Sub 45min 10k program - 4 run per week adaptation

[NicBathgate]

Thanks very much TheEd for adding me to the forum! Much appreciated

I should begin with my background:
In highschool, compared to my peers I was a fast sprinter but never explored running. In university I played a sport called footbag. I stopped playing after graduating (2007), got a sedentary desk job and gained some weight. At the end of 2014 I decided to get back in shape, did some research and discovered HIIT is a fast way to burn fat, did 3 15-20min hill sprints sessions per week for 3 months and removed as much sugar as I could from my diet and lost 20kg in that time to return to 71kg. Since then I've been cycling to work, playing a bit of futsal (indoor soccer) and going on very occasional short runs with a friend and haven't gained or lost any more weight.

End of last year I began doing a little bit of interval training on the flat, just once a week with no other running, my pace improved fairly quickly but I began developing achilles tendonitis as my stride length increased with the development of my pace. The advice I have been given is some exercises to lengthen my short hamstrings and calves as well as getting more 'time on feet' by running slower for longer distances instead of doing exclusively interval training.

The plan:
8 weeks from now (12 March) there is a popular 10k race happening in my city, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity for me to train properly so that my legs adapt to faster paces, and so I found this website. Unfortunately due to my schedule I'm not able to run 6 days per week, so I have tried my best to adapt the training to a 4 day per week training plan.

Here is a link to the training schedule I've come up with.

I have done the 4k time trial, it was a bit windy and pouring with rain, but didn't want to delay my running schedule by delaying the time trial. My time was 15:36, I have used this formula to come up with the following paces for the intervals:
2k intervals @ 4:00
1k intervals @ 3:50

I hope to keep updating this thread with my results as I go, but as i'm starting out, would you suggest any changes to my adapted 4 day per week running schedule?

[TheEd]

Hi Nic, and welcome to the forums

give me little while to fully digest all the data

however on first look, if you able to put the quality sessions of the 2k and 1k sessions before the futsal it will be more beneficial

going into the quality sessions on tired legs after the futsal is not a good idea

for your further reading: Thoughts behind the 10k Programs

http://www.time-to-run.com/theed/10k-tra...e-programs

for now, over to you for your thoughts

TheEd

[NicBathgate]

Thanks very much for your reply TheEd! I read your thoughts behind the 10k program post again, lots of good information in there to absorb.

My reasoning for putting the intervals on Friday was that Thursday futsal is quite a low intensity friendly match, so I've treated it like a rest day, your advice is noted though, I am thinking about moving the intervals to Wednesday and making Friday the tempo (lactate threshold) day.

As this is my first experience with running I'm unsure what my limits are, so I may be pushing a little harder than I should this week.


Monday 18/01
5km easy - 5:55/km 144bpm
5km tempo - 4:41/km 173bpm
Total duration: 57min

This was meant to be short easy day, but I was feeling fine and was curious to see what my pace would be in the 170bpm tempo heart rate zone.


Tuesday 19/01
17km easy - 5:35/km 152bpm
Total duration: 1hr 33min

Goal duration was 1hr 15min but didn't feel like stopping. Added a few 1km 'surges' in the middle at 5:00/km pace. Legs quite stiff afterwards.


My schedule has tomorrow as a short tempo run, I might make this short easy since I did a tempo run on Monday. I will take it extra easy at futsal on Thursday so I can give 100% in the 2k intervals on Friday.

Question... the intervals designate a 'rest' time, what exactly does the rest consist of? 90 seconds of sitting down/standing still? Walking? Easy pace running?

Thanks again for your help

[TheEd]

first off, do not test yourself to see what shape you in etc. this is one factor that falls into the inexperienced category and we shall 'attempt' to train you in understanding your body and development, and specifically to run fast on the days that count. Planning as race schedule accordingly

for now, go through the training program according to how you have detailed it, and lets see what we can learn from this

for the REST, you can stand and sip water and recover, then prepare for the start of the next 'rep'

onwards

TheEd
ps.. here is another thread of interest, read their progression:
http://www.time-to-run.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4787

[NicBathgate]

Hi TheEd! Thankyou for the guidance, I have been sticking closely to the training schedule as advised and following Tallon's progress as a good example. As suggested I moved intervals day starting next week to Wednesday following a short easy run on Tuesday and the long run on Monday. Friday is now my tempo run. I hope this will mean I'm more recovered on interval days.


Wednesday 20/01
5km tempo - 4:33/km 169bpm
Total duration: 23min

I had planned a slightly longer tempo run but had very limited time to run this day.


Friday 22/01
4x2k intervals - 2min rests
~2k warm up
2k interval - 7:58min 3:59/km 175bpm 190spm
2k interval - 8:04min 4:02/km 176bpm 185spm
2k interval - 8:04min 4:02/km 176bpm 185spm
2k interval - 8:18min 4:09/km 177bpm 185spm
~1k warm down
Total duration: 56min

This day was very tough. It was very sunny in the morning so I put on sunblock, then it rained during the intervals and washed the sunblock into my eyes which I was not prepared for. Very distracting. I didn't monitor my pace during the last interval as it was raining too much, I was really struggling by this stage and my pace slipped. After the first interval I reduced my steps per minute from 190 to 185, not sure if this made it easier or harder to maintain my target pace.


I have no running scheduled over the weekend, but will likely have a moderately intense 2 hour futsal game on Sunday. Looking forward to long easy run on Monday.

[TheEd]

I am sure you have read about the importance of the 3 sessions between Day 3 to Day 8, so once you slot those sessions in, we can look to see whether there is improvement in that area

if there is, then running results will improve

on we go

TheEd

[NicBathgate]

Hi TheEd!

I read in your article about how the 3 sessions between the 2k and 1k interval days force the body to super compensate for the lack of recovery time. I managed to sneak in a 5th run for this week so that I will complete 3 runs between the 2k and 1k interval days:
[URL="https://www.strava.com/activities/476151426"]
Saturday 23/01[/URL]
40min easy - 5:21/km
Total distance: 7km

Monday is long easy day, Tuesday another short easy day and Wednesday the 1k intervals.

Another note, before this month the furthest I had run in a week was 5km, I have been roughly doubling my mileage each week (5k, 12k, 25k and 50k this week). I don't expect to increase weekly mileage any further over the next 8 weeks, but I think I've been lucky to avoid injury from to increasing mileage too quickly.

[TheEd]

Hi Nic, the main aim is to do the 2k and 1k sessions

as for the long run, you can work on getting up to 1hr

so 20 minute walk, then 20 minute jog, then 20 minute paced walk

this will suit you fine

we need to balance things so as to avoid problems, so your feedback is needed

TheEd
ps.. we have had a footie player juggling things to run as well, they got results, but did pick up footie strains along the way

[NicBathgate]

Hi Ed,

I completed the 1k interval session today. My results were more consistent than the 2k session, not having to deal with rain helped and I was able to try harder in the dryer conditions.


Monday 25/01
1hr 50min easy - 5:32/km 152bpm
Total distance: 20km

First half was with a friend who runs at a slower pace, 6min/km 142bpm heart rate. Second half I increased pace to 5min/km but HR went to 165bpm. This is probably a bit too close to tempo pace for an easy day?


Tuesday 26/01
46min easy - 5:28/km 148bpm
Total distance: 8.4km

I feel this is pretty close to my ideal easy pace now. Ran alone at 180 steps per minute.


Wednesday 27/01
6x1k intervals - 90sec rests
2.4k warm up
1k interval - 3:48/km 179bpm
1k interval - 3:45/km 178bpm
1k interval - 3:50/km 176bpm
1k interval - 3:48/km 179bpm
1k interval - 3:47/km 177bpm
1k interval - 3:48/km 179bpm
3.7k warm down
Total distance: 12.5km

All completed at 190 steps per minute cadence. This was a very hard session, after the second interval I wasn't sure I would be able to complete all 6, but somehow I did. My HR peaked at 190 at the end of the last interval and I felt quite nauseous for the last few hundred meters, the first time I've had this effect from running. Very pleased with the results though!!!


My long run last week was 1hr35 and this week was 1hr50, I've not had any difficulty running long distances so far. I won't be able to run much longer than 1hr50 as I can't take more than 2hrs for lunch break which is when I run. I hope to cover 20km on long easy days for the rest of the training, is this reasonable TheEd?

Thanks again for your help

[TheEd]

judging from your 1k time and if the distance is accurate, you should be a candidate for a sub 40 minute 10k time within 6 months

you have natural ability and during this period of time, make sure to focus on recovery and not to pick up injuries

this looks pretty rosy for you

the long run is the one that can cause the biggest problem, so the earlier advice may help in building up the distance without causing problems

however, if you feel all is good, then you just need to monitor things

looking very promising

TheEd