Thoughts on my run training

If you are new to running then I would suggest nothing at a "much faster pace."

First, how did you determine your aerobic zone?

I would find a pace that is sustainable and run at that pace.  Go with your 4x/week for the next month and then add a day the following month.  If you can comfortably run 5+x/week for at least six months (and a race or two under your belt) then I would look at manipulating intensity.

The only faster running I would recommend is strides (about 30 seconds of running faster than normal with an easy jog between - say 1:30-2:00 easy between) inserted in a run.  I would start with 4 of these and build up to 8-10 over a couple of months.

Shane

That sounds like a good plan.  I would say not to try to go too fast on the "faster paced runs" until you have a better aerobic base to work off of.  but if you plan on running 4x a week, you will build that base up quickly and start to drop you 11:00-12:30 min/mil down to a faster pace.

good luck with the new plan!

My thought is that with only 2-3 weeks of running behind you, training aerobically (assuming you have a pretty good handle on what that is) WILL make you faster.  When I started running (not long ago -- one year), I thought like you:  running faster is what makes you faster.  It turns out that, when you're starting out, running faster is what makes you injured.  Running MORE is what makes you faster.

Yes, there is a time for adding in speedwork, but common wisdom from people who know a lot more than I is that now is not that time.

I used the Karvonen formula.

The frustrating thing is I'm running at between 160 - 165 BPM, and I'm just litterally walking faster, not even jogging.

i would say continue this same schedule if not less running and do it for 2-3 months before you think about changing it.  2-3 weeks is not really enough time to see much change, and you want to get your body used to it before you try and up the miles/intensity.  if you are able to run pain free 3-4x/week right now, that is great, but i really wouldn't recommend going up above that based on the previous sentence First off I've never been a runner, never really trainined for running"

Forget formulas like that. Go out and do a T30 trial, such as Mike Ricci has outlined HERE. Use that to determine your training zones. Then go out and run/walk/crawl/whatever until you are consistently hitting a minimum of 25 mile weeks for a few months. Nothing above Z3, preferably Z2/1. As you keep the consistency, you will notice that a 30 minute workout that produced 2 miles in the first month will start yielding 3 miles, then 4, etc.

Once you have a minimum of a few months of consistent 25+ weeks, then you can start adding strides, pickups, minor fartlek runs, etc. After a few months of that, you can start adding in intervals.

Endurance sports are not jump in and be great your first year. Very rarely happens that way. People start seeing the best results after a couple of years of complete consistent training with thought behind it.

As a pro told me when we were talking about coaching and stuff, there are two rules:

1. Just do
2. You need more of #1

John

If you want to train using HR, then you are going to need to use a field test (like John mentioned) or take your HR (or %HR) from a running race.

You could also train based on pace and using a calculator like Daniels VDot (race can be pretty much any distance, 1500+m).

However, for now I would run at a pace that allows you to cover the time of your workout and not make you so sore that you couldn't do it again tomorrow.

Shane