10k training - how fast can i get in 5 months?

[sirchimp]

Did my pre-race fartlek session. 30 min easy running + 6x(1race + 1easy)...

So i ran out 5km at 10kph roughly, and then ramped up the treadmill to 15.7kph (3:49 pace) started my timer, ran for 60s, hit the lap button, then slowed it down...at about 50s into the rest, ramped it back up so i was at about 60s at full speed, and hit the lap again...repeat. So no ramp up/down times...its all in my rest period.

Then finished it off by running at an easy pace to round up to the next km...:

Tread Mill - 1%
km | time | avg HR | max HR
1 | 6:22.7 | 114 | 125
2 | 5:56.9 | 125 | 128
3 | 5:57.8 | 127 | 129
4 | 6:14.8 | 128 | 131
5 | 5:53.7 | 129 | 136

I | Time | AHR | MHR | Rest | HRrestEnd
1 | 61.3 | 147 | 153 | 59.1 | 151
2 | 59.7 | 154 | 157 | 61.8 | 151
3 | 60.1 | 155 | 159 | 62.9 | 150
4 | 60.0 | 156 | 160 | 61.5 | 154
5 | 59.6 | 158 | 161 | 61.4 | 155
6 | 60.5 | 158 | 162 | 63.3 | 154

X | 1:47.0 | 146 | 154 -> finish 8th km

Total: 44:24.1
134/163 AHR/MHR
Cal:496


Tomorrow is a rest day...then my time trial..going to do 5k at the gym/treadmill i think...for comparative purposes. Aiming for 3:49/km pace for the first 3 km...and then up it from there and hopefully fall in under 19min...That might be a bit of a lofty goal...we will have to see. There is a chance i'll change my mind and head to the track to do a 5k in the real world...

[sirchimp]

Goal was to do a 5k time trial...but at about 3.5km i wussed out and sped up with the goal to finish at 4km...:

Tread Mill - 1%
km | time | avg HR | max HR
1 | 3:48.7 | 152 | 164
2 | 3:50.1 | 167 | 170
3 | 3:48.8 | 173 | 176
4 | 3:43.7 | 179 | 181*
Total: 15:11.3
167/181 AHR/MHR
* mid way decided to end @ 4km and sped up a bit knowing i'd be done at 4...

Overall not bad, though my pacing strategy and knowing what i'm capable of could use some work. I blame my lack of coffee prior to running

I think i came out a bit too fast...in part i blame my 400m track session for making me think i'm faster than i am...Either its a perception problem - since the 400m session is at a much faster pace and for short bursts, i got the feeling i could run this 5k faster than i really could. OR....the treadmill 1% is actually harder than running on the ground. I'm going start a separate thread on that..

Anyway...do a few recovery runs, and then start the cycle over again...my goal for the first 2k session will be to start at 4:00/km and try and up it from there (previous session i started at 4:05...)

Regards...

[TheEd]

and this is the fastest you have run for the 4k time-trial?

TheEd

[sirchimp]

Yeah, though as i noted, i intended to do a 5k run...but at about 3.5km figured i didn't have the gas to keep going for 1.5 more..so finished at 4...

not good. I haven't actually set out to run a 4k for a long time. Last 4k i did was also planned to be a 5k, but i gave up at 4.... a little overly optimistic with my starting pace...

[TheEd]

Though the 4k time on each occasion is the fastest you have run though?

take the positives out of it and start off slower in future ..

if you want to know more or less what you can run for 5k currently then take the 6 x 1k session .. get the average 1k pace x 5 for 5k time and add a max of 25 seconds

you should be around that for 5k, on any 'good' day it would also be possible to go faster

TheEd
ps.. only saw your pic of the area of pain, it must be noted the plantar fascia runs along the length of the foot and attaches into the heel .. you need to determine that the injury is not in fact plantar fasciitis and then work from there .. then we may establish various aspects as to whether your 2nd toe is longer than your big toe etc .. not seeing the foot or the area of injury does make diagnosis and treatment that much more difficult .. ICE treatment is generally a good and simple to start with

[sirchimp]

Yeah..this 4k is much faster than any previous 4k...the previous best was 15:59....so this is a significant improvement. Agreed, just need to start slower...or get tougher

Using your calculation, my previous 6k session 5k average pace was: 3:45/km...so x5 + 25s == 3:50/km...or 19:10. I was just going a tad faster than that pace...Though, i'm suspicious of the ease of that session...we'll see on this new cycle, i'll use the track for my intervals where possible. Looking forward to the 2k session actually....

I'm still enjoying the self competition...trying to crack my previous cycle's best times, or even the individual easy sessions...looking for improvement in pace:HR ratio...

As for the foot...it hasn't been bothering me...i'll keep you posted if the pain returns.

[TheEd]

boy you hard to please 15:59 to 15:11



at least you know that was accurate, yes

enjoy the weekend

TheEd

[sirchimp]

Hehe...yeah...i should go easier on myself. I am guess part of the problem is i don't know what to expect in terms of how fast should i be able to improve...and what my ultimate upper limit (quickest time) will be for a particular distance...like the 5k or 10k.

Can I eventually get the 10k down to 38minutes? 35? 33? Likewise with the 5k...can i eventually get down to 18min? 17? 16...?

It would be interesting if there was some sort of simple fitness test to make that sort of determination.

I realize with my advancing age (hehe) that my upper limit/potential is slowly dropping...however, since i'm obviously not at my potential, i've been able to improve. I just wonder how quickly i can get to my absolute potential...or within some reasonable % of it.

I suppose thats not a simple question either...as it depends how far i'm willing to go on both training, and body composition changes (ie if i lost another 20-30lbs it might make a huge difference, but i'm not sure i want to go that low on the body weight)....

Also difficult as its impossible (I assume) to know you've actually reached your potential...

[sirchimp]

The recipe called for 30-60 min of easy running today...I opted to go with an even 10k:

Tread Mill - 1%
km | time | avg HR | max HR
1 | 6:21.5 | 106 | 124
2 | 5:10.3 | 128 | 133
3 | 5:10.0 | 132 | 135
4 | 5:09.7 | 135 | 136
5 | 5:10.9 | 136 | 138
6 | 5:13.8 | 139 | 141
7 | 5:12.9 | 141 | 143
8 | 5:31.8 | 140 | 143
9 | 5:35.7 | 140 | 143
10 | 5:43.3 | 139 | 143
Total: 54:19.9
133/143 AHR/MHR

This is one of my fastest 10k times yet (for an easy run, keeping my pulse at or below 140)....So the progress continues in some form...

[sirchimp]

Last day of the last cycle, and first day of the next cycle:

Easy 30min - turned into a fairly quick 6k...but kept the pulse below 140...

Treadmill 1%
KM | Time | AHR | MHR
1 | 6:05.0 | 113 | 127
2 | 5:00.2 | 134 | 138
3 | 4:59.7 | 138 | 140
4 | 5:06.7 | 140 | 143
5 | 5:19.0 | 139 | 141
6 | 5:25.7 | 140 | 143
Total: 31:56.3
133/143 AHR/MHR

Day 1 - Easy 60-70min -> turned into a quick 13k:

Tread Mill - 1%
km | time | avg HR | max HR
1 | 6:05.1 | 112 | 124
2 | 5:13.0 | 128 | 131
3 | 5:12.1 | 129 | 132
4 | 5:13.0 | 131 | 133
5 | 5:12.5 | 134 | 136
6 | 5:12.9 | 135 | 138
7 | 5:42.2 | 135 | 140 *TM stopped
8 | 5:12.9 | 140 | 141
9 | 5:12.7 | 140 | 143
10| 5:12.8 | 140 | 143
11| 5:19.8 | 141 | 143
12| 5:22.0 | 140 | 142
13| 5:28.9 | 140 | 142
Total: 1:09:40
134/143 AHR/MHR

I'm really surprised how much faster i'm able to run with the pulse staying below 140...! Back in mid november, my longish 60min runs started out with my pulse being at 140 after about 3km at 6:00 pace...As you can see above, i was able to run 10k at 5:13 pace before i needed to bump the speed down a notch...

I assume these gains will be linear indefinitely? I'll be running a 25minute 10k @ a pulse of 140 in 12 months...yeah?

So I have exactly 49 days (including today) until my first real race ($'s on the line . I'm thinking i'll just stick with the program as is. I may miss a few days yet, bumping things back. When I'm within 3 weeks of the race, I'll see where I am on the program and see what adjustments need to be made.