Buzz
From the moment I started running, my goal was to increase my pace. The journey has been filled with highs and lows, but it’s entirely possible to begin as a sluggish runner and eventually improve significantly. While I’m not an Olympic athlete, I’ve reached a level where I occasionally earn age-group awards at local races. Here’s how I did it.
Before diving in, I want to emphasize one thing: your running speed truly doesn’t define your worth. No matter your pace, there will always be someone quicker and someone slower. I understood this early on, but my focus was on surpassing my own limits. I was determined to grow, even when it felt out of reach.
Growing up, I wasn’t involved in sports. Gym class was my least favorite part of school. In high school, we were timed running a mile, and the results were categorized—under eight minutes for the fast kids, and so on. I landed in the slowest group, finishing in over ten minutes. I didn’t even want to know my exact time. That experience made me believe I was doomed to be a slow runner—or perhaps not a runner at all.
How I Discovered Running and Made Fitness a Priority
It wasn’t until a few years later that I even thought about running independently. After completing a cardio class and then a karate class (to meet a college requirement), I joined the karate club. I was building endurance and strength, and I enjoyed it. When summer arrived, I couldn’t afford a gym membership back home, so I printed a beginner’s program from Runner’s World (it’s no longer available, but it was similar to Cool Running’s Couch to 5K plan) and started running outdoors.
I stuck to one particular route. Every day, I ran the same path and turned around at the same spot, hoping I’d eventually cover the distance faster. That didn’t happen, but I managed to stay in shape over the summer, which was my primary goal.
For years after that, running became an intermittent part of my life. While I didn’t see dramatic improvements in my speed, maintaining a regular exercise routine helped me build a strong foundation for eventually becoming a faster runner.
I Decided to Shake Things Up
Why wasn’t I improving my speed? It took me years to understand that I was making a critical error in my training approach.
For years, I stuck to the same running routine. I’d run a straight path for about a mile and a half, then turn around and head back, pushing myself to the limit each time in hopes of cutting a minute off my time. Essentially, I was running a 5K race four times a week without any variation. There were no easy runs, no interval training, and no long-distance efforts to build endurance.
Experienced runners—professionals, team athletes, or those following structured plans—mix up their workouts because each type offers unique benefits. Slow runs are designed to build endurance, and they’re intentionally kept at a manageable pace to maximize mileage. Short, intense intervals help develop strength and challenge your lungs in ways steady running can’t.
So, I began diversifying my routine. Some days, I stuck to my usual three-mile run, while on others, I extended my distance to five or six miles, keeping the pace deliberately slow. On shorter days, I’d run two miles and finish with a series of ten-second uphill sprints.
That year, I participated in my first race—a 10K. I completed the 6.2 miles at an eleven-minute pace, a significant achievement considering I wouldn’t have even considered such a distance a year earlier. In my second race, a 5K, I ran the first mile in 9:17. Though I slowed down afterward, I was ecstatic to finally break the ten-minute barrier.
I Incorporated Strength Training and Started Achieving Wins
My next breakthrough came when I was intensely training for roller derby, striving to become stronger and faster on skates. Running became my primary method for building extra endurance, and I also committed to regular gym sessions. Squats became a major part of my routine.
I grew increasingly stronger, though I wasn’t focused on improving my running speed. Then, in the spring, my gym partner mentioned she wanted to run a 5K. Without hesitation, I agreed to join her.
That 5K turned out to be my fastest ever, a record I still aspire to surpass. Everything aligned perfectly that day: the cold weather, which enhances performance, and the fact that I ran by feel without setting a specific pace. Having trained consistently for years since my last 5K, I should have anticipated a personal best.
I crossed the finish line in 25:20. While enjoying post-race cookies, I noticed the organizers posting results. Curious about my standing in my age group, I checked the list and was stunned to discover I had earned a medal.
Here’s how awards are typically distributed at these races. The top three men and women to cross the finish line receive “overall” awards. Everyone else is categorized into age groups, usually spanning five or ten years. For example, all women aged 30 to 34, excluding the top three winners, compete within the same group. Out of 49 participants in my age group that day, I came in first.
In the broader context, my time wasn’t extraordinary, and at a larger 5K event, many faster runners would have outpaced me. But among the competitors that day, I performed well enough to earn a medal. Could I now call myself...a fast runner?
I Discovered My Strengths
Being able to run a fast 5K doesn’t mean I excel at every distance. I’ve completed a marathon and a few half marathons, but I’ve realized I’m not suited, mentally or physically, for long-distance running. Unlike some, I don’t find peace in running for hours, and my marathon times are far from impressive.
The only aspect of marathon training I enjoyed was strength workout days. I participated in track workouts and hill repeats, which I loved because I could push myself to the limit, knowing the effort would be over in seconds or minutes.
This made me curious: could I try a race even shorter than a 5K? I registered for a 2K, roughly 1.2 miles. At the time, I was in excellent shape and followed a training plan designed not for marathons or 5Ks, but to prepare me for running a very fast mile. My longest runs never exceeded an hour, but I visited the track twice a week for short, intense interval sessions.
The outcome was another first-place medal. I felt I had discovered my niche: a distance I enjoyed and excelled at. I was in peak condition, and by maintaining this training approach, I believed I could become even faster.
However, a month later, I injured my knee during roller derby practice, tearing my ACL. This led to surgery and a lengthy recovery period. I had to stop running altogether.
I Refused to Quit
It’s been nearly two years since my surgery. Initially, I wasn’t allowed to run for three months. After that, I could run slowly but had to avoid many of my favorite exercises. Soon after, I became pregnant. While I’ve run during pregnancy before, it wasn’t enjoyable, so I decided to take a break this time.
This wasn’t my first obstacle, either. Throughout the journey I’ve shared, I’ve taken numerous breaks from running. Sometimes it was due to a minor injury, and other times simply because I chose to focus my time and energy on other hobbies. I couldn’t run during the third trimester of any of my three pregnancies, and I’ve never managed to maintain a running routine while caring for a newborn.
This means I’ve had to make many comebacks. I earned that 5K medal after having my first child. I achieved the 2K medal after my second child. Now, following knee surgery and the birth of my third baby, I’m back in my running shoes, determined to beat my previous times.
Now I know exactly what it takes to improve. After all, I’ve done it multiple times. First, I establish exercise as a habit. I schedule my runs or workouts and focus on consistency in the early stages. Then, I choose a structured plan to ensure I’m incorporating the variety of workouts needed for improvement. I also revisit my goals to ensure they align with what I truly enjoy.
Currently, I’m working toward matching the fast time I achieved in the 2K. I began by alternating walking and running, gradually reducing the walking as my strength improved. Essentially, I fast-tracked my way through a Couch to 5K-style program.
Once I was running comfortably and consistently, I conducted a time trial: an easy mile to warm up, followed by a one-mile race against the clock. At the start of this summer, my time was 8:58. (The mile pace I’m aiming to beat from my 2K race was 7:37.)
I selected a training plan from the Nike+ running app, and since it was designed for a 5K target, I added some additional speed-focused sessions. After two months of dedicated effort, I retested myself: I’ve now improved to 8:18. I’m determined to continue my training, as another personal record is well within sight.
Illustration by Sam Woolley.
