hi - thanks for your advice first time around. managed to do my first 10k at end of april. had dismal time of 1 hour 10 minutes which i was absolutely delighted with. now want to improve on that so have entered another 25 may.

any suggestions for training?

had thought of something like this? - don't know if too ambitious though.

today - 3 miles (done)
wed 7 - 5 miles
fri 9 - 2 miles
sun 11 - 7 miles
tues 13 - 1 mile
thurs 15- 4 miles
sat 17- 3 miles
mon 19- 6 miles
wed 21- 2.5 miles
fri 23 - rest
sat 24 - rest
sun 25 - 10k race

i don't like it much tbh... it just seems random...

i would make it more simple and do something like:

- 3 x 4 miles
- 1 x 6 miles

good luck !

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Caught me running - Tiesto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOyDWOMqajU

How does this compare with what you've already done in training?
Without going into any great analysis, this set of runs seems OK (although I would agree with revenged's comment about the rather random nature of the distances involved.... Any particular reason for this?). I would advise that some of the shorter runs (1/2/3 miles) should be done at a pace which is faster than that which you raced at (roughly 11.5 min per mile?).

I would also add that it is generally accepted that any phase of training can take anything from 10 days to two weeks to actually make any significant effect to fitness/ability, so only part of what you're planning to do between now and your next race will actually be "used" in that event. .... But it will be in the bank for the one after!

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GONE RUNNING

Generally agree with the guys...some of the training runs need to be run in a specific way..ie some speed sessions/fartlek/hillwork/strides.

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My old man said be an Arsenal fan........

Also, if you want to improve your 10k time, I would suggest at least one long, slow run per week (8-10 miles) so you build up stamina. That's the only thing that improved my 10k time - training runs much further than 10k

thanks for all your replies which make perfect sense.

i am at the minute making it up as i go along - being new to running and haven't tried any other technique other than putting on foot in front of the other at a pace i can manage and hoping i can keep going until i get back home again. (although i do enjoy it more than this makes out)

i am depending really on your valuable input to guide me - therefore i will follow what you suggest and report back - what does speed work consist off?? is that where i take a marker (whatever that is- can it be anything?!) and run for a minute drop it and run back and forth trying to run further each time? and what is fartlet?? sorry just sounds like a miniture version of something my husband does.

i had realised that it was quite soon to be doing another 10k - the only reason was to keep me motivated and also it is a much flatter course so i've a good chance of getting a better time based on that - which should motivate me even more.

so should i perhaps do (but not in this exact order)

2 x speed work (is this purely done on time? should i do a run on the same day)
4 x 4 mile runs
1 x 6 miles
1 x 7 miles

thanks
claire

Er... The actual word is fartleK, which is a Swedish word meaning speed-play.
Basically, a fartlek is an informal speed workout with untimed/unmeasured faster segments within a normal run.
An easy way to do this is by using lamp posts; running fast from one to the next, then very easy from that one to the one after, at which point you pick up the pace again; repeating the sequence for however long you can manage. Obviously it doesn't have to be lamp posts; you can choose your own "targets" to aim for.

Speed sessions, or interval sessions, tend to follow stricter guidelines...
For instance: 5x200m in 45 seconds with 90 seconds "interval" (recovery) between each. Obviously there are countless variations to this theme, and the distance/time that I've used are only a very basic example.
As you get fitter you'll be able to do the fast bits faster/add more fast bits/reduce the rest period between the fast bits. Hmm, it's all starting to sound a bit too complicated now. I'd better leave it there!

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GONE RUNNING

No - I'm totally with you on that. Thanks for explaining that to me. I now understand how this should up my overall running speed eventually.

Watch this space!

Might be a tougher schedule than you're used to, but the kind of thing I'd look at in your situtation may be as follows: (start Thurs 8th)

T - Tempo run, 6miles (1.25mi warm-up, 3.5miles at Race Pace, 1.25mi cool down)
F - EASY, 2miles
S - REST
S - Long run, 7miles
M - REST
T - Fartlek, 4miles including bursts of speed (between trees, lamposts, bushes, whatever you like)
W - REST,
T - Speedwork - 1mi warm-up, 3x 800metres hard (with 400m jog afterward each), 1mi cool down
F - EASY, 3miles
S - REST
S - Long Run, 6-7miles
M - REST
T - Tempo run, 5miles (1mi warm-up, 3miles at Race Pace, 1mi cool down)
W - REST
T - EASY, 3miles
F - REST or 1.5mi
S - REST
S - RACE DAY!

Feel free to use/ignore as much or little of it as you like

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Thanks for this - esp for breaking it down for me. I think it is time to challenge myself more and work on speed. Just what I needed - a plan. Now I have one. Should be interesting to see what colour of purple I turn after doing the 6/7 mile run!

i don't like richard's schedule one bit tbh ...

you'd have to run with a watch... warm up time etc... i don't think it's necessary...

there is no secret formula to training - if you carry on running for a few months you can have amazing improvements...

just need to be patient...

what i suggest is you make your own schedule and decide what you want to do and when...

people have very different opinions and not everything works for all people so i think it's better to decide yourself...

it doesn't have to be very complicated...

i think it's very good to be very flexible with what you do and when...

i planned to run 6 days a week last month but only managed to do 5 days a week as my ankle played up...

but this months i've just ran 10 days in a row so i'm breaking a few 'training rules' but what the hell...

i've felt better this month than last month and with it being so nice out i feel like it would be a shame not to do it...

so i think my randomness is better than having a fixed timetable of when and how to train...

but each is their own...

it would be good to make a note of how far you run - mapmyrun is very good... it makes you feel that you've achieved something good...

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Caught me running - Tiesto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOyDWOMqajU

i said if i managed the aberdeen baker hughes 10k in 65 mins i would committ to another 10k in september..... i crossed the line in 64 minutes! so no turning back now. and delighted to be almost 6 minutes faster than pb achieved last month.

thanks for all your advice schedules and encouragement - i used a little pick'n'mix of all of it and i feel it has worked - the speed work/ fartleks seemed to be a turning point, but frame of mind has also a huge part to play.

am now aiming to run many more miles per week than i have been up until now with longer runs of 5/6/7 miles at least once a week...

Great stuff wannabe... that's a decent of time chunk to take off!!!

Training schedules shouldn't be set in stone I feel, I gave my suggestion as to what you could do, and i'm glad to see you took bits and pieces of everyones advice. I think that until we all get up to pretty competitive times, then any time out and on our feet running is a useful training run.

If you can build those longer runs up to 10miles or maybe even more, then you'll find the 10k's much easier and also give you good scope to run a half marathon in the future if you decided to!

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Lady Godiva Half Marathon' Race Report Added 27/10/08