As a beginner you should only be running aerobically. Your running should not leave you gasping for breath too much. The aim is to "Train, not strain". Being able to talk to a running partner is a good sign that you are running aerobically and not pushing too hard. Heart-rate can also be used as a guide, either using a heart-rate monitor, such as those made by Polar, or stopping running and using the old-fashioned finger on wrist method (count for 10 seconds and multiply by six). Your heart-rate should stay below 70% of max. That is, your target heart-rate is resting rate + (.7 * (max rate - resting rate)) where the resting rate is taken when you are laying down doing nothing, and the maximum rate is estimated by the formula (220-age=predicted maximum heart rate) Determining your target heart rate (Target Training Zone) 1. Predicted Maximum heart rate: 220-age eg age 55: 220-55=165 beats/minute 2. Multiply predicted heart rate by percentage 60% to 70% for beginners. A 55 year old sedentary man: 165*.60=99; 165*70=116 Running faster can wait until your bones are stronger and you are fitter and eager to run faster in races. At present you should be more interested in running further. Some speedup should happen anyway.

I've heard it said that you should be able to recite the pledge of alliegance while you run, without becoming too breathless to continue.

Most inexperienced runners tend to run to fast. That general idea is that after your running practice should not be too exhausted. You want to be able to run at least half an hour (an hour if you are in better shape) and you choose your speed in a way that you feel just fine after you have gone running. If it is just for health or loosing weight you can't really go to slow. A 12 minute mile is just fine. (Just do 3 or 4 of them) That means you are just a little bit faster than you walk. Even if you are in good shape your regular practice is quite a bit slower than what you could do. Only if you are doing competitions you have to push yourself for speed. But even then many of your practices will be just long runs without much speed.

I'm a beginner runner and is doing 12min miles but, would like to increase my speed without over exhausting myself, is there a chart targeting how fast you should be running according to your weight and age?

300 miles per hour.

A little bit faster than the person you want to beat.

Depends on who's chasin' you yo...