Sub 25 - and beyond!

Hi Ostrich don't think I'll ever try that parkrun warm up routine! Sound a touch excessive.

Until a couple of months ago, my pre parkrun preparation consisted of half hearted bit of stretching any maybe a few hundred metre jog from the carpark to the start line.  Read on the internet the importance of a decent warmup for 5 & 10k races.  Routine now consists of around  a mile  of easy jogging followed by a further mile containing 4 or 5 30 second bursts at race pace  

Seems to work for me as have knocked about 1 minute of my time.

Tried cycling to a parkrun event once which was total stupidity as hadn't been on a bike for over a year resulting in a crap parkrun time.  Legs were f#cked!

I am beginning to feel a bit of a fraud on this thread
my last "run in anger" at 5k was just over a year ago
I did do my "regular" mixed intervals sesh on Wednesday, but the last time I did even that was in February
having said that, my times were not too bad, so maybe not too far of 5k PB condition...
tbf I am currently training for a couple of ultra events (one tomorrow, and one in 3 weeks)
I'll probably start doing more flat/roady stuff after that, and promise to try to fit in a 5k before the end of the year

this is what I'm doing tomorrow btw:

 (34 miles / 6500ft ascent)

Oh but Daz I love hearing about your long distance, mountainous adventures! Though they do make me ashamed that I don't really like going over 10k and certainly don't like even the smallest of hills - "flat" as you call it

Hi Geoff. It certainly was a stupid warm up! I usually do the same as you. Cycle there, jog about a kilometre, stand about chatting thus ruining negligible warm up, run a crap race... The problem I have is regardless of warm up etc I can only run well if my mind is in the right place but am yet to work out how to make it ready. Occasionally it wants to race, mostly not

I have decided to concentrate on shorter stuff for a while, After Henfield half this Sunday I'm going back to 10k and under. I'm always chopping and changing my training so goodness knows how long it will last this time. 

Good luck with the Ultra Events Daz.  I'm a bit like Ostrich in that I'm not keen on races over 10K though I don't mind hills.  Excessive mud and slippery surfaces are my pet hates.

Ostrich agree totally that you have to be mentally in the right place to run well. I think I must have been yesterday as managed a regular 5K road run I do near my office in a PB of 20.50.  Fingers crossed I will be one of these days on a parkrun.

PS Is the Henfield half quite tough? I imagine it probably is as your quite near the South Downs.   

Henfield Half is flat (I wouldn't have signed up for it otherwise) as on old railway route but it is off road and contains stiles which I am AWFUL at crossing (especially if it's muddy and wet)! Oh well. After that it's short short short all the way

More bloggery

8:24 for my ultra last Saturday
(that's 8 hours and 24 minutes)
well pleased as I was going for sub-8:30
diced with heatstroke/sunstroke/dehydration/cramp/concussion(!)... it was ace!

I will be working to a 13:30 schedule for my 57-Miler on 1st Sept...

still not sure I should be posting this on a 5k thread

That a superb effort to beat your target time by 6 minutes. Keep the Ultra posts coming.  A work colleague training for this years Brighton marathon found he started going quicker at 5 & 10k's so maybe lots of miles helps your pace over shorter distances.

Gool luck to everyone doing a parkrun or some other race this weekend.  I'm off to a car show tomorrow so won't have time for my usual parkrun 5k.  Ist one I've missed for a couple of months.

Here's my review of Henfield Half!

http://www.running-physio.com/henfield/

Seems somewhat pathetic in light of Daz's efforts! We love hearing about them though Daz so please keep posting.

I've done the oppposite and gone back to short

Whoop! 5k PB. Mainly because it was my first track 5k where all my other 5k runs are at hove Park which is a littyle bit hilly (or flat as Daz would have it!)

Read the report here

Well done Ostrich on your PB.  I'm going to try a fairly local parkrun tomorrow that I've not done before but which I'm told is fastish.  Am also doing a 5k race in London (Hyde Park) at the end of next month which has excellent PB potential.  Would be very happy with anything under 21 mins.     

Ostrich - belated Congratulations on your 5k PB! not long now til sub-20...

my 56-Mile ultra a week and a half ago went reasonably well - it was too hot for my liking for the first 6 hours, I started to perk up as darkness fell, but walked most of the latter half, and finished in 15:42 (yes, 15 hours and 42 minutes)

I feel entitled to rejoin this thread now as:
a) I'm binning ultras for the next few months
b) I'm going to train for a flat 10-Mile PB at a race in November
alright, 10M is still not 5k, but it's the closest you're going to get from me atm!

my 10M PB is 84mins
I'm sure I can go sub-80, but am going to train towards a 75min target
so, 7:30 miling...
that's about 4:40/km
yesterday lunchtime I did some km intervals for the first time in over a month
2x2k: 4:49, 4:51 (bit slow, forgotten what to do!  ) followed by 4:35, 4:34 (more encouraging )

Daz - Hi (waves to others)

What 10 mile where and when exactly

Still doing your 2 x 2kms i see even if its been a while

Hi Pammie*
Preston on 18th Nov - very flat 2 lap course - PB guaranteed

I like 2x2k cos you don't have to run as fast as 4x1k
I'll move on to 3x2k now I've remembered what to do!
I will also be doing some longer sessions incorporating a few miles at target 10M pace...

what are you up to these days?

Hi Daz running took another dip but since end of May been running every other day yes i'm streaking again Done 2  cough 10kms one in June one August SB 53:41 not my best done some parkruns new one started in Barking SB 26:30 so still work to do to get back sub 25 10km at Southend next month, 7th Just concentrating getting back fitness wise Enter a new age group next June so wanting to be fighting fit when i do

Just tried some kms planning on 4 x 1 but legs not firing 5;25 for both  but mon i did 6.83 miles and just over 9 yesterday so to be expected i guess

Pity i can't make Preston i like a 10 miler maybe some other year shall make a note of it as i have a bucket list to race in every county in Britain

right, 10-Mile Training starts here!
2x2M today: 8:30, 8:35 ("warming" into it), followed by 8:05, 8:00 ("progression" increase in effort)
I intend to do one such sesh per week (building to 6-8M total effort) over the 9 weeks til race day, so should hopefully see the pace squeeze down towards 7:30...

Beat my PB at Bradford ParkRun last Saturday! 20:41, so a cracking eleven seconds trimmed off my previous best and just five seconds off my overall 5k PB so pretty hopefully of going under that soon.

I put it down to the marathon training that I've been doing that has seriously built up my overall fitness and stamina.

Well done with the PB Ewan.  I managed a parkrun PB last week of 21.25 though this was at Riddlesdown, a flatter faster course than my home parkrun (Banstead Woods).

Will be going back to Banstead Woods tomorrow and reckon a PB is on as most of the mud and puddles have gone with the recent dry weather in the Sout East.  Good luck to everyone who posts here doing a parkrun tomorrow or any other race. 

Well Done Ewan & Geoff!!   some excellent 5k times there

I did some more tempo miles the other day, but forgot to wear my watch so not sure how quick they were (doh!)

just for the record, this is my GPS trace of the race I did last Saturday (choose Map View and zoom in for better detail): http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/114059

I draw your attention in particular to the Altitude vs Distance profile graph

8 Miles tempo up/down canal last night
not so bothered about speed, more concentrating on good flat form
I'm finding the FAST mantra to be very useful (Focus... Alignment... Stability... Timing)
for the record I did 1M, 1M, 2M, 1M, 3M in 8:22, 8:24, 8:16, 8:22, 8:14, 8:28, 8:49, 8:35
hopfully these times will come down over the next few weeks...

Good stuff Daz. Keep it going. I/m sure the times quoted above will come down.

Have managed another couple of consecutive parkrun pb's the past couple of Saturday's:-

21.35 last Saturday at Banstead Woods my home parkrun followed by 21.01 yesterday at another parkrun I do from time to time which is flatter and faster (Nonsuch Park).  Gutted that I couldn't find another couple of seconds to get under 21 mins.  

I'm doing a 5k this Friday lunchtime in London (Hyde Park) organised by the Serpentine running club which takes place on the last Friday of each month. Don't usually bother doing non parkrun 5k's these days but apparently this is a fast couse with good PB potential and only cost £4.00 to enter.