10 km run

Fred said:

I just ran in a 10 km race a few days ago. I used to jog this distance a few years ago but haven't
done much jogging recently. My time was just over 56 minutes. I want to do the same race next year
in 35-40 minutes. Is this an achievable goal? How should I train for a 10 km race? Any advice on
increasing speed and endurance would be appreciated.

Quoted message said:

Fred

That would be a huge improvement and nobody can tell you without more details about yourself and
your history. However, it's not out of the question and you won't know until you try. Get in as many
miles as you can handle or have time for (MAKE some time if you really WANT this goal!). Ramp it up
slowly though. Then add some faster runs in and work on speed, read othre threads here from time to
time to learn about that. You will have to do more than "jog" for training, so be prepared. 37:xx is
6 min/mile pace, which is no jog! Good luck... Andy Hass

Fred <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I just ran in a 10 km race a few days ago. I used to jog this distance a few years ago but haven't
done much jogging recently. My time was just over 56 minutes. I want to do the same race next year
in 35-40 minutes. Is this an achievable goal? How should I train for a 10 km race? Any advice on
increasing speed and endurance would be appreciated.

Fred

Perhaps.

I'm going to assume for the sake of argument you are 30 years old and in ok shape.

How did you feel running 10k in 56 minutes? Was it an all out hard run or did you jog through it
with little effort?

If you were running all out then you have a lot of work to do. If you jogged through it with little
effort your chances are better.

Over the next year work your long run up to 10 miles or up to 90 minutes once per week. Right not
how fast you run is not as important as it will be later. Just put the miles in for the time being.
Try to observe the 10 percent rule where you don't increase your longest weekly mileage by more than
10 percent of your prior highest weekly mileage.

Take a look at some of the speed programs that have been posted here. Do a google search on
"speedwork". And you'll get a list of tried workouts.

The easiest speed workout is a run of 6 to 8 miles where you run hard for 3 minutes and recover for
2. Alternatively you can go to your local track and run intervals. Intervals are short distances
where you run hard and then recover, and repeat. Easiest interval for a beginner would be half mile
repeats. Run a half mile hard (at your 10k pace) and trot around the track for a quarter mile. Start
off with 2 or 3 and progress up to 4 or 6.

Some improvements by posters here have been quite impressive, you could join them with some hard
work. Breaking 40 will be much easier than approaching 35. It may take you one year to get to the
low 40's. And many more years to get to the high 30's.

My $0.02 Andy

"Fred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My time was just over 56 minutes. I want to do the same race next year in 35-40 minutes. Is this
an achievable goal?

Dream on...

Roger.

Fred said:

I just ran in a 10 km race a few days ago. I used to jog this distance a few years ago but haven't
done much jogging recently. My time was just over 56 minutes. I want to do the same race next year
in 35-40 minutes. Is this an achievable goal?

short answer: NO

Quoted message said:

How should I train for a 10 km race?

really hard

Quoted message said:

Any advice on increasing speed and endurance would be appreciated.

Fred

Lemme help you help youself:

a- how old of a broad are you? b- how much you weigh? c- how many miles a week do you hadle? d- how
tall are ya? e- etc...

1) Possible, sure
2) Get a coach or buy a book like Pfitzinger and Douglas' Road Racing for Serious Runners. I think
www.runnersworld.com has a beginner's schedule.
3) Build base (8-12 weeks of easy running) although extending this is not a bad idea (Lydiard would
probably say several months and that is not the worse thing).
4) Move onto some longer speed work
5) Move onto shorter, faster speed work
6) Repeat

Race in between now and the goal race.

"Fred" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just ran in a 10 km race a few days ago. I used to jog this distance a few years ago but haven't
done much jogging recently. My time was just over 56 minutes. I want to do the same race next year
in 35-40 minutes. Is this an achievable goal? How should I train for a 10 km race? Any advice on
increasing speed and endurance would be appreciated.

Fred

Thanks to everybody who gave me some advice. For the people who wanted more information here it is.

I'm in my early 20's, 5'9", and weigh 165 lbs. Before the race on Sunday I was running 4 km up to
3 times a week but most weeks no running or once a week for the past 6 months. After the race I
felt pretty good, my quads were sore the next day but that was mainly because I didn't stretch
properly after.

Fred

Geez Fred, you should have no problems bringing that time down! See, details are important! 😉
First, is that 165 all muscle or can you cut 10 lbs there? I'm 5'10" and about 147, but I run more
than you probably want to so I think 155 is a good goal unless you bench 250 or something. You have
no idea how much of a difference 10 lbs can make. Second, just get a base in! Slowly work your way
up to at least 30-40 mpw, then check back after about 3 months to take the next step when we see how
that's going. The 10k is an endurance race, and until you get some base fitness in it's going to be
hard. Once the base is there though, you'll take a LOT of time off in a hurry! Andy Hass Fred

Quoted message said:

Thanks to everybody who gave me some advice. For the people who wanted more information
here it is.

Quoted message said:

I'm in my early 20's, 5'9", and weigh 165 lbs. Before the race on Sunday I was running 4 km up to
3 times a week but most weeks no running or once a week for the past 6 months. After the race I
felt pretty good, my quads were sore the next day but that was mainly because I didn't stretch
properly after.

Quoted message said:

Fred