The Best 10k workouts - by Greg Mcmillan

Laois_Man

Itziger wrote: »

Interesting, you don't have access to a track, no? The Gaa pitch wouldn't be the worse option I suppose - what's the ground like these days? Giving yourself a week in hand isn't a bad idea, especially if you struggle at a session and feel you have to repeat it rather than move onto the next week. Otherwise I would try to stick to the plan (!).

Be interesting to see how it goes...... G'luck!

I have access to a track that's good for nothing more than 120 meter strides. That's about the length of it. There's another one in a local athletics club but it's not a real athletics track. So the GAA pitch will have to do. It's 2 pitches end-on-end and aye, I did discover to my cost last night that there is a bit of water logging in one patch of it

So I obliviously did the 6x1K session last night anyway - and got soaked - but really enjoyed it.

I found the first couple of reps most difficult. Is that unusual? Dunno. I suspect I'll say different when I do the same session in 2 weeks time in miles rather than kilometers.

There was a couple of problems. It was a fairly late session. I ran about 1.5 miles to the GAA club as my warm-up. By the time I got there it was 9:20pm and the GAA players were winding down their training. I managed to get 3x1K done before they turned the floodlights off on me. Feckers :mad:. So I had to do the second half of the session on the road.

The other problem is I am absolutely brutal at judging my pace. The intention was to do each Kilometer in 4:48....which happened to be exactly the average pace overall. But the splits show that individually, I was all over the place - going 23 seconds too slow one minutes and 24 seconds too fast in the very next repeat

I also did 3 minute recovery between each repeat which I think was over generous. I stuck to that anyway, even though I think I'd have managed 2 minutes just the same.

Splits: 4:34, 4:41, 5:11, 4:24, 4:48, 5:09. (was just getting the hang of the pace when having to run through a couple of busy junctions in the last Kilometer threw me off my rhythm) :rolleyes:

Will have to get there earlier in 2 weeks or find somewhere better.

Finnt

I going to follow this for the next 8 weeks, coming off the back of a 19:24 5k ( course was short it was closer to 3 miles) what should I aim for in the 10k? Sub 42?

Itziger

Finnt wrote: »

I going to follow this for the next 8 weeks, coming off the back of a 19:24 5k ( course was short it was closer to 3 miles) what should I aim for in the 10k? Sub 42?

If you figure out what your real 5k time is - must be very close to 20 flat - then take it from there. Also, see how the first couple of weeks go. If you find it easy to hit the pace in training then you could readjust and go a little more aggressive.

Sub 42 sounds relatively soft. Go for it and best of luck. What type of Long Run are you planning?

Finnt

Cheers itz,
I reckon I'll do lsr's upto 15-16 miles, I'm going to do the first session tomorrow so see how it goes before I nail down a definite goal, any other advice?

Itziger

Finnt wrote: »

Cheers itz,
I reckon I'll do lsr's upto 15-16 miles, I'm going to do the first session tomorrow so see how it goes before I nail down a definite goal, any other advice?

Man, I'm fairly inexperienced so run anything I say past a coach if you can, but I think there's a thin line between LSR's that are too long and leave you tired for the Q (as it were) session(s).

I think 12 to 13 miles with maybe one or two longer should be fine. Maybe also make one or two of the LSRs a bit more testing - ya know chuck in a couple of HM or even 10k pace kms/miles in the second half of a few but definitely keep them easy for the most part.

Itziger

Any updates from people doing this? (I have a bit of time on my hands!)

corny

Itziger wrote: »

Any updates from people doing this? (I have a bit of time on my hands!)

Bit like the question Finnt had. I'm gonna start in 2 or 3 weeks when (like the confidence!) i crack sub 20 for 5K. I was thinking of going straight into this program and aiming for sub 40 for 10K. Same pace and all. Do you think thats doable?

Itziger

Corny, without knowing a thing about your running, history, training, preference for long or short and so on, it's very hard to answer. Anyone who runs a 5k at their absolute best and finishes in 19.59 would be doing very well to double the time and distance. It doesn't normally work like that. Now if you do 19.40 and finish relatively comfortably..........

Finnt

I'm on week 4 3mile tempo/5k race this week, I can't find a 5 k local which is a bit of a pity, have gone to 12 miles on the lsr. Probably go to 14 but not any further.
The 12x400 was the hardest session so far I think.

Finnt

Just wondering itz which session did you find the hardest?

Itziger

Finnt wrote: »

Just wondering itz which session did you find the hardest?

Don't know if I can quite remember but I think the first one and the last one were always tough. I usually had to start with something leading into the 6x1 mile session. I've posted here that I do a 6x1k before the mile version.

I like the idea of any workout where you start with the longer and end with the shorter. So the 2x2 mile + 2x1 mile - is that even one of the sessions??! - is mentally so much easier than the 3x2mile.

Finnt

I know what you mean about some of the sessions being mentally easier, I found the 6X1mile pretty tough at mile 4 and 5.
Did you do all the session on the flat?

skeleton_boy

Itziger wrote: »

Any updates from people doing this? (I have a bit of time on my hands!)

I completed the plan recently. Missed out on my target (36:59) by 28 sec. Met the targets in all the training sessions but it just wasn't there (or all that close) on the day. I had a 17:55 5K in the build up which suggests the 10K target may have been there on another day. I enjoyed the cycle and feel it brought me on a good bit going into marathon training.

LUPE

Would anyone suggest an alternative for half marathon? 3x4, 6x2?

Itziger

skeleton_boy wrote: »

I completed the plan recently. Missed out on my target (36:59) by 28 sec. Met the targets in all the training sessions but it just wasn't there (or all that close) on the day. I had a 17:55 5K in the build up which suggests the 10K target may have been there on another day. I enjoyed the cycle and feel it brought me on a good bit going into marathon training.

Very similar to me then Skeleton. But I got a lot nearer it a week later with 37.07. I recommend this 2 (or maybe even 3) race strategy. It's a distance you can have another go at almost immediately with few or no ill effects.

Itziger

Finnt wrote: »

I know what you mean about some of the sessions being mentally easier, I found the 6X1mile pretty tough at mile 4 and 5.
Did you do all the session on the flat?

Yeah, FinnT, almost all on the flat.

I always find the second last rep the toughest!

skeleton_boy

Itziger wrote: »

Very similar to me then Skeleton. But I got a lot nearer it a week later with 37.07. I recommend this 2 (or maybe even 3) race strategy. It's a distance you can have another go at almost immediately with few or no ill effects.

Next time I train specifically for the shorter stuff that'll be my plan. Didn't really have time for one this time round as I wanted to get straight into marathon training.

Finnt

I've been following this plan I'm in the end of week 5, but I've to take a week off on advice from the physio I've picked up a calf strain.
Should I just pick up the plan at the start of week 7 and run the goal race?
Or take an easy week then restart the whole plan?
I was hoping to hit sub 41min and I'm doing about 40 miles a week

SamforMayo

Finnt wrote: »

I've been following this plan I'm in the end of week 5, but I've to take a week off on advice from the physio I've picked up a calf strain.
Should I just pick up the plan at the start of week 7 and run the goal race?
Or take an easy week then restart the whole plan?
I was hoping to hit sub 41min and I'm doing about 40 miles a week

Hi Finnt , sorry to hear of your injury. I'm starting this next week but will try the 6x 1 km this week to easy myself in. Now I'm off to re read your log and see how much I can copy for a plan

Itziger

Finnt wrote: »

I've been following this plan I'm in the end of week 5, but I've to take a week off on advice from the physio I've picked up a calf strain.
Should I just pick up the plan at the start of week 7 and run the goal race?
Or take an easy week then restart the whole plan?
I was hoping to hit sub 41min and I'm doing about 40 miles a week

Finnt, very hard for anyone of us to say. Take the week off as advised though. See where you are after that. Do a few easy runs and if the calf is ok do a medium/hard session. Unless you're completely happy with it I wouldn't really push the first quality workout.

Good luck.

Finnt

SamforMayo wrote: »

Hi Finnt , sorry to hear of your injury. I'm starting this next week but will try the 6x 1 km this week to easy myself in. Now I'm off to re read your log and see how much I can copy for a plan

The first thing I'd say is don't follow too much of my log!! The long run should be longer I've been working 6 days a week this last couple of months and it's made it hard to get a good long run in,
I know I'm going against the grain here but, I don't see the point of doing 6x1k.
I found the 6x1mile the toughest session. I think you'd only be making it harder mentally, no doubting 6x1k will be hard but going into 6x1mile knowing it's going to be tougher mighten't be great for your confidence. I could be totally wrong tho.
Also as the first post says don't try beat the session,

SamforMayo

Finnt wrote: »

The first thing I'd say is don't follow too much of my log!! The long run should be longer I've been working 6 days a week this last couple of months and it's made it hard to get a good long run in,
I know I'm going against the grain here but, I don't see the point of doing 6x1k.
I found the 6x1mile the toughest session. I think you'd only be making it harder mentally, no doubting 6x1k will be hard but going into 6x1mile knowing it's going to be tougher mighten't be great for your confidence. I could be totally wrong tho.
Also as the first post says don't try beat the session,

Thanks Finnt, I did the 6x1 km this morning and I reckon I will have to delay the start of the plan til I get general mileage and fitness up:( Will fill in the details on my log.

Finnt

corny wrote: »

Bit like the question Finnt had. I'm gonna start in 2 or 3 weeks when (like the confidence!) i crack sub 20 for 5K. I was thinking of going straight into this program and aiming for sub 40 for 10K. Same pace and all. Do you think thats doable?

Hi, how're you getting on? Did you start the plan?

Casey78

Hi all.
Hoping to start this training program soon.
I'm hoping to get a PB of 47mins for the 10k from this.
I understand the gist of the workouts but I'm looking for advice on what I should do the rest of the week.
I was thinking a lsr,a couple of easy short runs and 1 tempo run plus the mcmillian workout each week.
Does something like that sound ok or should I be doing something different?
I'm a relativity new runner so any advice would be great.
My current PB for 10k is 50'14.

pointer28

Is you read the full OP it will give you suggestion at the bottom of the post. Only do the 10k sessions every 2nd week as they're tough.

Other than that you sound like you're on the right track or thereabouts.

Itziger

Thinking of having another lash off this. Two 10k races in mid March to aim at. Be nice to have one or two virtual buddies too.

Anyone??

RacoonQueen

Itziger wrote: »

Thinking of having another lash off this. Two 10k races in mid March to aim at. Be nice to have one or two virtual buddies too.

Anyone??

Which races are you looking at?
Doesn't suit me now but be something to look at after Rotterdam, they say there's no better time to get a 10k pb after all.

Itziger

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Which races are you looking at?
Doesn't suit me now but be something to look at after Rotterdam, they say there's no better time to get a 10k pb after all.

Well, you probably won't know them RQ. The Postlaf is the first, did it 4 or 5 times already. Fine race but with a little hill around km 7 . The other one's a flat course I set the pb (37.07) on two years ago in Diekirch. There's a week between 'em so the idea is to try to give as much as possible in the first rather than thinking, ah, sure I have another easier race next week to fall back on.

I'm rethinking Spring marathon plans this year and may stay short, hence the interest in the plan.

As for the 'no better time to get a 10k pb', yeah, I kinda go along with that but you have to listen to the body and get the timing right. If Rotterdam takes a lot out of you, rest up for a bit and a few weeks later go for that 10k!

seanin4711

anyone got a copy of the original?
thanks
j

RacoonQueen

Think this is it
https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/articlePages/article/id/39/showVideo/1#article39