How To Improve 10k Time?

Hi, I currently run 10k in 44:05, 5k PB 19:50 and 10mile PB is 82 mins. New years resolution is to run sub 40 10k (by Dec but ASAP really!) At the moment I dont really do much running - maybe 6 miles a week if that, with a race about once a month. Oh if it helps, I'm 31, 6ft and 11st 5lb I figure I probably have to put some more miles in but then hear talk of interval training and hill repeats etc etc. I'll do what ever it takes to get sub 40 but not sure what 'it' is that I need to do exactly...Are there specifi. Programmes for this sort of thing? Any advice greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance : )

Rob

I would recommend just running more, and not worrying about stuff like intervals or hill repeats yet.

From your PB's it's clear that your endurance is an issue, as your 5k PB is much quicker than your other two longer distances, which shows you are slowing down over the longer distances.

Therefore, I would concentrate on gradually increasing the number of runs you do, and once you are upto 4 runs a week, then start to gradually increase the distance of one of the runs upto at least 8-10 miles. Almost all of these runs should be done at an easy relaxed pace...

I suspect that doing this over a period of 3-6 months (there are no quick fixes when it comes to building endurance) would get your 10k and 10m PBs down by much more than doing some intervals, etc, AND it will give you a base to carry on improving from.

The only disclaimer is that I havent yet achieved a sub-40 10k, but am hoping it will come this spring off the back of marathon training. My 5k PB is 19:29, 10k is 40:40, and my 10m is 68:24.

Good luck with it!

Hi Rob,

You are clearly naturally fit if you can run 44 min 10ks with only 6 miles a week training. Your weight and height are right on the money and you're still young too.

I think you could have a serious go at beating 40 mins over 10K within two or three months. But mileage is the key! You don't have to run these miles fast either. Perhaps start with 20 miles a week at 7:50 pace per mile to include one weekly long run of say 10 miles.....and then increase your weekly miles by 10% each week building up to a weekly long run of 12 miles.

Reps, intervals, hills etc are great in the context of a good weekly training plan; but I don't think you've scratched the surface of your potential. You'll be surprised by how quick your race results improve on a diet of easy miles alone.

 

Wow thanks guys that's really helpful. So i'll not worry about reps, hills etc yet and just up my mileage to 20 miles per week to start with and see how that works out. I do find that when I run, my legs feel fine, even after a 10mile, but it's my breathing that really starts to labour and slows me down! So more mileage should help with this.

My dad's 60 and runs a 38 min 10k so I should be able to reach that at some point I hope!

Your times suggest that you have a poor aerobic base - the drop-off in pace at longer distances is pretty severe. Stage 1 is to do more running .... and keep the pace nice and easy (this is harder than it seems). After a couple of months you can consider bringing in one or two faster sessions. First 3 posts here will tell you how to go about it...

6 million and one threads on this exact subject!

 

Just wanted to follow up on this - thanks to all who gave me advice. I upped mileage to 15 miles per week with a few interval sessions thrown in and just got a 41.58 10k. Now to up to 20 miles per week and then...gulp... 30!

thanks again

Rob

Well done Rob!

Don't be psyched by running 30 miles a week. See if you can blag yourself an hour and a half on either Saturday or Sunday afternoon to do a nice slow 10 miles. Try doing three miles of intervals twice a week (6x800 for example). Including warmups and cool downs that should already see you to at least 20 miles.

The remaining 10 miles you could easily make up by blagging 20-25 mins after work on three of the other free days. Or by doing two easy 5 mile runs (circa 40 mins after work on two of the remaining days. That would still leave you with 2 rest days a week......and sub 40mins over 10K would arrive in no time!! 

Great! thanks Jamie!