The Best 10k workouts - by Greg Mcmillan

Cartman78 wrote: »

Will give the 3 x 2 Mile a lash today I think

Actually what's the recommended interval period for the 3 x 2 Mile workout?

I'm guessing 2 mins minimum

adrian522 wrote: »

5 mins recovery jog, it's in the very first post.

D'oh.....dunno how i missed that...thanks for clarifying

Be careful of just throwing in the 3 x 2M session 1 - 2 weeks from a 10k if it hasn't been part of the McMillan build up or something similar, you could leave yourself overstressed with inadequate recovery in time for your race.

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I did 1/2 mile recovery for the 3x2 mile session. Don't stick to the plan rigidly. Pull out what you need and modify the recoveries if it suits you better. I would have jogged the 1/2 mile recovery slowly so upto 5 minutes wouldn't be an issue.

Well edited!! I was going to say, That must be an error obviously. Completely contradicts the advice in the body of the text. Besides being impossible to do!!

3x2 miles @ 5k pace....... with 200m jog rec.

Mo, fancy a session?

I did another one of the workouts he recommends to supplement the training for the 10k race - 10x400m with 400m recovery.

I had to do this along a road as my normal route was full of buggies and kids on scooters.

It went well. Around 5.45 mile pace (6.20 mile pace was my 10k pace in last race ).It's the first interval stuff I have done in a month. But the consistent easy running I have done over the last month served me well in getting it done.

I have no target race at the moment as not always getting a full sleep at night with kid's feeds etc. so I will see. But I think these workouts will definitely aid me and if I feel good in the next month or so I might try a 5k/10k race.

Elemonator wrote: »

Anyone here ever tried using kettle bells? I'm by no means a long distance runner but I found they helped massively for my cardio endurance.

Hope this helps.

That's a bit vague, what are u going with them, how long, how heavy?

Kohen Clever Tanner wrote: »

Hands up!!

Building to a 10km in April, loosely using a simple HH plan. The plan calls for intervals every second week, alternating with tempo runs, so this 8 week build seemed to fit nicely in its place.

Background is a 41:XX pb, and hoping to go sub 40 a goal sub 41 b goal.

Week 1 (banged in 1600m to the Garmin, no way my mind could deal with a 1610m repeat!).
Paces:
1. 03:54
2. 03:53
3. 03:57
4. 03:55
5. 04:00
6. 04:00

Really struggled on the final 2. These sessions are going to be tough!! Held back on the first 2, not trying to "beat" the 10km pace as noted.

Difficult to know your paces as most people work in miles.

But is that an average of 4 min/km for each 1600m? If it is that should see you go sub 40.

Fairly consistent work. I'd be confident you'll go sub 40

ariana` wrote: »

Are there any equivalent key workouts to build up to a 5k? Or could one adapt these works by halving the distances?

For a 5k equivalent, you could do something like
10 x 400 @ 5k pace
8 x 600 @ 5k pace
6 x 800 @ 5k pace
5 x 1k @ 5k pace
4 x 1200 @ 5k pace
3 x 1600 @ 5k pace

and alternate those with tempo runs
10 minute tempo
15 minute tempo
10 + 10 tempos with 5 minutes easy in between
20 minute tempo (repeat from then on)

RayCun wrote: »

For a 5k equivalent, you could do something like
10 x 400 @ 5k pace
8 x 600 @ 5k pace
6 x 800 @ 5k pace
5 x 1k @ 5k pace
4 x 1200 @ 5k pace
3 x 1600 @ 5k pace

and alternate those with tempo runs
10 minute tempo
15 minute tempo
10 + 10 tempos with 5 minutes easy in between
20 minute tempo (repeat from then on)

Thanks I'll give those a go. It's probably better placed in random questions but if 7:55-8:00 is my 5k pace. Would 8:30 be sufficient for tempo or should i be aiming for 8:15-8:20?

Folks, I'm looking to get a bit of much needed zip into the legs. Was thinking of trying something like the following today. Does it sound ok?? Alternatives?

8x200@3k race pace (Admittedly I don't know what 3k race pace actually is, but you get the idea......)
6x400@5k pace
8x200@3k pace.

Ceepo wrote: »

What is your current per mile race pace, or have you done any races lately?

Ceepo, haven't done a race in a long while I'm afraid. (I can't count the snowy/icy 5k I did in Belgium last month or the "Beer Mile" I did two hours later!)

My 10k pb is 36.48 and if I can get in that shape again I'd be very happy. I have a flat 10k in mid March, 3rd Sunday, I think. Second half of 2016 was difficult with illness and injuries and I'm finding the getting back in form a bit of a struggle but I am willing to stick at it. If the body holds up I'm hoping to do 2 sessions a week. Say short stuff like outlined above one day and the longer mile or 2 mile reps the other day (Saturdays). Long Easy on Sunday and a couple of rec jogs in between.

What in the name of God was I thinking posting the suggested workout above!? Instead did Ceepo's 12x200 and that was enough for now.................. Did em all in about 40 secs. I was starting and stopping the watch at 200m line and finish, so not 100% accurate. About 140 metre jog between. The track is 333mts in lane 1, i did em in lane 4. The Garmin was measuring the 200 at 205 or 6.

Kohen Clever Tanner wrote: »

Workout 2 (didn't get out last week to do this, but have a few spare weeks in my plan, so on track)

10-12 x 400m Run the 400m repeats at 5K race pace; 200m jog between

lap m:ss
1 1.29 (*avg)
2 1.22
3 1.34
4 1.31
5 1.30
6 1.30
7 1.32
8 1.33
9 1.32
10 1.29
11 1.31
12 1.37

Clearly struggled with consistency a bit more this week, would be nice to get these sessions done on a track.

*My Garmin (or likely me bring silly) decided to set the first lap as 0.4m not 0.4km, so first lap was long (took the avg pace for calculating a 400m time above). And stopped for rest 1 as i set the watch again for the remaining 11. Probably made me less consistent.

What happened on the last one. 1.37.

With 1.22 been the fastest, that's a huge difference.
Do you do these reps on an out and back type situation or just purely of the Garmin ?.

Imo you should do these as an out and back if you don't have access to a track.
You just need to measure the distance once.
You can then do the repeat this session may times over the weeks and months ahead.
You can then compare session as you have removed a variable.
It will be easier to track progress that way.

Ceepo wrote: »

Did you think they were going to be easy ? Lol

I know right!! I think like a lot of ould fellas who only do distance running I thought, hey, 200mts that's nothing. Twelve of the things was plenty. I jogged 6k home afterwards and it could have been 8 but I was feeling a bit weak in the head and legs so I hopped on a bus for the last bit!!!!

Oh, the shame (and the smell).