10k sub38 with only 4runs/week

[TheEd]

OK great .. let us know how things progress

good luck

TheEd

[emko]

Dear TheEd,
been a while since my last post.
Hope everything is smooth.
I would like to ask how confidednt over the pace runner must be to move paces in quality sessiions further.
I am quite a while set between sub 40 and sub 35 programs, so my 5x2 is set to 3:40, 6x1 to 3:30, 5k to 3:40 and 10x400 to 78sec.
if I keep this paces my effort is around 8/10, may be less, but I often going under this paces with higher effort. What is better approach? Keep paces and lower effort or move further with paces with higher effort?

Just a little overview for last year. I been doing approx 50k/week, I am still on your programm, low intesity sessions kept around 130bpm which rised my pace in this zone, so I guess is good sign.

Thank you for answer.
Emko

[TheEd]

emko, if you are coping with the 2000m session and still finding it difficult to progress then you should focus on the long run. Once you have a higher aerobic added to the pace you should get even better results from the pace work

it often doesn't mean that by going faster it would help but add more distance runs in before moving the pace up

in the cycle of the programs, there is an off-period and then a short build-up, what this is intended to do, is introduce an hour run for example on a Wednesday

incredibly these runs add to the program and that is why it is important to come off the program and then do a short build-up

I hope this helps, even if I answered a little differently to the post

TheEd

[emko]

Dear TheEd,
that was intention behind my post. I think I progress and 5x2k at pace 3:40 starts to feel more comfortably. So I am questioning what to do further.

p.s. I have low intesity session that lasts around 1hour every week.

Emko

[emko]

Dear The Ed,
Finally last saturday I broke those 38min 10k by far to 36:48, so I think I can confirm your programs work
Dont know really what helped, as almost nothing have changed to my runs. What might be different, that I changed nutrition a bit and started doing more stretch execises.
As those PB pace is around 3:40min, I intend to move my 5x2k to 3:35, 6x1k to 3:25, etc.
Do you think is good approach?

Thank you

[TheEd]

Hi emko, this is fantastic news, to hear you achieved your goal and actually by a massive margin. Well done to you, this has made my day, thank you

and good to be cautious and increasing the 2k pace marginally

so were you able to achieve this off 4 days training a week?

nutrition can often help and should help

one thing that helps the most is athlete experience. Learning how to cope with the stress and how to implement pace and strategy can only be learned via races. Training prepares you but racing is what takes the athlete to the next level.

Congrats on achieving this progression

onwards and forwards

TheEd

[emko]

Dear The Ed,
thank you.
yes, I have achieved this only by running 4 times a week, but most of time it was around 50km /week.
Will see what happen next, if I can manage some more progress. There are still runners older than me with better PBs so there is still space

[emko]

Dear The Ed,
just a quick update, last sunday I pushed further that 10K PB to 36:25
As a conclusion so far I can confirm that running 10K around 36min is possible only by 4 runs a week with distance around 45km a week, but of course quality sessions as 5x2k, 6x1k, 5k paced and 10x400 must be done as programs suggests. I think also other factors must be met, which is at least good nutrition, and strenght training with stretches.

[TheEd]

This is wonderful news Emko, well done

would you like to share the kind of strength sessions you have been doing to see whether there is anything we can gain from what you do, please?

TheEd
Ps.. don't underestimate the value of you developing as a runner and learning how to run in the zone. Again, congrats

[emko]

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Well, thats only basic exercises as a push ups and pul ups for upper body. and even more standard routines for lower body such as squats, romanian deadlifts and combinations of it. But I think this is the point where I would rather go to more complex routines where more parts of the body in one exercise is engaged.
I am 45 now, so I am looking for something to keep mobility