Is this a good 8K time?

qwertyK

hi there

Am a 14 year old runner. I have been running for more than six months. Today I did my first long proper run for over two weeks. I usually do a 4 mile at the weekend, today I did a 5 mile. I did carry a backpack with water as well so it might have slowed me down. I did take this run at a slightly slower pace than I would with a 4 mile because there is a steep hill I have to run up. It took me between 42-44 minuets. I don't know the exact time because my app stopped tracking me for about a minuet and half so at the end of it it said 42 minuets but I reckon it was 44. Is this a good time for someone my age? I'm usually someone more concerned about the distance rather than the time, although I am really starting to find it hard to find a long route. I usually do a 1.5-2 mile run a day, with at least one 5K in the week. So is 42 minuets an okay time for someone my age? I am also looking at doing a 10K soon.
qwerty

Dustin

Hi
It's not an outstanding time but it's not bad either.
I do question however why you are looking at distances at such an age.
Most 10ks have an age restriction (usually 16+) and to be honest most U15 / U17 age group races are a maximum of 1500 or sometimes 3k.
Cross Country is longer but again,seldom more than 5k.
Have you thought about joining a club, or at the very least going along to see what they offer you? What about a park run? They are 5k and usually you get a few local club athletes there (running between 20-25 minutes) when you can perhaps ask them about their club(s).

qwertyK

Not really any in my area. I want a challenge and don't want to be sitting on the sofa all day on games like most people my age, and I want to join the police or be a firefighter when I'm 18 so I might as well start now. Thought about parkruns but then I do a 5K at least once a week 

all this running is just by myself I don't do it as some event, so the 10K would be on my own too, my area has plenty of places to run but I usually run on the road. I'm very tall for my age so I guess that helps me run long distances. 

qwertyK

It's probably a bit slower than I would do it in, I just wanted to make sure I could do the whole thing, I can do a 7K in 34 minuets and a 5K in around 24

JamesConway

Honestly you should do around 5k in a high speed and then do the same 5k a little slower and repeat that on a daily it will improve your stamina. With your age you should keep up the running as I'm 19 and have lost my stamina but can sprint 200m in almost marathon times.

brandonwcm

That is a great time for someone your age. When I was your age, I am sure my 8 km runs would have been around 50 minutes or more. I ran 5ks at 10kph (5min/km pace) on a treadmill for fitness few times a week since I was in the Badminton team when I was your age but was never really a runner until like 18 when I joined my first half marathon.

As for my advice, don't worry about where you start and focus on where you will end which is when you are older. If you are serious about running then you ought to start your training from now since a lot of the elites began their training at a tender age. Maybe you can start off with a consistent 30 miles per week training (hopefully someone your age could handle that). Get a coach, read running books (advanced marathoning and Daniels' running formula are both good) and look up on the forums for advice.

One year or two years of good training can do wonders by the time you reach 16. Good luck!