to 8.30 mins per km. I run 5km three times a week, and sometimes longer runs on a weekend of 8km.

I really want to improve my pace and get faster, but I don't have a Garmin or any kind of running watch so I never actually know what my pace IS until I get home and look at my phone app.

Any ideas for how I can improve my pace without having to rely on a watch?

RoyMcC

Easiest low-tech' way is simply to do a little speed play during runs. Consciously pick up the pace for 50 metres or so, maybe between lampposts or trees. Settle back for a few minutes, go again. Finish with a big effort. This will get the body used to different paces.

Clearlier

Shorten your stride. You will naturally increase your cadence and move faster as a result.*




*Will work for many but not all.

RayCun

ECOLII is posting some good stuff on the continuity thread here

this session is a good one, no watch or measurements required, just a football pitch

(you can make it easier by running the length of the pitch for your recovery instead of the width)

This Fat Girl Runs

Clearlier wrote: »

Shorten your stride. You will naturally increase your cadence and move faster as a result.*




*Will work for many but not all.

My stride is already pretty short. I have improved in pace somewhat since I started running last year. I went from an 8.50min/km to my current pace. I just thought by now I'd be quicker!

This Fat Girl Runs

RayCun wrote: »

ECOLII is posting some good stuff on the continuity thread here

this session is a good one, no watch or measurements required, just a football pitch

(you can make it easier by running the length of the pitch for your recovery instead of the width)

Thanks, I'll have a look at those. No football pitches near me unfortunately.

Dubgal72

Clearlier wrote: »

Shorten your stride. You will naturally increase your cadence and move faster as a result.*




*Will work for many but not all.

I agree with this. When you want to accelerate, lean forward but not from the waist. Use your whole body so your feet kick backwards more than striding out in front. The more lean, the more acceleration. When done right, it's pretty powerful and effective so lean slightly to start with!

Chivito550

At the level you are starting from you have huge scope for improvement. This will happen through consistency, gradually increasing the length of your runs, eating well etc. I don't think you need to be thinking about garmins. Focus on the big things, not get bogged down in the small details, and you'll see improvements. Be patient.

ECOLII

If you can hold off on the Garmin for as long as possible and listen to the body

- Stick your runs at an effort you can hold coversation at and slowly focus on increasing the length of your runs (If need to use a loop try add a smaller lap every week-2 week)

- If you are looking to add intensity there are plenty of ways to do this;

*Once a week have a run of same distance at slightly harder effort (be comfortably out of breath by the end) or start a run easy and get progressively faster as you go on

* Even without a football pitch use any sort of marker, Telegraph poles, trees, Street lights etc and proceed to increase effort between 2 fixed points then next two easy and repeat pattern


Learn to become intune with your body and trust me you will be the better running for it, Garmins are a handy tool in principle but ultimately many runners have lost their sense of being in tune with their body and effort levels.

pgmcpq

I would say - just do the track workouts and don't worry about recording the times (or a simple watch if absolutely necessary). The watch is not going to make you faster, doing the sessions consistently will. "Trust the training".

A track, a football field - anywhere (preferably not a concrete or brick surface) can be used. If need be step out approx 400m for a track session and away you go.

Fartlek sessions (as suggested by Roy above) are also a useful alternative and can be fun. You can structure them (e.g. steal some from ecoli's log). Or just do them by feel/distance ... e.g three lamposts away all out, recover, 3 mins at 5k pace, recover etc, etc.

In many ways the garmin just keeps the tech geek in us happy - for speed work any watch or stop watch will do the job. Do the work and the progress will follow measured or not.

rodge68

I have a route I run and I know all the distance markers ie 1km up to 8km and I have a cheap watch with a stopwatch and I use that to time myself and record my times on a sheet of paper, works for me and sets goals..

dublin runner

Get yourself a cheap Casio stopwatch. It'll be one of the best purchases you will ever make. Argos usually have them for around 12 euro. Garmins are vastly overrated. Ever since I've gotten mine I have gotten slower! I used the Casio for the first few years running and it did me the world of good. Teaches you how to run by feel and not by the inaccurate GPS watch strapped to your wrist.

Timmaay

dublin runner wrote: »

Get yourself a cheap Casio stopwatch. It'll be one of the best purchases you will ever make. Argos usually have them for around 12 euro. Garmins are vastly overrated. Ever since I've gotten mine I have gotten slower! I used the Casio for the first few years running and it did me the world of good. Teaches you how to run by feel and not by the inaccurate GPS watch strapped to your wrist.

+1. Had a garmin, used it like 5times and just gave up wearing it as it was of no real help. Running is incredibly simply, don't try make it complicated for no reason, you'll learn how to pace yourself in time, for now enjoy discovery your limits by pushing yourself too far the odd time.

This Fat Girl Runs

Thanks for all the advice! I will work on that and see how it goes!

I'm asking because after over a year of running I thought I'd be faster, or able for longer distances by now. I think my biggest problem is not knowing how fast (or slow!) I'm running WHILE I'm running. I use an app that tracks my run and tells me my pace, but I can only look at it after my run, not during.

I will try running faster intervals, using trees and posts as my markers. Sure I started running that way in the first place so I'm used to it! I like the idea of using a stopwatch. I will pick one up asap!

The bottom line is, I really love running and I just want to get better at it!

dublin runner

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice! I will work on that and see how it goes!

I'm asking because after over a year of running I thought I'd be faster, or able for longer distances by now. I think my biggest problem is not knowing how fast (or slow!) I'm running WHILE I'm running. I use an app that tracks my run and tells me my pace, but I can only look at it after my run, not during.

I will try running faster intervals, using trees and posts as my markers. Sure I started running that way in the first place so I'm used to it! I like the idea of using a stopwatch. I will pick one up asap!

The bottom line is, I really love running and I just want to get better at it!

Like the vast majority of runners, most of your runs will be at an 'easy' pace. For example, if you run 5 days a weeks that'll probably mean 3 days of easy running. The Garmin is actually a hindrance to running easy for most people as most run by what they think their easy pace is rather than by feel. I just used the stopwatch to run the necessary duration.

All tempo run/interval runs/hill repeats/steady runs etc. can easily be measured using a stopwatch. It's simply about hitting the desired effort level.

Don't get too hung up about getting faster or running for longer. I can virtually guarantee you that if you train smartly that will happen naturally. You sound like you really enjoy training. Don't put pressure on yourself.

I used a stopwatch for my first three marathons and training cycles. It will do you the world of good.

groovyg

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice! I will work on that and see how it goes!

I'm asking because after over a year of running I thought I'd be faster, or able for longer distances by now. I think my biggest problem is not knowing how fast (or slow!) I'm running WHILE I'm running. I use an app that tracks my run and tells me my pace, but I can only look at it after my run, not during.

I will try running faster intervals, using trees and posts as my markers. Sure I started running that way in the first place so I'm used to it! I like the idea of using a stopwatch. I will pick one up asap!

The bottom line is, I really love running and I just want to get better at it!

So you are running 5k 3 times a week and then your long run at the weekend is 8k? In terms of time roughly how long is the 5k and 8k taking you? If you have been doing this for a year now are you not finding the distance easy to do and your pace improving ? or is your pace different each time you go for a run?

This Fat Girl Runs

groovyg wrote: »

So you are running 5k 3 times a week and then your long run at the weekend is 8k? In terms of time roughly how long is the 5k and 8k taking you? If you have been doing this for a year now are you not finding the distance easy to do and your pace improving ? or is your pace different each time you go for a run?

My 5ks are in the 43-44 minute mark. My last 8k was 1 hour 8 minutes.

I also workout twice a week with a trainer, doing weights and pilates which has helped my running.

I have improved over the last year but slowly, very slowly! The distance is easier than when I first started but I still haven't been able to run a 10k (I ran/walked the last one).

It's only recently that I've been able to run a full 8k in improved times. I just can't seem to get faster and have never ran an 8min/km. That's my goal for the moment.

Clearlier

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

My 5ks are in the 43-44 minute mark. My last 8k was 1 hour 8 minutes.

I also workout twice a week with a trainer, doing weights and pilates which has helped my running.

I have improved over the last year but slowly, very slowly! The distance is easier than when I first started but I still haven't been able to run a 10k (I ran/walked the last one).

It's only recently that I've been able to run a full 8k in improved times. I just can't seem to get faster and have never ran an 8min/km. That's my goal for the moment.

Instead of focusing on the distance that you cover think about the time that you spend running.

If you're running for 45 mins and 70 mins this week run for 47 and 72 next week. Keep adding to it and you'll be running 10k in a couple of months. Every 4 - 5 weeks have a down week where you're doing about 20 - 25% less than you did the previous week. The other thing to think about is increasing the number of times that you run. Even if another run starts off only 10 mins long if you gradually increase it you'll really notice the difference.

Summary - Ignore distance, focus on time, gradually increase the amount of time that you spend running.

pointer28

As Clearlier said above:

I was advised to worry about

Frequency,

Duration,

Intensity,

in that order.

Add one or two short runs a week (frequency), then worry about going longer (duration), then worry about pace (intensity).

Chivito550

I don't think blasting a 5K 3 times a week is a very efficient way to get better over 5K. Slower and longer runs are needed, with a touch of faster stuff. But for a beginner you will get faster simply by getting fitter, and you will get fitter by running for longer.