Realistic targets for a 40 something

I am in the middle of writing my training plan for the summer. I am basically taking Moraghan's HM training plan and fitting it in to my shift pattern. So that would be a long 14, med 9, easy 4 and  a quality 1 and 2.

However, I was thinking on alternate weeks of doing 800 meter session and a hill session. Which of the above would that replace?  I assuming the shorter quality run, but I just wanted to check.

The other thing is pace. The only guide I have is my HM pace. I did that in 1.44.15 around 7.58 pace. Going of that figure should my long run be around 9.30, med 9.00, easy 8.30, Q1/2 7.40 and 800s in 3.20 with equal recovery time. Hills? Get up as quick as you can and walk round and do it a again. I have found a good hill that is about 400m long.

Does the above sound about right.

Secondly Jake mentioned how poor his phone app was for recording time/distance. Is a Garmin a worthwhile purchase or am I fine sticking with Endomondo.

Cheers.

LPJR ... Your 5m "quality" could be an MP session (8:30/mile) and your "3m" quality could be a progressive section starting at MP (8:30/mile), going through HMP (8:00/m) and ending with 10KP (7:30/m). I would do all your remaining mileage at 9:30/m (don't be tempted to run faster). A couple of months of that would have you as fit as a butcher's dog ***.

*** assuming you are able to handle this weekly mileage.

LPJR wrote (see)

Secondly Jake mentioned how poor his phone app was for recording time/distance. Is a Garmin a worthwhile purchase or am I fine sticking with Endomondo.

Cheers.

The garmin is my best purchase ever Used in conjunction with a HRM strap the information can be invaluable, you can see fitness improving run by run. There is an app for your pc/ laptop that downloads all workouts from the watch and presents the data in any number of ways for analysis. I paid £135 for watch and HRM (garmin 305) and feel it was worth every penny. Not a workout I have used yet, but the ability to be able to do heart rate based workouts seems very useful as posters have mentioned earlier in the thread.

Thanks to all for the advice and encouragement, I am definitely goint to introduce some interval type sessions into my training.  I am with JakeUK on the Garmin.  I purchased a 410 recently (I know loads of people don't like the bezel) and it really is a brilliant purchase.  With the HRM and the virtual partner feature it is a great training tool.

I have about 4 weeks to prepare for a 10mile event now, so I will be trying out a lot of your advice to get my pace a bit quicker.

Bones ... as mentioned above by Andrew Jones, you're probably better off doing a longer tempo run than starting intervals. Something  like he suggested or else something like I mentioned for LPJR above ... but based on your own race pace (23 for 5K), so MP = 8:35/m, HMP = 8:10/m and 10KP = 7:40/m. You should be able to hit 8/m for your 10M race.

Cheers Dan, I think as you say I will work on some tempo stuff rather than intervals for now.  The target times you put above are pretty close to where I am at - they are certainly what I am targeting.  I think I need to increase my training mileage as I am only hitting about 25miles per week at the moment.  I did 11 miles this morning at an 8:40 avg.  

I am going to head over to a local athletics club on Monday night to give it a go.

11M at your "MP" is a tough run based on a 25M week - that would be a "quality" session rather than your long run. Keep your long run down at about 9:30/m in order to improve your aerobic capacity and your durability. Also, your long run is too long based on a 25M week. 7-8M @ 9:30/m  is probably more sensible at your current stage ... but as you build up the weekley mileage, this can get longer (but not faster - unless your race pace is getting faster).

Based in Moraghan's thread (see below), you could devise a 28 mpw schedule based on:

Long: 8m easy
Q1: 2m easy + 2m quality + 0.5m easy
Q2: 2m easy + 3m quality + 0.5m easy
Easy: 6m
Easy: 4m

All your easy runs should be at 9:30/m, with only the 5 "quality miles" at 8:35/m (or a bit faster). Moraghan describes how to safely get to the stage of 2 weekly quality sessions in the 2nd post. Then after 4 weeks, you can increase the mileage.

Dr.Dan wrote (see)

Moraghan's  first 3 posts are very useful for planning how to fit in sessions with mileage ... here:
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/training/training-for-the-right-distance/166480.html

Well I am absolutely, totally and utterly at rock bottom today. Have trained so hard for Chester HM, ran 2:04 for 13.1 in training two weeks ago in the driving rain not giving it all. Felt confident of < 2:00 in todays Cheter HM. Wifey and children came with me, booked in Travel lodge, and was struck down with a bug, children first then me, up all night, was determined to do the race. What a stupid and irresponsible decision, was the toughest 2:20 of my life, was so ill I can't remember the first half of the course, second half was done in 12 minute miles, totally stupid. Learned a massive lesson today, it's pointless and irresponsible to run when poorly.

Must be something about Chester ... my son came down with a fever (including nightmares & hallucinations) the night before the 1st Chester marathon in 2010 ... I was up all night (we were sharing a room) and I had a horrendous run the next day.

Learning experience ... you will return!

Thanks Dan,

I think having read some of this information I have fallen into a bit of a bad habit of running all my training at too high a pace.  I think I tend to run at 8:30 - 9:00 instead of running a biut easier.  I have tended to compare myself to the pace my brother-in-law runs at and do similar as we are the same age.  The difference is he has been running 6 years and has much faster race pace.  He also does a lot of Ironman events.  I think I need to sit down and re plan my training schedule to get it all a bit more structured.

A strange coincidence, Dr Dan! Maybe we could lock the kids in the garden shed for a week prior to future races?

Having had the race from hell @ Chester, looked for another HM in a few weeks to slay the spectre and only local offering was the Humber Bridge HM; http://www.humber-half.org.uk/

Doesn't sound like the ideal race for smashing the 2:00 barrier due to possible scorching temps and cardiac hill but it could be a character building route

Jake... really sorry to hear about your illness. But when you look forward to something so much... and put all that good training in. It's hard to say "no". I hope you find another HM to run soon. 

Re Humber half marathon. It go's past where i work. I think the only flat bit is the bridge, very hilly course.

Bad luck on your Chester HM btw. I'm sure its only a matter of time before you smash the 2hr mark.

FRC, happy with post Chester training, 30 miles banked, 52:01 10k on thurs, 24:31 parkrun on Sat. Looking at the predictor web page, should be able to run < 2:00 HM but the Hull race looks a toughie, particularly if it's as warm as previous years! Do you have any upcoming races?

Really enjoying the running club, if anyone reading is considering joing a local club, I could not recommend it highly enough.

I just did my first ever half marathon (in training) 1:39:50. Thats twice as far as i've ever run, previously 10k. Quite pleased tbh. My strategy (if thats what you call it) was to set off at an easy pace, then just keep going. The longer distances are as much in the mind as the body.

The RW predictor was pretty accurate from my 10k time, it was only a minute out on the HM.

Oops FRC, Monday never my best day Good luck for Sunday, we have some friends doing the Edinburgh half marathon. You looking for a pb? From the stuff I have read they claim Edinburgh is the fastest course in the country

 That's an impressive HM training time, Paul! Would be very chuffed to clock those numbers, one day, one day...

Thanks for the comments, i'm certainly feeling it today.

FRC, i run on my own, around my shifts and yes, i am having a few days to recover.