Speeding up?

[JoolieB1]

I graduated around 13 weeks ago now and have been increasing run times and distance, even did a 10k once but minimum run is 5k X 3 times a week. As I do parkrun, notice some people my age run a little faster than I do. My personal best is 34 mins which is ok for a 52 year old woman but would be good to up my speed a little. In terms of my weekly running, what will help me with this - hill work, speed work or endurance or even maybe strength building? Any ideas, not planning on getting super speedy but would love to hear your ideas. Thanks. Julie

[ViaM]

Interval training should help!

nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

All of the things that you have mentioned - but I believe that we need to improve STAMINA over the 5K moreso than SPEED. You said that you have run 10K once - concentrating on being to run 10K more easily at first and then faster overall will definitely improve your 5K times. To run 5K faster - train for 10K!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

The general advice here seems to be one interval session, one maintenance 5K, and one longer slower run per week. Exercises like pilates for the core will help too. Get the + podcasts, they really work.

[JoolieB1 Graduate10]

Thanks everyone, as always great advice, should keep my training varied too, appreciate ur collective wisdom! Julie

[givman]

julie

heres a suggestion which may help you,,have you heard of the term Fartlek?

Its a swedish word for speed play and heres how it works..

Warm up steady run for 10 mins or so then for the next 10 do little spurts of faster running ie between lamp posts or other land marks then slow down again and repeat as many times you can in the 10 mins...have a 10 min jog down then stretch..

try to do this a couple of times weekly..

Gra

[poppypug Graduate10]

Ooh I was going to mention this !

Yes I have just started doing these , I find them hard but I think it has improved my running ! Xxx

[givman in reply to poppypug]

yes poppy it improved mine too!!

[poppypug Graduate10 in reply to givman]

Ah yes Gra , but you were a proper racing snake to start off with ! You must be like greased lightening now ! xxx

[givman in reply to poppypug]

poppy

am blushing now!!

[goonkeepgoing Graduate10]

I'd say five things helped my 5k time:

1. Running longer distances - I've never ran more than 11k but being able to comfortably churn out an 8k really helps me keep going at pace for Parkrun

2. The Speed podcast - I didn't do it for months after graduation but I could tell the difference after only 3 or 4 attempts at it. I couldn't actually keep at the stated tempo for months so I just ran as fast as I could!

3. My usual runs are on undulating terrain so Parkrun then feels positively flat

4. I started doing the knee strengthening exercises and some simple core training at home in front of the TV. Nothing daunting - I used the running bug 30 day challenges (one at a time). Couldn't do all of it but I tried.

5. Time! I haven't introduced anything new into my regime for months but the continued habit of regular running means I'm still chipping away at the PB

As a side note - now I've written this it seems a large commitment but it really isn't. I work full time and have two young children. It is simply structuring my three runs per week to ensure each element is covered at least once in a fortnight with two 15 minute sessions on non running days.

Good luck ☺

[givman in reply to goonkeepgoing]

brilliant consistent training is the key here!

[givman]

yes improved mine too!!

[Rlear]

I agree with goonkeepgoing. I do hills or intervals or pyramids every week. Plus a 5k and a 10k run. Plus running bug's 30 day core challenge every day. I find this quite manageable and it has vastly improved my 5k time. See my recent posts!

[kpks Graduate10]

I am not authorised to advice on this because my speed is lower and I haven't improved much. However, Nike Running Club app has a lot of guided runs. I love speed-durance and fartlek runs. Just not very consistent in doing them

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to kpks]

4 year old post 🤣

[kpks Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

oh ok ;). I had a similar question and this trail pulled up alongside my question. Didn't notice dates

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to kpks]

It happens frequently! I wonder if this person is still running 🤔 I’d love updates from more people who graduated years ago.