Sub 25 - and beyond!

Warning! This is a marathon free thread.

I've been running nearly two years, I'm 54 in three weeks time and my current 5k PB is 27:22. My goal this year is to get it under 25 - and long term, well, although I may collapse in a nasty heap trying, I am going to aim for the holy grail of sub 20. If I ever get there this would give me an age graded score of 90% ie world class, so you can see it's, hmm, somewhat unlikely. But hey a girl can dream. Oh ok if you're going to be pedantic about it - a middle aged woman can dream.

I have been told I have a bit of basic speed and now I really need to get the miles in. Sigh. I would much rather do intervals than Long Slow Runs. Which at my age may well make me a bit of a freak around these parts.

And so...

Mileage for the past 3 weeks: 28, 27.5, and will be 28 or 29 by this afternoon. I have never managed this before and am wondering whether to go for another 28 plus next week or to drop back a bit.

Any advice?

Anyone care to join me on a new training thread? (Get me - Training thread!)

OK PAMMIE DON"T LET ME DOWN!
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Comments

  • peeks in

    well, i think 5ks hurt!!!!!!!!!

    I havent done one for 6 years

    good luck
    x
  • Perhaps now's the time Hipps!
    New challenge and all that. I know your life is a millpond, a field of daisies, a stress free zone...

    Thanks anyway.
    sharkie x
  • I would be far too scared Sharkie:)

    youll get someone useful on here soon
    but it is quiet on sundays
  • Hippo

    You must come down to London one time and we can have a over 60's thread meet up.
  • Sharkie

    My aim this year will be 26.5 for 5k.
  • Tracey
    I know you see yourself as a marathon runner but that - unintended - tempo run you did last week, and then your 400 intervals, (all while you were suffering from a cold!) must have woken you up to the fact that there's speed in them thar legs! If I'm heading for sub 25 then you should too. Can't let Pammie have it all oher own way. :-)

    BTW I used to teach Pilates - it will be very good for your running. It's great for core stability and if well taught can sort out muscle imbalances and other probs. Ask me if you want to know anything about it, I have been doing it for over 20 years - there were only TWO places doing it in London when I started!
  • Hippo

    You must come down to London one time and we can have a over 60's thread meet up.
  • sharkie

    I have just entered January and February races. See you there.
  • SivSiv ✭✭✭
    Hi sharkie. OK I'll join you in the quest for sub-25, but I'm aiming for sub-26 first. One step at a time...

    I may be over for the March LFOTM 5k. Any earlier would interfere with my half training. (I assume I can say half even though it does imply the m-word).

    Tracey - in Jan or Feb you can break my course pb which I think is 26:44. That would give me a new target for March.

    Now what do I know, sharkie, but I reckon you should take it a bit easier next week. No point in pushing too hard and getting injured. Make all your runs shorter and maybe even have a couple of rest days in a row. Then start the following week with some intervals.
  • SivSiv ✭✭✭
    For the record, I'll be 55 in May (gotta find a special race for that) and current 5k pb is 26:15, set on a nice flat course in October.

    Hippo - do you ever get to London? It would be great if you could join us one of these last Fridays in the month.
  • Pammie*Pammie* ✭✭✭
    Hello Sharkie



    I won't let you down, think there was a song with that title.


    As you know i want what you want.
    I did get sub 25 mins in 2005 @ Barking Park but nothing since.

    Ran the Last Friday of the Month in Hyde Park Last month in 27:46 i want to get back under 25 minutes, and dare i say it would love to get under 20 minutes (be positive)

    This year i'm going to do regular 5kms everyone of the LFOTM's and any other local 5k's that come around
    It be good to see you chouette at one of them.


    This is a good thread. Count me in.
  • Pammie!

    You have read my mind. I have just this minute emailed you a long wheedling message.

    We will Positive Think until the cows come home. Err hang on a minute - we will DEFINITELY get back before the cows come home....

    I love you.
    xx sharkie
  • Pammie

    sharkie

    You will have to come to Barking Park in August Bank Holiday.
  • Pammie*Pammie* ✭✭✭
    Tracey

    I will be there

    It's tradition
  • pammie
    the song was by PhD
  • Ooooh yes, it was, wasn't it?, I feel so old!
  • Tracey and Pammiie:
    Didn't both of you do the Barking Park 5k this year? It has a good rep for PB potential - unlike The Serpie 5k - so i will definitely try and do it this year.

    Like the new pic Pammie. Is this going to be the Girls with Guitars thread then?

    Jiggi
    Are you going to join us, or do you just like identifying lyrics? I see from your profile you are a 10k kinda gal....
    We do those too! Although I don't like them.
  • I'm in from my final run of the week. Did 5 miles which brings this weeks mileage to 31 - the most I have ever done. I feel ok - not too tired but still think I will take Chouette's advice and cut back a bit next week.

    Most of my running seems to be on hard surfaces at the moment, which takes its toll on the legs - especially as I am not used to this sort of mileage yet.

    I'm trying to build a base before I start the fun bit. I've been advised that I don't really need to run any longer than 8 miles max - which suits me just fine, My idea of a long run is anything between 6 and 8 miles.

    Pammie
    ceal tells me that you are following an advanced Hal Higfdon 5k plan. Have you just done the first week? How did you find it.? I know that you HAVE done loads of miles in the past, so getting back into it should be a doodle. (Ha bloody ha - it never is is it?)
  • Tracey/Pammie, let's hope we have slightly better weather than last year for Barking Park! Not sure whether it was the 10k the day before or the torrential rain and howling wind that made it so tough!!!!
  • Pammie*Pammie* ✭✭✭
    Hiya sharkie

    Had to change photo it looked a bit too dark for my liking. But yes "girls with guitars" that sounds like a good name

    Yes i'm following Hals advanced 5km plan though didn't start it till Tuesday so missed Monday's 3 miler, and did 8 x 200m instead of 5 x 400m (didn't see this plan till after tuesdays run) but 19.15 miles this week. Seems low to what i've done before (peaks at around 25 miles)

    Its an 8 week plan which takes me to February's race.
    The longest run is 90 minutes so i'll do this then re-evaluate from there see where to go from there.

    And Sharkie have done the Barking 5km for the past 3 or is it 4 years (i've lost count) so i'll be back in August. It is my pb course
  • cealceal ✭✭✭
    shakie,
    I would advise a cut back week this week, down to 20 miles maybe. Then back up again the following week. That doesn't mean that you have to cut the speed. But remember it is to be an easier week if your legs are to benefit. It is much better for your legs and spine if you can find a trail/grass to run intervals on. Or a track. Grass is difficult at this time of year due to the rain?-((


    some good plans.
  • ceal
    Thanks for that. Really cut down as far as 20? I thought it was going to have to be 25 or so!

    I will certaily take heed about the surfaces. I can probably find a dry enough bit of my local park to do intervals on grass. Otherwise I will get up to Finsbury Park track, or Paddington on Tuesday evening. Havent been to tack for ages and as you know I love it.

    Pammie
    Where do you work? Is it out in the wilds of Romford or somewhere? I know you do nights these days so to speak.
  • cealceal ✭✭✭
    sharkie
    I think the general rule for a cut back week is to cut mileage by a 1/3rd. so you could cut it down to 18!!! Chouette will know the figure better an than me because she did exactly that over Christmas.
  • SivSiv ✭✭✭
    ceal - spot on! My cutback week was two-thirds of previous three weeks. Not that I planned it that way but that was how it worked out and I did feel better afterwards.

    So 18 for sharkie should be fine.
    Make sure you have two or three rest days.
  • sharkie

    Barking is on the district line. You come out of the station and turn left and keep walking until you see the park.

    It is a cheap race, but not medal or goodie bag.

    It rained up to the start of the race, then stop but was very windy.
  • Sharkie

    My aim this year will be 26.5 for 5k.
  • oooh - slightly conflicting advice. My legs are fine, so suspect I will cut miles to 20 as ceal originally suggested. I will think about this tonight as I get some graphics done.

  • Sharkie

    I would just keep running:-))))

    xx
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