10k training

rainbow kirby

After thoroughly fecking myself up running a huge marathon PB in Barcelona, I'm planning to try and concentrate on shorter stuff for a while (partly because my shorter distance PBs are looking soft, and partly because shorter, faster running irritates the ITB less than long, slow running). The question came up in my log today as to what training plan I was going to use - and at that stage I realised that I've spent probably the last 2 years either building mileage, trying to maintain fitness while working my butt off trying to finish my masters, or marathon training. I haven't really done much in the way of 10k-specific training at all.

So the question I'm going to put to you all is - what are your recommendations for 10k training? Any particularly good plans out there for 5k-10k distances that I should know about? Lastly, any race recommendations that I may not have thought of?

menoscemo

I would have thought that most advanced 10k plans would include one Interval session (400s-1k) one tempo session ( 2 x 2 miles etc) a few recovery runs and an LSR per week. With that as a general guide you could pretty much build a programme to suit yourself (building up the distance/repeats in the Interval and tempo sessions).

As for races- the BHAA race at the K club looks interesting.

gerard65

There are numerous ways to strangle a cat! Glover, Pfitz and Douglas, go for one fast session per week - lactate or VO2MAX with the rest of the week basic miles. Higdon and Daniels tend to be more quality with 2 or 3 fast sessions per week. It depends on what yanks your chain.
Books:
The competitive runners handbook - Glover.
Road running for serious runners - Pfitz and Douglas.
Daniels running formula - Jack Daniels.
But of course its no good just reading the books - you actually have to do the training:D

RacoonQueen

Way I understand it, there is no better man than Daniels for 10k plans. Just from stuff I've talked to others from here about.

rainbow kirby

gerard65 wrote: »

But of course its no good just reading the books - you actually have to do the training:D

While I'm still out with this injury reading the books is all I can do! Should be cleared to get back on the road next week though.

shels4ever

I'd say that just with your base running from the Marathon you'll run a 10k pb easy in the next 4-6 week, Maybe with jsut some 3,4 mile tempo runs.

BeepBeep67

The basis for 10k training is 1 x tempo run (3 x 10mins, 2 x 15mins for example), 1 X 5k pace reps (at a total effort of 4.8k: 12 x 400 up to 3 x 1mile and any variation in between - taking about half the rep time as the recovery) and 1 long run (25 - 30% of total mileage - hilly every other week).
Doesn't need to be more complicated than that - maybe add some strides at the end of some of your easy runs.

rainbow kirby

shels4ever wrote: »

I'd say that just with your base running from the Marathon you'll run a 10k pb easy in the next 4-6 week, Maybe with jsut some 3,4 mile tempo runs.

My 10k PB is extremely soft (52:22 from the Women's Mini-Marathon last year) - hoping to go sub-50 though in the next few months. Fingers crossed

RayCun

mr slow is lending you P&D, right?
There's basically one faster session each week, either VO2 max or threshold pace. Your other runs in the same pace range, one to two minutes slower than target 10k pace, and usually one of those sessions will include strides.

The structure of the plan works for me, because most of the runs I can do at a steady pace without worrying about the watch. I only have to think about lap distances and precise paces on the weekend run.

shels4ever

rainbow kirby wrote: »

My 10k PB is extremely soft (52:22 from the Women's Mini-Marathon last year) - hoping to go sub-50 though in the next few months. Fingers crossed

sub 50 wont be a problem for you, once your recovered fully from barca maybe run a race to see how you go. Then set yourself a plan to go sub 45

rainbow kirby

shels4ever wrote: »

sub 50 wont be a problem for you, once your recovered fully from barca maybe run a race to see how you go. Then set yourself a plan to go sub 45

At the moment, I'm planning for my first race back to be the Leixlip 5k in early May (aiming for sub-24), or possibly the Sportsworld 5 mile (aiming for sub-40) which I think is a week after that. Looking at possibly targeting Dunshaughlin for a really good crack at my 10k PB, unless I can find a better alternative in June/July.

Sub-45 is a long way off, but would be a nice long-term goal.

Mr Slow

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Sub-45 is a long way off, but would be a nice long-term goal.

It's almost mine!

As I was saying yesterday, once you start the tempo and VO2 max sessions you'll make leaps especially with the base you've built up over the last few years.