3rd 10km race in one month. Best potential time?

[runthegauntlet]

I started running last month and I did my first 10km race a little under two weeks ago. Leading up to that event I did two 2km runs, a 3km run, a 4km run, and a 5km run. The race was actually the first time I did 10km and it was a painful affair.

I went out a bit too fast, blew up after a km or so, barely jogged the next km and then got caught by a 50min pace man who I stayed with until 8.5 km to go and then ran on ahead. I finished with a 48:40.

Since the race two weeks ago I have done 5km runs on Sun. and Mon of this week, a 4km run on Thurs., a 5km run on Sat. and a 5.5 km run today (Sun).

In two weeks time there is a 13 km race that I signed up for and on Dec. 26th there is another 10km that I've signed up for that I'd like to do as well as possible in.

I have a hr monitor and used it on my last few runs. From that limited amount of data the low 180s seem to be sustainable while the upper 180s seems to put me a bit in the red. The max hr I've seen on a run is 190 and so far I seem to average in the low 180s for 15-20 minutes. Resting hr sitting on my bed is currently 49-50 for whatever that’s worth and I’m 26 years old, 5'11 and 177 lbs.

I haven't been very active over the last few years but up until 2006 I was a Cat. 1 cyclist (road) in the U.S. I don't have current max or lt hr data and it could be irrelevant to running anyway, but when fit I've maxed out at 210bpm with an LT ~193 and a resting hr ~38 (again, all four + years ago).

I think that's about all the information I have. I read that you suggest a 4km 'test run' on a track and I just found one nearby today so will try that on Tues. or Wed.

My question deals with training.

Would it be advisable to follow the 45 min. 10km plan or would it be a bit too much seeing as how I have so little running experience? Too date I've only ran over 30 minutes once (my first 'race') and have never ran more than two days in a row. I don't have any physical ailments but am a tad worried that jumping into such a program with so much distance would be a bit ambitious (tongue in cheek seeing as how I want to run a sub 45 min. 10km nearly off the bat...).

Is the whole thing a bit unrealistic and should I just start running to get used to running and use the races as an experience builder leading up to next spring or is continuing on for the next month and shooting for a sub 45 reasonable (if not a bit difficult)?

A bit of a long read. Thanks so much for your time!

[TheEd]

Hi runningthegauntlet and welcome to the forums

OK .. reading into the CAT 1 cyclist definitely underlines the ability to step to the plate quite quickly

so we will go with this and roll you towards the sub 45 minute 10km schedule

there is another 'newbie' joined up and in a similar position to you and we will recommend the same for you as him regarding the 2k and 1km session

to change the pace of the intervals

so for the session - 4x2k R90-2min 9min 30 to 9 min 40 (4.45 to 4.50 per k)

with the 6x1k R60 - 90 4min 35 to 4min40 per km

Day 3 starts on Tuesday then the 2000's are on Day 3 Thursday

provide feedback and especially from the 2k session with as much heart rate data as possible

then we can build forward

TheEd
ps.. all heart rate data is helpful and after a few short weeks we should start getting more of an idea of your training zones

[runthegauntlet]

Thanks for all the feedback and welcome.

Sounds like an interesting plan and I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

Are those 1 and 2 km intervals run strictly on time? Do I adhere as closely to those time parameters as I can or do I step it up a bit on the last few if possible?

Thanks a lot!

[TheEd]

in the beginning you need to stick to the time parameters as you have to adapt to the overall cycle

this is not so much that you can do 1 session but that you can handle the sessions from Day 3 to Day 8 in particular

so if you go through the first cycle feeling generally good then your test or race at the end of the first cycle should give you a result from which we then work on for the next cycle

improving progressively while still enjoying the running

Cheers

TheEd

[runthegauntlet]

I did my ten km race today.

I didn't get to do the second race I wanted to do so this ended up being my second 10km race.

My training was a bit sketchy. I got a few pains here and there in my feet and ankles three different times and each time I took 2-3 days off just in case. I also had a 6 day business trip where I didn't get to run any.

Due to that and other factors I never got in a run over 50 minutes (it gets dark so early now and I have nowhere to run but on fairly busy roads after work) but the runs I did get in went really well and I was quite confident coming into this race.

The weather turned this week and it was -4 degrees which was rough (I'm not used to that) and the course wasn't really that flat. The first km and a half were uphill and from then on there were a lot of false flats and gradual inclines.

AND, I ended up missing the last turn and probably lost about 25 seconds on the finale. No one passed me position wise so it didn't really matter in the long run ().

But with all that said, it was a great race and I finished up with an official time of 42:59. I probably would have been around 42:30 if not for that turn .

I was really careful not to go out and blow up early like I did in my first race so I was trying to hold my hr under 183 until about halfway and then I let it go. Happily I feel like I managed my effort really well and I only felt like I was about to blow up when I had about 500 meters to go (then I had to stop and jog and turn around, etc., so my hr dropped back down and then I sprinted the last 300 meters when I figured out where the finish was).

The hills made it a bit tough to hold consistent splits but I tried to make up time on the downhills. Anyway, that's the report. I'm so excited about the run today and can't wait until my next race Jan. 23. Thanks for your help and insight into the training!

Splits:
Official time 42:59. Avg HR 184, Max HR 193
1km 4:27 178 avg hr (uphill)
2km 4:24 180 avg hr
3km 3:52 183 avg hr (downhill)
4km 4:23 184 avg hr
5km 4:26 186 avg hr
6km 4:15 185 avg hr (flat)
7km 4:15 185 avg hr (flat)
8km 4:22 187 avg hr
9km 4:08 189 avg hr
10km 4:24 189 avg hr (~25sec for missed turn)

Do you think a sub 40 is possible if I follow the sub40 plan for the next month? I have another race in Feb. as well. Would it be more realistic to shoot for a sub40 for that race instead?

Thanks so much!

[TheEd]

well done runthegauntlet .. definitely do not consider going onto the sub 40 minute program just yet from what I read you still need to achieve running consistency

try to provide feedback of the 2k and 1k sessions as well as your long run, it looks as though you have natural talent to work with but it must be provided a structure to continually develop in the right manner

not sure how much running you will get in over the festive season however we can see how the sessions string together

enjoy

TheEd