10 replies to this topic

[eoin]

Hi all,
I started running in Feb 2012 and am keeping it consistent with the training. So far this year I've got PBs in 5k (21:59), and 10k (45:23). An online running calculator says I can get my HM time down to around 1:40 - 1:41. Apart from my current training (below) can anyone think of any other types of training I can do to achieve/beat this?
Monday: Rest/CT
Tuesday: Speed work (intervals of 200/400/800m repeats)
Wednesday: 8-10k easy run
Thursday: Fartlek - I mix this up and don't do the same session two weeks in a row
Friday: CT/Rest
Saturday 13-15k easy
Sunday 40-45mins easy

I've been targeting 5-10k races (and getting good results) with this training, but I feel it may be a bit too specific. I'll be increasing my Saturday runs steadily. I did a 16 week marathon training plan last year, so distances aren't a big deal, I'll just have to work back up to them.
Current HM PB is 1:45:30 by the way...

TIA,
Eoin

Edited by eoin, 30 June 2012 - 12:02 AM.

[adr1an]

Eoin,

It's just a matter of time for you to go sub 1:45. As your fitness improved you'll be able to knock it over.

Main thing I think is to get your long run up to 20-25km.

[mytym]

Given those 5k & 10k times and the amount of k's you cover each week, you can easily go under 1.40.  Next Saturday run the 15km easy run a bit harder and see if you get under 70min.  If you do, which I suspect you will, the following Saturday go for the 21km and I reckon you'll break it.  Good luck!

[eoin]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. Got another PB over the weekend, a hilly 8k in 36:47. That's 6 PBs this year :-)

[Sunset]

I recently managed to scrape under 1.45 for a half.  The main thing I did different to previous years is to run longer.   Instead of capping out with a once-off 18km, I did 3 x 22km runs.  They weren't fast though - 5.30-5.40 pace.
I think the speed came from intervals sessions once or twice a week.

So perhaps get your weekly long run up there.

[NKOTB]

Sunset, on 06 July 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

.... The main thing I did different to previous years is to run longer.   Instead of capping out with a once-off 18km, I did 3 x 22km runs.  They weren't fast though - 5.30-5.40 pace.
So perhaps get your weekly long run up there.

Great advise, I ran my best HM time in my lead up to marathon. The long slow runs of 24-32km really improve my endurance.

New_Kid

[SpecBGT]

I have not done any dedicated speed work. My longest training run before my first HM was 20 km. It is now 24 km but I am running it regularly with a 12-16km run during the week. I did 1:55:xx at Melbourne last year and 1:38 at GC last week. With endurance your time will decrease. I am now concentrating on getting my 10km time. I think that I have plucked the low hanging fruit so to speak as far as getting a better HM time is concerned. Now I'll going to have to put in the hard yards.

[HillsAths1]

Eoin I do pretty similar training to you I very rarely do runs longer that 16km(I have done two this year) and I have managed to do a 1.31.54 last week at the Gold Coast. But I run an extra run a week as well as having a race just about every Saturday afternoon.

Yes longer runs are useful, but I think your current focus on getting your shorter times down will pay dividends.

If you are able to run quiick it is easy to slow down and run further, too much emphasis on long slow runs will give you endurance but will make you a slow log runner.

One of the things that I find useful in training is that on my runs I try and run the last 3 to 4 kms at a quicker pace than the rest of the run.

Perhaps add another run to the week in place of one of your rest days and I think you will find that

[eoin]

Thanks guys, all of my non-speed work is done using HR training and I've see my pace at these come down from around 6:20 to a tad under 5:00 while my HR is still at 145-148, so I think that's a big help too. I'll keep up with the intervals/speed sessions but add a bit to my weekend run. I also have a 16k race coming up at the end of August with the next HM a month after, so that will be a good indicator as to my ability to crack the time.
BTW, I got another 5k PB on Wednesday - 21:48
Thanks.

[CanadiangirlinOz]

You should have no problems cracking a 1:45 and in fact you should crack the 1:40 half with no problems.  I am currently training for the Brisbane full so have done a few long runs but then I did a 5km race in 22:05, tapered for a week and did GC half in 1:39:21.  Probably having a couple of 30km+ runs in there helped but they were slow.  Besides your intervals (which are reasonably short) I'd include some tempo's or more 5 & 10km races (although it looks like you already are)

[Fenno70]

I just did one in just under 1.40. I started off at about 5min pace and by the 10km I was doing about 4.40 pace - in the last 5 km I got it down to 4.30. My training involved 2 quickish 12km runs per week (4.40 pace) and every 2nd week I did a long run building from 15km to 18km then 21km (did 21km distance twice before the race). In the week before I did two easy 10km runs and rested 4 days before the race. Important to hydrate leading up to the race and refuel during the race at about 10km and 16km with a carb bar or gel (and drink at all the water stops of course). In training I found that if I didn't refuel I would fade out very quickly at around 15km.