before i started frequenting the slowtwitch forum, i didn’t train right at all. shooting for a 45 minute 10k, i’d run for an hour 4 times a week. i’d try to go faster every time, but i was plateauing.
i’m writing this post because today i set a personal record on a particular course of mine. i have no idea how long it is, but i always train by time anyway. last fall i ran it consistently in 1:07’xx", no matter how hard i tried to improve.
today i ran that loop in 50’14", and i didn’t really feel all that good. AND, i’m currently training for a marathon, so i’ve done relatively little speedwork, just some 10x1600s and long fartleks. after the marathon, it’ll be all 10k training, so i aim to break 45’ in this loop.
the best part is, i have a fighting chance with the help of y’all slowtwitchers. you’re my heroes.
Congrats Vidae, but please post your newfound secret to running success! 1:07 down to :50 is a heck of an improvement. Your reference to same time at fast speed sounds like me. I wanna be faster too. help!
let me first post a caveat emptor… i am NOT an expert (yet)
what i’ve been doing is a lot of speed- and hill-work. i built up a huge base over the winter, running anywhere from 1.5 hours to 3 hours (rarely that much) at a time. once a week, sometimes less, i did fartleks like i said in my original post. with my aerobic base built (and with my knees and shins feeling strong), i’ve spent the past month or so doing a lot less distance and a lot more speedplay - like i said before, 10x1600 and long fartleks.
what i plan to start doing are 10x800, ladders (400, 800, 1600, 1600, 800, 400), and waaay more fartleks. i believe that the fartleks have been my breakthrough. i think my legs and lungs have learned to work as hard but output a lot more.
an interesting allegory is the game “minesweeper”. if you’ve ever played it, you know that there’s beginner, intermediate, and expert. after playing expert for a while, i started playing intermediate, where you had to make decisions much faster. a few days (and about 200 games) later i went back to expert, and i dropped my record time by 11 seconds. i guess speedwork functions in non-athletic contexts too.
if you don’t know what fartleks are, just ask!
finally, if any experts wish to add to or critique my training plans, please feel free to do so. i love feedback, and i love learning about this stuff.
Actually Tom. I think it’s the other way around.