Whould I be able to run 5 miles in 16 minutes if I trained over the summer?

Question

Sorry. I got my yards and km and miles all mixed up. I meant 3 miles, not 5 miles or 2.5 miles or whatever else. Just 3-3.5 miles

Answer 1

DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF :-) !!!  That's my first bit of advice.  Increasing your training rapidly can lead to injury.  PLUS, you're young and will only get faster with time.  I would try one longer run a week and some interval training (go to the track and run 400 meters repeats--Run 400 fast, then jog or walk 400).  Do the intervals once a week to help improve your speed.  FINALLY, be proud of yourself...20 minutes for 2.5 miles is GREAT!!!

Answer 2

OK, I run cross country, and my best 3 mile time to date is 18:00 flat (I'm 14, one year older than you). I'm also a guy, and that makes a lot of a difference. If I were you, I'd definately build up my endurance by running 5 days a week or 6 (Monday through Friday or Saturday). Also, having one speed day, where you do sprints and stuff, would be helpful. But mainly, endurance and being mentally tough'll get you through just about everything on the course. On a daily basis, I run anywhere from 4 miles to 7. Build up to that. You want to be able to run at least twice the distance required of you. Without stopping.

Answer 3

to be straight up with you...no you couldnt..but thats an insane goal now if you could run 3.1 miles in 20 minutes...that would be nasty

Answer 4

At 5 minutes a mile, it's vey possible, and you have to figure out what aspect of fitness you'd like to start with.

Are you working on endurance (long distances without wearing out) or speed (shorter distances in less time).

You can't work all at once with your legs, and you can't do the same exersices and numbers the whole summer, you have to gradually increase and decrease; light endurance/speed days, then heavy while throwing in arm exercises so your upper body strength doesn't decay.

I think enduring that many miles is more important than how fast you complete them, and usually, I think endurance runners eat more Carbs--fruits and nuts mainly.  Drink lot's of water, and run every day for different distances and times each week.

First, see how fast and how far you can run.  Maybe you run 3 miles in 20 minutes?  So, lower the time to 19 minutes the next exercise run, and try even harder to reach that.  Keep it at 19 until you think it's not as much of a challenge as it usually was.  Lower it again.  In between, gradually add on days with 19-20 minute runs to give yourself a break and so you don't get totally immune to running 18 minutes.

Wall sits (strength), running laps (endurance/speed), leg lifts, leg pushes, cardio, etc.  Work on all aspects of fitness, but focus on different aspects each day, so your not running a mile or so a day.  

Now, you should test how long it takes you to run 1 mile.  If it's under 6 minutes, then you should be just about fine, however, you have to focus on endurance to calculate how far you'll make it for 2.5-3miles.  If you run 1 mile easily, but have trouble getting to 2 or start breathing heavily, start working with endurance.  Generally, online there are hundreds of endurance help sites as well as sites to help you increase your speed...:)

Hope I helped!:D

Answer 5

3 miles in 16 minutes is 5 mins 20 seconds per mile.

That is a pretty fast pace, for anyone, but especially at your age.

2.5 miles in 16 minutes is just under 6:30 per mile

and much more achievable.

Whether you could reach such a goal over the summer

depends largely on where you're starting from.

3.5 km in 20 minutes = 2.2 miles approximately, roughly 9 mins/mile, so you have a ways to go.