What 10K time would be a realistic target

Background - soon to be 54. 1.5 stone heavier than my best running period which was 20 years ago

Suffer from injuries (normally calves/piriformis/ITB) so no long term outages just a couple of weeks here and there.

Have run 75:30 HM and 2:47FM and ~34/35 10K (1989)

3 years ago after two months training ran 40:30 for a 10K. Do run a bit but only managed 75 miles in 2010

Current status is injured but looking to start again in next couple of weeks. I do get fit quite quick. Intrigued by the idea of a parkrun as I have never run a 5K  - I am guessint opener will be 25/26 mins.

 Just wondering  what would be a good aim  for me. 20 mins for 5K,  42:xx for 10K (7 mm pace). Any thoughts

John

Just run it and see how you do, that will be realistic.

Just enjoy.

Nice pbs Johnny Bike.

Just wondering, if you had no long outages but only ran 75miles in the whole of 2010..what happened?! If you only miss a couple of weeks every so often, were you only running 1 or 2miles a week? Or did you miss a digit off that 75miles? 

A few injuries, not a lot of motivation and I was doing other things like rowing and gym work. Definitely only 75 miles in total in 2010. Ran a 5 mile club handicap in 40:00

Last few years I have managed 300-500 miles a year but it has been decreasing

Johnny,

You could use a WAVA calculator to age adjust your last set of races, I make it only allowing you a minute  slower for 10k (WAVA 76.41%). Although personally I am getting more and more sceptical about these adjustments.

I'd be interested to know how long you were completely out from running between 1989 and 2007-ish? Was that no running at all, some other aerobic sport or no exercise at all?

Joe

For what it's worth, in the local races I've done this year, I've observed a 59yr old guy do a (slow-ish course - on a track he'd be a lot quicker) road 10K in 36 minutes, and regularly see a chap in the 60-64 age bracket go around a local Park Run course in 19-minutes (it's usually 60-90 seconds off most runners' road PBs as it can get boggy).

Maybe I just live in an area where there are some fast Vets about? 

Anyway, nice PBs Johnny. If I were in your shoes I'd focus on enjoying my running and view decent times as a bonus. Few people will complete a marathon in 2:47 - well done.

Thanks all. I do like to have some sort of target to aim at. I know the question is unanswerable as there are so many variables, the two major ones being injury and level of motivation.

To answer Joe, the day after my 2:47 FM I went out for a run, stopped after a mile and did not run for 8 years barring twice yearly club handicap races. Complete lack of motivation as I had achieved my objective of going sub 3.

 I think what I fancy about doing the parkruns is that I have never done a 5K before so I can get PBs at that, something I am not going to do at anything else bar another ultra maybe.

Parkruns are great - get down to your local and volunteer if you are a bit worried about running it

Good luck finding your mojo again - the decline in times as you age is much slower than generally thought - and you are luckier than most because you will have muscle memory in your legs - I bet you'll be surprised how quickly it comes back! Also I know you are too young but check out the over 60's training thread for some future inspiration.

Curly45 wrote (see)

... muscle memory in your legs...

Johnny do pop over to the over sixties its a great thread full of good advice and inspiraration

I go there and i am only 42

Joe no need to order - you have it already

Johnny

I came back to running in July 2010 after a 20 yr layoff but I had been riding my mountain bike regularly for about 9 years. Anyway, I have logged about 270 miles to end December so I have n't run huge distances but I have run a number of parkruns with a PB of 21:29 so far at Basingstoke.

A HM time of 1:40:59 in Sept and a 10k time of 44:05 to round off the year in December. So I reckon if you can put some rubber to the road and stay fit your times should tumble in 2011.

You'll certainly out-pace me as I am now 61 and don't have time on my side. In fact my goals for 2011 are to beat 80% WAVA score at 5k; 10k and HM.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do with your trainers on! 

Thanks all. Nice comeback Mike, very decent times there. The 5K time is particularly impressive. 270 miles in half a year is pretty good really.

I will try and do a few miles and when I get a result I wil post it here on this thread.

PS Club 5 mile handicap today which was a target but I am a week of starting to run after a calf injury so be a bit silly to have a go today.

Well  time for a bit of an update. Had about 3 weeks running now and the mojo is starting to come back again. So much so that I put an entry into the VLM ballot. Not that bothered about running the race but it will act as a good motivational factor. Even more so as I have got a good chance (1:3) of getting a place which wil focus my  mind upto October (ballot result) and then upto Xmas to see if I get a club place.

Started a blog at  http://calfstrainsrus.wordpress.com/ which I hope people find interesting.

Yesterday was a new PB. 10K on a treadmill which is double the previous distance I have ever achieved indoors.

Decided to loosely follow the Furman training schedules (3 runs a week )

John 

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Latest post - Mission accomplished

First Parkrun and first 5K ever. 24:00 minutes which is a bit of a disappintment but also I am happy to have run without getting injured and not having pushed too hard.

22:55 on a treadmill last Thursday but this 3 lapper had a steep part which took it out of me  each time and I intentionally did not set off too quickly. More details in my blog.

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10K time in a club race was 46:57 with 23:10 and 23:47 5K splits

Back from holidays now and need to loose a 2-3 pounds to go sub 13 for the first time in about 3 years. Over 100 miles for 2011 now so  have beaten the 2010 total already and I am thinking about starting the club speed sessions every Tuesday night.

Still injury free and still taking it carefully. Most important of all, still feeling motivated.

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Hi Johnny...... We have similar pasts....  My hey day was between 91-95, then picked up injury and lost interest and didn't run again untill my 50th birthday seven months ago.....  Of which due to injuries I've managed about three months training broken down to a week here and there.......

The problem's I am finding at the moment is first memory of what I used to do, and I end up sometimes pushing myself to hard for the body (hence injuries)........ And second is weight (why I started running again), back in the ninties my running weight was 11-9 stone, seven months ago it was 15-8 and today its 15-8, can't shift a ounce.......

Was hoping to have done about a dozen races so far this year, but only managed two, 5k in 21.30 and 10k in 45.22.... Aims at mo are sub 20 for 5k and sub 40 for 10k, but its going to take some work, plus I need to shift 1-5 stone......

Good luck with your running......

As you say BN74, similar backgrounds. The main difference is the additional 2 stone plus that you are carrying. I have dropped 9-10lb since January doing no dieting whatsoever but doing good bike workouts in the gym and spin classes and latterly some running.

 My bike workouts are generally of the form 30',40 or 60' at 100rpm plus at about level 11 or higher on the Life Fitness bikes.  The 60' effort really whacks me out but it is working as the weight is dropping and I am feeling fitter.

 I have been ultra careful not to push too hard on the runs, sometimes I cannot go any harder if I wanted but other  times I have held back a little. I would be happy with your 5K and 10K targets and I can see the 5K as being achievable for me but I think I would prefer to do longer distance running again rather than focus on a sub 40' 10K.

Keep in touch on this thread and let's see how we go. Indeed if anybody else is making a return after 20 years or so out then feel free to join in and we can share the pain.

 John

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