Sub 50 for 50 year old beginner !

[Bentom]

Hello TheEd,

Thanks for your kind reply on another thread, I've started a new thread here as suggested.

Just to recap; I am 50, weigh 70kg and 172cm tall. Started running only a couple of months ago at the beginning of August 2013 with a couch to 5K plan - running 3 days per week. I jumped ahead of the plan a bit and have run 5K several times now with my best time 25:12. My long slow easy run of 11k last week took 68 mins.

I thought I needed to vary my running a bit and did the following last week;

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 30mins medium effort.
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 2k easy warm up then (30 seconds sprint /1 minute walk / 3 minute easy) x 6.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long slow run adding 1k each week – currently at 11k at 68 minutes.
Sunday: Rest


...but didn't record times etc so feel as though I've been training a bit aimlessly - but now hoping to change that.


I missed my Thursday run this week due to slight cold (still lingering a bit) but feeling OK for my long slow run tomorrow.

As you suggest I will follow your “training towards a sub 50 minute 10k” focussing on days 3 to 8 but taking a rest day in between – I do feel, at this stage, that I need to have a rest day after each training day!

I have 50 days till my first 10K race where I would really like to do 48 mins - if at all possible! I'm prepared to do whatever it takes -but realise that it might be a challenge considering my age and only 2 months since I started running.

So I plan to start with the following 10 day cycle tomorrow after which I'll have 40 days left so could repeat it again?

Day 1: Long slow run: 12K (I've been increasing by 1k per week so will do 12k this week)
Day 2: REST
Day 3: 3 x 2k, rest 90-2min, target 9min 30 for the 2k,(4:45 per K pace)
Day 4: REST
Day 5: 30min easy
Day 6: REST
Day 7: 5 x 1k, R60-90, pace 4:45 – 4:50
Day 8: REST
Day 9: 30min easy
Day 10: REST

For days 3 and 7 I have upped the pace a bit to that on your sub 50 plan to reflect the race pace I need to keep for my 48 target.
If I may, I'll post my split times for days 3 and 7 when I get there. I have not yet got a HR monitor though.

Hope the above sounds OK and thanks for the excellent informative website.

B

[TheEd]

Hi there B

will reply in greater detail in the morrow

welcome back

TheEd

[Bentom]

Hi TheEd,

quick update. My "slight cold" developed into a full blown cold ! Since they say "feed a cold, and starve a fever" I did and gained a couple of pounds.

Feeling better now so did my first run for a week this morning. I ran a comfortable 5k, part road, part trail, as follows:

1. 5:35
2. 5:24
3. 5:39
4. 5:52 (long hill)
5. 5:58


I bought a heart rate monitor and being new to it I messed up trying to find my average heart rate but whenever I looked at it it was typically 158 to 170 - either it is wrong or my max heart rate must be high or I'm unfit, but I felt OK all the way. Infact I felt stronger up the long hill. After 5 mins of finishing my heart rate was 135

I plan a rest tomorrow then another 30 mins of easy on Thursday -should I slow down further? Then maybe a longer slow run on Saturday before turning to the "sub 50" ? focussing on days 3 to 8 as above? appreciate your thoughts.

[TheEd]

OK .. great .. good to get that out the way .. towards the end of the week if you able to provide a marker this week over 4km

4k time-trial (not flat out) say around Saturday and after feedback we will boot you up to go forward

Cheers

TheEd

[Bentom]

Thanks for the reply.

Just to be clear, I will run an easy 30 mins on Thursday as planned then on Saturday a 4k time trial.

Should I run my usual (mixed) route and stop after 4k - ie after the long hill, or should I mark a flat 4k route?

[TheEd]

try to find a route that is more flat and that you can use in the future when the time-trial is required

enjoy and don't run hard especially if the 'cold' reappears

health first .. results follow

TheEd

[Bentom]

Good morning TheEd,

Update:

Last Thursday I did a 30 mins easy;

1. 5:39
2. 5:37
3. 5:31
4. 6:20 (long hill !)
5. 5:55

Highest HR 178
End HR 171
After 5 mins walk 132

This morning - Saturday,I did the 4k time trial. I found a nice 1km flat circuit.

1. 4:28
2: 4:35
3: 4:50
4: 4:41

Highest HR 185
End HR 185
Average HR 181
After 5 mins walk HR 136
After another 5 mins stretching HR 127

I found the 3rd km quite hard and breathing was heavy, but I'm sure the tight feeling in my chest was just the new HR monitor was too tight !

In the fourth km, thinking I need to slow down a lot I focussed on relaxing my arms, holding them lower and even trying to lengthen my stride by lifting more (instead of the "old-man shuffle") and found my breathing settled a bit and was in tune with my "longer" stride. I felt slightly more comfortable and found myself looking at my watch expecting my heart rate to be off the high - but it was still at 185. I could not have done another k at that effort but an interesting session which makes me think I should concentrate more on my stride and keeping relaxed.
So I await your thoughts and guidance on how to proceed and thanks again for taking me on as your mature student!

[TheEd]

Hi Bentom, thanks for the feedback

you seem to be able to get a decent higher rate for your pulse

for the first cycle we will look at having you on the sub 50 minute 10k program to start and then after 3 weeks we will move you onto the sub 45 minute 10k schedule

we will also work on your form and other aspects as we develop further, we will keep things simple at first without making too many changes will introducing you to the rhythm of the training cycles

next week Tuesday can be Day 1 .. you can run 60 minutes at a relaxed pace, see if you able to keep your pace under 150 bpm .. see if you able to provide us with your pace for your easy run

Thursday is 3 x 2k @ the following pace .. 4.40 to 4.45 per k for 2k = 9.20 to 9.30 with Rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes

please provide feedback

TheEd
ps.. will chat further about your stride etc at a later stage, however for now keep the old man shuffle as it avoids injuries

[Bentom]

hello TheEd,

Today, Tuesday, was my "Day 1" and I ran a 60min relaxed this morning with the aim of keeping my pulse down to 150.

My average pulse was 155 so I did not quite get low enough.
Highest was 163 (a few hills and a bit windy)
My lowest was 145.

I covered 8.40km and my pace was slow at 7:09 min/km.

So I found it very easy and very enjoyable but at times felt very concious of just how SLOOOW I was running in my effort to keep my heart rate down. I think I must be a "high-beater". (or unfit :mad

I'll rest tomorrow, and then looking forward to Thursday when I will do the
3 x 2k session and will report back.

Thank you.

[TheEd]

give it time Bentom ..keeping the tempo down for now will allow for better adaptation which will benefit you after a few cycles

nice going and looking forward to the 2k feedback

TheEd