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I'm a leisure runner with no desire to "race" but am aiming at a local 10k in August and would love to complete it in under 60 mins. Last night I broke the 11-min mile barrier for the first time (3 miles in 32:12). Longest run so far 5 miles in 56:30.
I am able to run 4 times a week but am unsure how to get the best from these sessions. I tend to do 3 short and 1 longer run but there's no real structure of aim to my schedule. Any suggestions? Is my target for the 10k reasonable?
Thanks,
Jill
I am able to run 4 times a week but am unsure how to get the best from these sessions. I tend to do 3 short and 1 longer run but there's no real structure of aim to my schedule. Any suggestions? Is my target for the 10k reasonable?
Thanks,
Jill
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Have you had a look at the RW schedules for 10k? They might be helpful.
If you can run 4 times a week you could do: 1 LSD run. Starting with 1 hour and building up to around 1 1/2 hours.
2) fartlek. 40 min run with 10 min warm up, 20 min doing 30 second fast with 2 min slow for recovery and 10 min. cool down.
3) tempo run. 40 min run with 10 min. warm up, 20 min. fast and 10 min. cool down.
4) interval training. Best on a track but can be done on a flat place. 10 to 15 min. warm up. 8x200m or 6x400m or 4x800. 10 to 15 min. cool down. If you don't have access to a track and do not know the set distances you can do it using time.ie, run intervals of 1 min.fast with 2 min. recovery jog or 2 min. fast with 3 min. recovery. I hope it helps. Good luck.
By the way, what does LSD stand for (apart from the 60s hallucinogenic drug, that is!)?
I'll let you know how I fare.
Best wishes,
Jill
LSD means long slow distance. Fartlek means 'speed-play' or running slow then fast, slow then fast...
But it doesn't have to be that complicated. Some people get more turned on by formal schedules than others - you certainly don't have to follow a schedule to be a good runner. In fact, the more you read about the joys of running (and experience them yourself) you'll realise that freedom and self-indulgence are 2 of the main ones, and these are not achieved by weekly track sessions etc.
You say you're more of a leisure runner, so I would suggest that you ignore formal schedules and basically just keep trying to run either further or faster week by week. Log your improvements over the same courses in a diary and watch those times come down. It can be simple and fun.
Once again, thanks for the help.
Jill
If I could offer some advice it would be to not try and make your longest run (i.e. the Sunday run)your fast run by giving yourself a target time. What may be more usefull is to not actually look at your watch at all for that run and concentrate on enjoying it and when you feel like it increasing your distance. (perhaps time yourself every 3-4 weeks.
I would make one of your shorter runs a 'speedier' session. Where you have a 'time' goal. Otherwise you may find that you run long and fast on Sunday and are then knackered for the rest of the week.
Another way of improving is to give yourself a flexible schedule that includes a long slow run and a fast/fartleck run but to aim and increase your overall weekly mileage up to your race.
Example: Next week 2 weeks aim to run 15 miles per week, then 18 per week for the following two weeks. Then 20 up to about 25 per week for a 10K.
Have fun and enjoy
BBB