If I keep running every day for 45 minutes-1 hour will my mile time improve dramatically AND GO DOWN?

Question

I started running and my mile time to see where I was at was 7:35. Will that improve ON GOING DOWN TO 6 WHICH IS MY GOAL if I keep TRAINING. AND WHEN SHOULD I TEST MYSELF AGAIN AT THE MILE. DOES EVERY TWO WEEKS SOUND GOOD.

Answer 1

Congrats on your training.  Starting is always the most difficult step and having a goal can also be difficult for some people.  Great job on getting these both done!

Actually it will depend on how you run.  I could slow jog for 45 to 60 minutes and not see much of an improvement in my mile time.  It would also depend on how close to your top speed that you were in the beginning.  I have some clients that will never see 7:35, but I train them to lead healthy lives.  This is their goal.  For my clients that are looking to increase speed in long distance running, I create a program to get them there.  It may include 3-5 days worth of training and I give them a variety of activities.  Intervals, fartleks, LSD (long-slow-distance) runs, track workouts, strength programs etc.  I then change up the programs considerable every 6-8 weeks to ensure that they are not plateauing or risk overtraining.  The training sessions are typically an hour long, it is just how we use our time.  If we look at a per lap time, you are looking to take about 100 seconds off your mile time so that would be 25 seconds per lap.  A mile is a sort of a modified sprint so it is important to vary it up as I said above to ensure that you are not transforming all your fast twitch muscles into slow twitch.  If you are running the same speed for hour a day, you are going to be training more for 5k or 10k distances, but even then I would be recommending a more varied workout.

Every 2 weeks is not a bad idea.  I would test after a day of rest to ensure that your body is recovered from your workouts.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

It will go down faster than you expect. But if you want it to go down even more, you should probably add in some variety into your training plan such as some speedwork (400m repeats help a lot) as well as a long run once a week. Also, it is important to have one rest day a week to recover. Make sure to alternate harder days (such as days with long runs and speedwork) with easier days (such as a 45 minute run at a comfortable pace) in order to have time for your muscles to recover. Before you know it, your time will be lower than you ever imagined it could!

Answer 3

It will definately get down to 6.  If you keep running every day you will probably run under 6:00 minutes.