[richardsimkiss]

This is a thread I'm starting up partly for myself and to keep my own motivation up, but also for anyone else who may be looking to break through this barrier - be it in the next few months, or the next few years.

Hopefully everyone can have a natter about how their trainings going, what times they're hoping to reach in their races whilst working towards their goal, and even just chatting about anything else related to the subject.

From a personal point of view, a sub 36:00 10k race time has been my goal for 2008. Having started the year with a 10k PB of 40:53 (set in Oct 2007) I was able to knock this down to 37:18 in April - I then took 2 weeks of complete rest following and operation on my nose, and a further week and a half of near total rest whilst on holiday (simply too hot to run, and nowhere illuminated enough for night running), this saw a noticeable drop in my fitness levels, confirmed by 38:58 effort in late June.

So now I feel I'm back to a level where I'm training hard, and the goal looks like a possibility if everything goes to plan. I've ran a few club races well, and despite still being some way off my goal pace, I feel I'm improving well.

Last night I achieved my 10k goal... well, that's a half truth. I completed 10k in 35:39 - but it was a track session. 4 sets of 1.5miles with a bit of a rest between, and then a 0.21mile sprint at the end. Now I know I can cover the distance within the goal time, and I even felt like I could've managed another rep. HOWEVER, there were of course rests between the efforts (guessing up to 90secs), and this was on a perfectly flat track... so still a LOT of work to do to manage a sub 36 10k road race.

The EAS Castle Combe 10k (aka Runners Forum Winter Social) will be my final chance to attempt this in 2008. The course is fast and flat, and occurs late into November... I'm nervous already!

 

[beasty1711]

i think the margins at the sorts of pace your doing are so fine... that i guess getting a PB truly is an achievement

im realistic and realise that i will never get to the sort of speeds that your achieving, although i really feel that 45mins is achievable and maybe even nearer to 40mins.. but i guess only time will tell

 

[richardsimkiss]

I think people are capable of a lot more than they think. heading towards my 1st 10k I was hoping for sub 55mins, the course was flat and the weather was near perfect, and I managed 45:49; four 10k races later I got my 37:18 PB - Nearly 2 years to the day on a more challenging course.

I'm confident that if you want it enough... you'll soon be past the 45min barrier and aiming for 40mins, maybe give it a year or two (which sounds like an eternity, but honestly it isn't!) and you'll look back at what you were managing at this time and be amazed

 

[JBBury]

Good luck Richard. Hope you do it. I can't imagine running two sub 18 min 5ks back to back. I'd be delighted with one sub 18 5k. That is really getting into the silly times

 

[beasty1711]

I think people are capable of a lot more than they think.

i agree..
im stuck at the mental state of "OMG if i go quicker i will pass out at 6k and not finish"

ive been looking for some sort of self hypnosis (im a huge fan of this sort of thing as it helped me to stop smoking) to try and help with the mental side but cant find anything

my next target is sub 50mins... which if Castle Coombe is flat may be my goal for that... at least i will have a fairly clear month to work on 10k speed training in November

 

[nikstein]

from my point of view i just aim to get quicker every year. obviously once you get to your standards richard that becomes harder and harder.

if, over the next few years, i could get my 10k's down to around 45m and my half marathons down to close to or under 2hours i'd be delighted.

 

[beasty1711]

i read somewhere that its about a 3year curve
If you train and race for around 3 years then thats pretty much as quick as you will get

i dont know how true this is as ive only been running for about 5months.. and im sure there are exceptions etc

 

[Ito]

I posted my first ever sub 45 last night, albeit on the track, clocking in at 44.31 and I am very proud.

Just briefly on the track issue - I couldn't believe how responsive it was, the springy surface really helped and the weather was very cool - also a plus. I know it is not comparable to a road 10k under race conditions but it really gave me the motivation to go for a sub 45 in a race, then hopefully consider a sub 44, and so on.

But back on topic - similarly to you RS I now know I can do it over that distance, and that is my motivation to really achieve the same time under race conditions.

Breaking 45 was a big deal for me as it has been my goal since I started running, and to do it ahead of my Duathlon this weekend is a big plus.

Today is a good day!

 

[richardsimkiss]

i read somewhere that its about a 3year curve
If you train and race for around 3 years then thats pretty much as quick as you will get

i dont know how true this is as ive only been running for about 5months.. and im sure there are exceptions etc

I hope that's not the case beasty! November will see my 3 years up! I guess it depends what state of fitness you start from, in my case I was obese and had next to nothing in terms of fitness - I'd like to think I've got a fair bit left in me yet!

 

[richardsimkiss]

ive been looking for some sort of self hypnosis (im a huge fan of this sort of thing as it helped me to stop smoking) to try and help with the mental side but cant find anything

Funny you should say that, I've often thought about how negative thoughts influence my running - especially when the going gets tough, and although I've never had any experience of hypnosis, if it works then it could be a VERY powerful tool in helping during races.

Trinity once recommended a book whilst was to do with running and the mind - I can't for the life of me think what it is or i'd buy it! lol.

 

[beasty1711]

ditto

 

[Rob]

good luck, Richard.
your 10k times are impressive enough anyway but, all the same, I wish you well.

 

[hot foot]

Well done Ito, you've broken the barrier convincingly too.

The way you are training Richard, I'm sure you will achieve your target, you'll be setting a new one before you know it.

I agree with the mental aspect of running, but I tell myself as I'm starting to tire, that so are the ones around me, and this picks me up.

I think it's easy to believe that those around you are feeling great.

 

[richardsimkiss]

I think it's easy to believe that those around you are feeling great.

Nail on the head there hot foot... you feel like you're giving it your all and they're staying with you without even trying! If you can make yourself realise that actually, you're not running flat out (i.e. if your life depended on it, your legs could move quicker, even if only for a short period) and then see how much they're hurting - it's amazing what a lift it can give! That said, I still can't convince myself it's the case during a race :lol:

 

[beasty1711]

for a tenner im tempted to give this a go

 

[roadrunnerrob]

i read somewhere that its about a 3year curve
If you train and race for around 3 years then thats pretty much as quick as you will get

i dont know how true this is as ive only been running for about 5months.. and im sure there are exceptions etc

Wow, at the end of September I will have 2 years to go! I have taken 16 minutes off my 10k times over about 6 months (counting training), so at that rate I might get a world record in 2 years :lol:

I really have no idea what I have in me. 20 years of smoking has probably not done me a great deal of good - but I am improving all the time. I would like to get down to 45 for 10k by next summer, if at all possible, and will still have over a year's worth of improvement left!

It is not just physical fitness I am improving - there is that mental toughness that keeps me going midway through races, and that sheer bloody mindedness that can dig deep and put on a spurt even when my legs are dead and I already feel at the limit

Good luck with your quest Richard, I would put money on a sub 34 by some stage, never mind sub 36 :d

 

[Steve]

Good luck with the aim..sure it'll be reached in no time...well about 36mins..haha. Won't ever get near it myself.

 

[Dan_R]

Whats your current weekly mileage Richard?

 

[richardsimkiss]

past few weeks have not been great, with a race of some form or another each week I've been struggling to break the 30mile mark (+40min 5-a-side football match).

This week should see me breaking 50miles for the first time, then I've got a few ~45mile weeks planned and another 50miler before tapering for the Godiva Half in Coventry... then i'll be looking to put some some speedwork in ready for 23rd November.

How's your running going atm Mr RF?

 

[Steve]

Pretty heavy mileage RS ...must have a marathon in mind with that amount of running.