Next step after 10km

shayno90

I am wondering what is the next step after reaching 10k level or what is the next milestone distance wise to train for. Run on average 05.37/km for a 10k and ran 13k for the first time a few weeks ago at 06.18/km which is quite slower.

Ideally I would like to do a 10k in a quicker time and then increase the distance. Should I begin by adding a km or 2 every week or 2 to my run.
Using the couch to 5k app to track the runs.

So my questions are :
what is the next target after 10k?
how to improve overall speed for 10k?
what is another app to use to record your run? (plus train you for longer distances)

LCD

I would concentrate on getting faster at 10km. A few years of training fast, & then go longer. Running isn't all about going long, fast is also good (or run a sub 2:05 marathon, fast & long).

Running clubs are always good places to go for help with training & will give you tons of training ideas.

Krusty_Clown

Targeting a fast 5k is a good way to improve your speed, which you can carry into your 10k races. At the same time, it's a good idea to have a long run once a week, so perhaps build up gradually to a 16k long run. If you're not following a training plan, you will realize great benefits and improvements from following one.

shayno90

Ideally I would follow a training plan, especially for an app for doing more than 10k. If there is one, please let me know.

I run 10k once a week but can't seem to improve my average pace, although the route I run has around 3km of a gradual hill climb for the first 5k which tends to increase the fatigue and then have to try to recover upon the descent. I usually try to push myself for the last km.

A running club might be a good idea but I find it better to train alone so as to stay at your own pace.

I was thinking of aiming for 15k, for the moment and increase again once comfortable with it.

Pisco Sour

I say this everytime one of these threads pop up, but get away from the thinking of "do a 5k, then a 10k, now a Half, followed by a marathon".

The target is whatever you want it to be. Maybe your next target could be to finish a half marathon. Or maybe your goal could be to actually improve your 10km time. Or maybe your aim could be to actually decrease the distance and try to run a fast 5km, or even a mile.

There's no set answer. Sorry.

Best of luck anyway.

menoscemo

04072511 wrote: »

I say this everytime one of these threads pop up, but get away from the thinking of "do a 5k, then a 10k, now a Half, followed by a marathon".

The target is whatever you want it to be. Maybe your next target could be to finish a half marathon. Or maybe your goal could be to actually improve your 10km time. Or maybe your aim could be to actually decrease the distance and try to run a fast 5km, or even a mile.

Yeah but in order to do a really fast 5k (or Mile) the OP will benefit from running more than 10k (as an LSR) at least once a week.

It is not necessary to progress from 10ks to racing 10 milers ->Half Marathons ->Marathons, but it is necessary to train at distances over 10k in order to maximise potential at the shorter distances.

spurscormac

04072511 wrote: »

I say this everytime one of these threads pop up, but get away from the thinking of "do a 5k, then a 10k, now a Half, followed by a marathon".

The target is whatever you want it to be. Maybe your next target could be to finish a half marathon. Or maybe your goal could be to actually improve your 10km time. Or maybe your aim could be to actually decrease the distance and try to run a fast 5km, or even a mile.

There's no set answer. Sorry.

Best of luck anyway.

+1
I think people should concentrate on getting towards a good individual level (will vary for everyone) at lower distances before going long - unless of course you find you have awesome stamina & can keep the same pace forever.

My goal this year was to complete my first half marathon & hopefully go sub 1'40.
Finished my first, but didn't hit the goal time (it was connemara on a scorching day), so that will have to wait until later this year.

For now its a goal of sub 20 5k, which I may have made had I not missed the first two Galway series races.
Will be a tough ask now, but I'll be looking around for more 5k races to see if I can get that extra 27 secs off.

I have no interest in going long to a full marathon until I hit my goals for 5/8/10k & half marathon first.

I'll just look around at whats coming up after the 5k series & see if I can plot something for the rest of the summer.

I also have ideas of individual events that I'd like to do, non standard races and such, so try to fit them in where possible, but with just a rough time goal.

Do whatever takes your fancy and enjoy it.

Pisco Sour

menoscemo wrote: »

Yeah but in order to do a really fast 5k (or Mile) the OP will benefit from running more than 10k (as an LSR) at least once a week.

It is not necessary to progress from 10ks to racing 10 milers ->Half Marathons ->Marathons, but it is necessary to train at distances over 10k in order to maximise potential at the shorter distances.

Training is one thing, and the long runs will be needed regardless of the distance (well from 800m and up) but this whole "I've done a 10k now, what can I do next" lark I dont agree with. Get faster rather than go longer. If you can go faster AND longer then good work, but if you are a beginner then that wont happen. It will be one or the other and I would recommend going faster instead of going longer.

menoscemo

04072511 wrote: »

Training is one thing, and the long runs will be needed regardless of the distance (well from 800m and up) but this whole "I've done a 10k now, what can I do next" lark I dont agree with. Get faster rather than go longer. If you can go faster AND longer then good work, but if you are a beginner then that wont happen. It will be one or the other and I would recommend going faster instead of going longer.

I agree with you but if you put yourself in a newbies shoes, having just completed running a 10k, you telling him/her to go shorter doesn't mean much and it sounds like you are saying 'run less'.

OP in order to get faster at any distance from 800m up you need to simply run more. Mix the pace of your runs between short interval runs, tempos and long slow runs, short easy runs etc.
You can build up the distance of your long runs by a KM or two every week, but also consider running more often. If you run 3 times a week, consider adding in a 4th day etc.
It is not necessary to progress to racing longer distances than 10k in the short term but it is necessary to build up on the miles (or KMs) you cover each week.

shayno90

So it is best to run a shorter distance 3-4 times a week and run a bit quicker for each run.

I guess stamina is the next issue, as it takes a 2-3 days for legs to recover after a weekly 10k run.

So for shorter distance, a day's break is enough I guess?

What online running plans or apps do you use? Also, tips for improving stamina would be great!

huskerdu

if you are increasing your mileage and increasing the number of runs you do every week, don't try to increase the speed of the shorter runs for the moment.

Give your body a chance to get used to the increased mileage first.
The increased mileage will improve your strength and you will see this reflected in an ability to run faster anyway.

menoscemo

shayno90 wrote: »

So it is best to run a shorter distance 3-4 times a week and run a bit quicker for each run.
No, that's not the case at all although I can understand where you get that idea from listening to Mr. Numbers

I guess stamina is the next issue, as it takes a 2-3 days for legs to recover after a weekly 10k run.
If it takes 2-3 days to recover it is likely you are just runnng them too fast or 'racing them' Anybody, even the most experienced runner on this forum will take several days to recover from a 10k race

So for shorter distance, a day's break is enough I guess?

Ideally you should run every day evn if it is just for 20 minutes, however you need to build up to this. You also need to learn to run most of your runs slowly. You will build up your endurance and improve your speed by simply running more but in order to run more you need to run sensibly.

What online running plans or apps do you use? Also, tips for improving stamina would be great!
The hal Higdon plans are popular around here. If it is a 10k plan you are after try the intermediate one as the novice one is designed for people who plan to just build up to covering the distance and you are past that stage already. Have a look at this: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51123/10-K-Training-Guide-Intermedite-Program
Read carefully the text which explains each type of run and understand the purpose of each run before you do it.

Answers in red, best of luck.

ahnowbrowncow

menoscemo wrote: »

Answers in red, best of luck.

"85x 400 5-K pace" 4 days before a 10k race seems a bit excessive?

Clearlier

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

"85x 400 5-K pace" 4 days before a 10k race seems a bit excessive?

Laughed at that one! I think you'll find that it's 5 * 400 @ 5k pace - is there something wrong with your browser? That session is fine in the context of that plan.

shayno - You want to find out what the next step is. If I'm reading it correctly you want to get better. The way to do that is to increase your training load. It's possible to increase training loads by volume or intensity. It's rarely if ever a good idea to do both at the same time.

If you're looking at 10k races and beyond then there's absolutely no question but that volume is predominantly the way to go. It will take time and patience but you'll get much better results than if you just go after intensity.

At this stage measure the distance you travel if you like but your main concern needs to be time on your feet and effort. You want to vary the effort from run to run during the week e.g. Saturday harder than Tuesday but you want your Tuesday run to be at the same effort level each week.

What you'll find is that after 6 - 8 weeks you will, for the same effort levels, over a longer period of time, be travelling faster. This does not mean that you've increased your intensity but that you've become a fitter runner.

Two common rules of thumb that are worth your while following until you know what your body can handle are

1. increase your time spent running by no more than 10% per week
2. take an easy week every 4th week

For the easy week don't change the intensity just drop the time spent running on all of your runs by about 10%. The point of those two rules is to prevent injuries. Nothing but nothing beats consistent running over time. You can't get that consistency if you're pushing too hard and keep getting injured.



Conventional wisdom is that you shouldn't really race when doing this kind of training. I think that if you feel the desire to run a race then you should just do one. In the end we run because we enjoy it. If you enjoy racing then you should race. That said your progress will be stymied if you race every week so maybe every 4th week possibly to conincide with your down week.

shayno90

Ok, I will try do an extra run or 2 during the week , 5k maybe for both. Something like, 10k on a Monday, 5k on a Wednesday and 5k on a Saturday. I am taking into account that playing astro football on a Thursday should fit into this pattern

shayno90

Just thought I would update this now.

Using the Hal Hidgon half marathon app and ran 12 miles yesterday.

So should be ready for the Phoenix Park half marathon next week.

Are you race packs collected on the day and what time?

RayCun

Race packs are posted out to you, have a look at the thread here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056645731