Dear Ed, can the aged still improve?

[davethom]

as someone past their peak, and now in their 50s I'd like to get under 35mins for 10k, my best this year has been 35:14

see thepowerof10 dot info website

but I'm finding I'm 'stuck' at 35:xx
can you recommend a program for the elderly (and bearing in mind fulltime work and family commitments) that will get me under what is becoming a psychological brick wall

ta much
D

[TheEd]

great Dave .. always an honour to have the great Mr Thom following the program

so tomorrow a 5k time-trial to provide feedback

your choice of Strathclyde or Pollok, keep in mind that it should be on the easier course

look forward to your feedback

TheEd

[davethom]

cheers Ed, that'll be Strathclyde then, Pollok's more interesting, but hilly, Strathclyde's tedious but flat!
Do you want a look at my current typical weeks training before you rip it apart?

[davethom]

here we go (the joys of Garmin)
3 mile warm up 22:17

3.13 mile parkrun - 17:20 ave HR 158 was on my own almost all of the way, so just like a time-trial

3.61 mile warm down 32mins AHR 115

[TheEd]

Great stuff DT .. will roll data back shortly

how far is your current long run, please, and what does your normal week look like currently?

Tuesday will be Day 1 .. are Tuesdays and Thursdays OK as your quality days?

Cheers

TheEd

[TheEd]

Hi DT .. 5 x 2k on Thursday

to slide you into it a little easier

3.35 to 3.40 per k = 7.10 to 7.20 for the 2000m

6 x 1000m R60 @ 3.25 per k

as this is the first cycle, look at it more as a cycle of adapting to things again

over to you

TheEd
ps.. if you can give some feedback regarding your current training, long run etc it would be most helpful

[davethom]

Hi Ed

right that just may be a little too quick off the mark, lets go back a post or two.
Tuesdays and Thursdays ARE my hard days, but, and here's the slight fly in the ointment.
Tuesday is club pack run, and Thursday is (usually) hillsession of some type with a large group. So, both day's are reasonably social, if I give these up I'll be running on my own every day, and I'll miss the company. We are after all supposed to enjoy our running!

So a current typical week looks like

Mon: easy run of 5.5miles up to 10miles depending on how I feel (occasionally two 5.5 mile runs)
Tue: am easy 5.5ml pm hilly pack tempo run between 9 and 13 miles
Wed: recovery run about 5.5ml
Thu: occasionally easy 5 am - lunchtime always hillsession or interval session
Fri: easy 6 or rest
Sat: 5k parkrun or easy run up to 8 ml
Sun: long run normally about 13.5 sometimes 15.5, or rest if no rest on Fri

I have a couple of weeks holiday next month so maybe best to start afresh after that?

[TheEd]

DT .. see when you can slot the 5 x 2k session in, see if your running mates would like to try the session again

if anything, try to slot that session into your format and then the 6 x 1000m can follow

the 2k session is the crux

so see whether you can get the guys to have a go at it

Cheers

TheEd

[davethom]

the guys have their own program (7 week blocks) we just finished a block today with 8x600m in the park (a loop with a slight climb included) I was doing 1'57" - 1'58" with 75sec rest, not bad as this week is an intentionally tiring week, it's been double sessions Mon Tue Wed and today!

I'll see when I can fit the 5x2k in next week and take it from there, I no longer have the time to do that session at lunchtime, so it'll need to be worked in elsewhere, maybe while running home one day, again Garmin makes it so much easier.

OK that's the plan find time next week and report back

cheers
DT

[davethom]

righty, glad that's over, hard week last week, but did the 5x2k on way home today
/activity/204784059
add the above to connect dot garmin dot com

2mile warmup
2k in 7:18
2k in 7:15
2k in 7:13
2k in 7:18
2k in 7:18
2 mile warm down. Done on riverside paths and park using the garmin, should be reasonably accurate, surprised it was fast and that I held it together on the last two. Wish I'd taken it easier

now do I do the 6x1k this week too?