Improving my 10k time

rainbow kirby

So... it's about 7 weeks to the Great Ireland run, and I'm really hoping to shave a good chunk off my 10k time - more to the point, I need to take exactly 6 minutes off my previous best of 1.05.59!

My question for today is what would be the best way to train for this, bearing in mind that I'm pretty busy with college at the moment (last semester of 4th year). I'm currently running about 4 times a week, 3 shorter runs of 3-5 miles and one longer run of 5+ miles, with the shorter runs at about 10 min/mile pace and the longer run at just outside 11min/mile pace. I've been looking at the Hal Higdon intermediate plan, as it was suggested to me on my log, but I'm not sure if I'm quite on the level of running 6 days a week or doing an awful lot of speedwork.

So - any suggestions?

cfitz

Well if you're able to run 5 miles in 50 minutes in training without killing yourself, you should have no problem going under the hour for 10km in a race.

Move up to 5 days a week if possible. Do something like this:

Day 1: 4 miles
Day 2: 5 miles
Day 3: REST
Day 4: 10 min warm up, 15-25 min fairly hard ,10 min warm down
Day 5: 3 miles
Day 6: REST
Day 7: 6-7 miles

911sc

Try doing more anaerobic training.
Something like 15-20min warm up (cardio zone Z2 or Z3), then say 4 repeats of [1.5min cardio Z5 + 1min cardio Z3 (recovery very slow jog or even walk if required)] + 10min cool down in Z2.
Overtime increase the number of repeats and the duration in Z5.

shels4ever

Yep i'd go with cfitz there sounds like a good plan with the time you have. I followed something like that last year when i started and took my 10k time from 63 to 54 in about 12 weeks.

My feet hurt

i wouldnt think there is any need for you to increase the days that you are training for the Bupa run. Id would feel that if you kept your 4 days a week but increase the pace you run but not by much!

2x 3-5mile runs @ 9-9.30pace
1x 3-5mile run @ 10-11pace
1x 5mile+ @ 10min10-30 pace

your body will respnd to the extra stress level without increasing the quantity of your running.

you'll run easily under the hour as said above.

Slogger Jogger

I'd 6 weeks to prepare for the Aware 10k in December and I followed the Hal Higdon programme and it worked for me to get a PB. I'd recommend it. It mixes all the elements you need to get that time down.