Journey to sub 33k...

[skeldol]

Hi

I posted this on the stiki but maybe it needs its own thread?

I'm currently running @ 39.23 & hoping to get to sub 33. Milestones are sub 38, sub 35, sub33..

I have a few questions on the 10k program.

I'm using your training plan to improve my 10k PB rather than race.

My PB is 39.23 so I guess this means I stick with the sub 40 plan til I get below 38mins?

On the interval sessions is it purely interval plus a few k warm up & down?

When I do the paced 5k should I now be aiming for 18:45 rather than 19:10?

Am I right in saying the fartleck is 30 mins warm-up followed by 12mins fartleck (6 slow, 6 fast)?

For my easy & long runs I've been running between 55% and 78%. Does this stay good for the sub 40 program?

Thanks

[TheEd]

Hi skeldol and welcome to the forums, good to see you had no hassles posting

yes, warm up and warm down after the interval sessions

there are many variations as the runner develops on the program, so as you develop different factors are introduced, however the main aim is to keep it simple and to get results off as little as possible while adding more elements as we develop

have you got a 4k time-trial so we can see current fitness?

TheEd
ps. I didn't pick up the new post as it didn't alert my via email as it was a new thread

[skeldol]

thanks for responding.

unfortunately i damanged my knee just over 3 weeks ago & its taken me a while to come to terms with the fact i shouldn't run so no 4k yet. i only started running at the end of last november & i think i've been way too keen.

i'm seeing a physio, the knee is improving & going to try an easy 3k later today.

i was wondering how long after recovery it should be before i do the 4k tt and start the 1st cycle? should i do maybe 2 or 3 weeks of 50k mileage first?

thanks

[TheEd]

Hi skeldol, the program is designed in a way to bring the athlete into running as well, we simply drop a few sessions, lower the intensity and work from there

so do a 4k time-trial as a marker and we can take it from there

please give me your thoughts on this

TheEd
ps.. the 4k is a marker, nothing more

[skeldol]

Sounds good to me.

Had my injury diagnosed yesterday as the tendon that connects the middle quadracep to the knee cap.

Physio has told me to run only at a distance and pace that does not aggrevate the tendon, which at the moment is 3k or less @ around 5:30min/km. I'm going to be doing this run every other day & keep building up as the injury heals.

Once I feel the tendon is ready to take the 4k tt I'll do it and check back in. I'm hoping this will be in 4 weeks or less!

Thanks for your time Ed, much appreciated.

Leon

[TheEd]

here's to you recovering quickly

TheEd
ps.. I am not of the opinion that slow running is beneficial (especially at 5.30 perk for a faster runner), rather consider swimming to achieve aspects. Slow running for faster athletes can be bad 'bi-mechanically'

[skeldol]

I'm at the tail end of this tendon injury (only feel it during deep knee bends now) & have done 2 runs (4k & 5k) so far. Lost a LOT of fitness, feels like I am pretty much back to square 1.

Should I start the programme now but with reduced sessions now or wait a bit?

[TheEd]

because of the intensity of the 2k and 1k session, maybe it would eb wiser to do light and short runs till you feel that you are ready and that your body can take the stress

to the future

TheEd

[skeldol]

my knee is still not right but it seems good enough to run every other day. I rekon another 2 months before its fully ok. So I've been running every other day for the past 4 weeks & today did a 5k TT.

First time on a track:
LAP TIME MAX HR
1 3:50 168
2 3:48 173
3 3:49 177
4 3:45 183
5 3:46 187
I think my max HR is 200 (195 is the most I've seen on a run, which was the first one back after this 4 month layoff).

I was happy with this run as its my first sub 19:00 5k, which I wasn't expecting. I thought a sub 20 might just be on. Maybe running on the track is easier than the road?

So I rekon this means:
5 * 2km @ 4:00
6 * 1km @ 3:50
10*400m @ 3:40

6*1k @ 3:50 is only slightly slower than I was doing the 1ks (and I was using a 90 second rest not 60 second) when I did my sub 40 & I feel a bit off that so will be interesting to see if I can sustain 3:50.

I assume the rest on the intervals is a jogging rest (between 6:00 to 7:00) rather than a stop & do nothing rest?

Given my knee is still recovering & I only have 4 months running experience in total behind me my plan is to do the quality sessions as a priority from the plan. Where the easier sessions can be fit in around the every other day policy I will do them. I will only run a max of 12k even for the long run till my knee sorts itself properly.

What do you think?

[TheEd]

what exercises are you doing to assist your knees?

your quadriceps support your knees, you need to maintain the strength of your quads and then also make sure to maintain a balance of strength between the hamstrings and quads . a ratio of 60 / 40 should be maintained

so if you can lift 60kg with your quads, you should be able to hamstring curl 40kg

this way your quads are not compensating for your hamstrings and can look after your knees

if you have an overuse injury, this needs to also be considered, especially if you are fairly new to running

here's hoping this helps a little

TheEd