Pace advice/guidance?

[jazz15c]

Morning all, what delightful weather we're having...! I hope everyone's still getting out there. :o)

My question concerns pace...I'm currently (according to the GPS app I'm using) covering a mile at an average pace of 8mins 40secs. As a novice runner, this information is meaningless to me...is this good? Average? Great? Awful?

When I started running (about 7 weeks ago), my miles were about 10 mins in duration, but I seem to have worked down and settled into that average pace.

HELP!

My average run (3 to 4 times per week) ranges from 3.8 to 4.3 miles at that average pace of 8'40''

Any advice would be great. Thanks. :o)

[notbad Graduate]

I'm no expert but that sounds good to me, especially as you've not been running that long and have improved in that time. My average pace works out similar, I run my first mile quite fast and get slower! Although admittedly I haven't checked my pace in a while.

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

I'm no expert either but it sounds very much like my output too! I'm sure it's fine!

[jcm13 Graduate]

I guess it depends on a bunch of things, but I have been running for more than 8 weeks, more like 15+ weeks and my pace is no where near yours. I am running a little less than 12 min/mile down from 12.5 min/mile at my first 5k back at the beginning of Oct, so I would be really happy to have your pace.

At your pace of 8:40 you would run a 5k in less than 28 minutes. I took a look at the Light Up the Night 5k recently run in Little Rock, AR and you would place 83 of 329 which sounds pretty good to me. Consider at my 40 min to complete a 5k it would place me 241 of 329. The winner of that race was done in 16:35 with a 5:21 pace. I was not there, but looking at 5k results online gives a sense of where you stand among the general running population.

[sfb350 Graduate]

That sounds a really good pace to me, I don't think you need to worry. Your starting pace of 10 minute miles is quicker than my pace over a 10k race. I think you've made good progress.

[psarapsych Graduate]

8.40 is a good average pace for someone who hasn't been running long. However, regardless of the pace, it's what you feel good with that's important - well done and enjoy :-), Sara