10k Training Schedule

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your note. Firstly you shouldn't be sad about being 80, it is something to celebrate, reaching that milestone AND still having running ambitions. I am assuming you have no underlying medical issues and your GP is happy that you're running. As many in their 70s and 80s realise, it's actually beneficial if done in moderation. Also your years of running at club level will have taught you to listen to your body to some extent and the same rules still apply, etc.

Obviously just as when you were a young "fine tuned athlete", recovery time is also crucial with age, but in slightly different ways.

If you are managing 5km 3 times a week you have a really good base to start from to build to 10k. Obviously with age recovery needs monitoring carefully to strike that traditional balance of pushing your self to make that progress while not overdoing it and getting injured or ill or both. I would progress with making one of those 5km runs a few minutes longer, using the old 10% guideline of not increasing too much too soon.

So if your are doing around 38 minutes just now, increase by between 3-5 minutes one week soon. The plus side of your age is presumably you have time on your hands to choose the day when you're feeling good etc and can easily juggle days around if necessary. Monitor how you are feeling the next day and if you feel you need to take an extra day before your next 5km then so be it. It is all about enjoyment too, without putting too much pressure on yourself. Every week or even every 2 weeks increase that longer run by 3-5 minutes etc., so you are gradually increasing the distance, making sure you are still feeling fairly comfortable with the extra distance. If the body just doesn't feel like a longer effort one week, no harm as long as there is still a consistency with the 5km runs.

There is no harm too in doing some gentle stretching post-run to keep relative suppleness. Th Reply

Hi Shaker,

Thanks for your comment. If you are asking how is it best to follow the schedule for 10k every week, here are 3 ideas:

• First, plan the week ahead on Sunday and plan when you will fit your run into your daily schedule: either morning, lunchtime or evening.
• Second, have a note book or training diary, to record every run you do.
• Third, if you are finding it hard to keep to schedule, look for a local running group in your area or a gym that has a running group. Having company for some of your running each week is always a great help.

Good luck with your running
Adrian

A "race pace" can only really come AFTER you have completed a previous 10K "race" - then you can attempt to improve your previous result and have a goal race pace to do so. Alternatively, there are online calculators where you can put in the race result time of maybe a shorter race distance like the 5K and it will suggest a suitable goal race pace for the 10K . But it is said that race pace should not even be considered for any race distance first timer - the object is simply to finish the race at that stage.

• Adrian Tarit StottFebruary 4, 2017 at 3:04pm

  Barry,

  Thanks for your contribution, which is always welcome. As I say in my reply to to John (below), the race pace sessions are only mentioned in the improver's schedules and not on the beginner's ones. I would totally agree with you that it is difficult to gauge a time goal in your first one and sometimes isn't always advisable or necessary. Your idea of cross referencing a shorter distance could indeed help as a guide, but as I alluded too, many factors outwith training, like nature of a particular course and weather also come into play a little.

  Thanks for your contribution to the discussion.
  Adrian

  Reply

Hi John

Thanks for your comment. Good question, which indicates you are thinking well about this. First thing to say, is as with any online schedule, they are a general guide, to help get anyone starting out or improving to the finish line. So to answer your points in a general way, the beginner's schedule does not include any race pace sessions, whereas the improver's schedule does. Race pace does indeed indicate the pace you would expect to do your event.

If it is your first 10k, obviously you wont know what "race pace" is, but as you say you can try to make an honest assessment and work from there. Most coaches will advocate that your first 10k should just be about getting around and enjoying the experience, with any time not too much of a concern. Having said that, your ongoing training over shorter distances can give a general indication,

Generally for a beginner the shorter Tuesday and Thursday runs would probably be faster than "race pace" and any longer runs should generally be slower. However, any 1st time 10k runners should concentrate on feeling comfortable with each run, and also just covering distance without too much strain. It is always good to remember that for beginners, walk/run can also be a good training option.

Once you have one 10k under your belt, improving is usually the next step. As to what would be a good goal for your 1st 10k. taking int consideration age/fitness. Well so many imponderables, and in all honesty, would be best answered in a conversation with a good local personal trainer or coach. In Scotland there is the Jog Scotland network; in England the Run Together network; in Wales, I run Wales. So there is a national network to encourage and nurture beginners and improvers. They all have qualified group leaders/coaches, who can discuss any goals and assess a realistic time to aim for if it would help.

Meryl,

Thanks for your post.

The schedules are designed to be used by all standards – from total beginners building to their first 10k, to improvers wanting to better a previous time.

For beginners building towards an event, it is not essential to cover the entire distance beforehand. History shows that if you can cover 5 miles fairly comfortably in training, the extra mile and a bit will take care of itself on the day. It is the same if training for a marathon, or half marathon – you don't need to run the full distance beforehand, but being able to run 10 or 20 miles comfortably in training will do.

If you are an improver who has run 10k before, you can use your experience to know if running the full 10k (or slightly longer) will be helpful beforehand. Just give yourself enough recovery time between that and the event.

Hope this makes sense but do post further.

Also if you feel you need the experience of a trainer or group to help, In Scotland, check out the "Jog Scotland" network. or "Run England" or "irunwales" for local groups dedicated to helping beginners and improvers. All with qualified leaders and great camaraderie.