Speed Endurance for 10k?

x-post Andy

andy the deestrider wrote (see)

I like to take an easy day before a long run aswell so that I can feel strong and therefore enjoy it. Enjoying it makes it easier to keep going in the later stages in my opinion.

The day before my long runs are typically a tempo, usually including a hill session. another reason I'm considering slowing my long run pace. I wouldn't bring it down to a recovery pace as that'd be too slow and i do a recovery pace run the day after my long run anyway.

any advice on peaking sessions, got a 6 mile race last friday of this month should i just do my normal training plan and have 3-4 days rest before the race or any suggested sessions?

also how many days rest do you guys normally take before a race, i usually take 3-4, i think it makes me feel more fresh, but would it be better from a performance side to take less days rest, any advice much appriciated?

cliff781 - I followed a plan pretty much to the letter for my first 10k this year and felt great on race day.  I did 8 miles 8 days before the race with 4 miles at target 10k pace.  5 days before race day I did 6 x 400m about 30 seconds per mile faster than target pace.  3 days before race day I did an easy, relaxed 3.75 miles.  Then nothing until my warm up on race day.  Like I said, I felt great in that race - strong throughout.

The last two races I've been pretty much taking it easy for 2 weeks before the race due to niggles and didn't feel as good during the race.  I'm now going to get the legs back feeling good and hopefully approach races like I did with the first one.

ok thanks for the help and advice everybody, will let you know how my 6 mile race goes at the end of the month.

Good luck cliff781 - if you don't mind me asking - what's the target for the 6 mile race?

Thanks, well i did the 5k last week in 19:39 so im hoping for a sub 39, which is around 40:30 10k pace.

Good stuff - you can't be far away from that sub 40 minute 10k now 

Hopefully Calum, well fingers crossed anyway. Will have to wait till september till i get to do a full 10k but i think by then i will be well prepared for that sub 40.

What pace per mile should i run tempo sessions? my 10k pace is currently around 6:30 per mile. cheers

Cliff - using your most recent 5k time, tempo (lt) pace is 6.51 per mile, +\- a few seconds

Thanks Johnas much appriciated.

Cheers Andy, fingers crossed wont be long to wait now.

Not sure if this is the best place to ask this question - well it's kind of two questions I suppose.

At the moment, I run three times a week and cycle twice a week, plus one strength/stretching session.  So I work out 6 times a week, but only 3 are running sessions.

In the winter, when it was too dark to run in the morning before work, I was running at lunchtime and going to the swimming pool close to work twice a week (in the place of the two cycling sessions).

I'm thinking about going back to swimming a couple of times a week (it's logistically easier for getting to work a bit earlier and missing traffic etc.) and running at lunchtimes again.

So - the question I have is in relation to swimming.  The three running sessions I do are based on the Run Less, Run Faster book - so on a very basic level, 1 x speed session, 1 x lactate threshold session and 1 x long run.  All quality workouts.  The cross training is kind of in the place of recovery runs.  I tried a recovery run recently and landed up injuring my leg... so I'm keen to stick to the 3 x per week for now!  So, the question is - what should the effort be like when I'm swimming?  I am currently a very slow swimmer.  I can swim and swim for ages but at a slow pace.  When I was swimming previously, I did introduce some slightly tougher workouts - something like (25m lengths) 1x fast, 1x slow, 2x fast, 1 x slow, 3 x fast, 1 x slow, 4x fast, 1 x slow.  "Fast" for me is still very slow, but it was tough going and meant I was out of breath.  What would be of the most benefit for running?  Just slow and steady for aerobic base building?

Same question really goes for cycling - I now have the benefit of a heart rate monitor I could use when cycling to keep the effort in the right zone if necessary - I generally find cycling pretty easy - I need to be going up a steep hill before I feel any difference in breathing and even then, if I just select a low gear I can cruise up fairly easily.  I think my cycling would almost always be in an "aerobic" zone heart rate wise (although I haven't measured yet).

probably questions for the tri forum i would have thought Calum. But for what it's worth, I do cycle and if i'm replacing a specific running session with cycling, i just mirror the intensity and duration. for example, mondays I usually do 45 min recovery run. Ive now replaced this with 45 mins very easy cycling.

re: swimming I haven't a clue on the impact those sessions would have on running or recovery but i'd think a pool workout is great for your aerobic as well as a good general all round workout, without the impact on joints of running. Not sure it would have too much detrimental effect on your running ability but i could be wrong