How best to move on from 5k?

[Valcart]

I've completed the couch to 5k and loved it. I'm not a natural runner and not jogged before but am a speedy walker and used to 12 to 15k walks. I try and run 3 times a week and have done 6k and 7k now but not sure if I should try for better times or longer distances? I'm 64 and still chuffed that I can run 5k+ without stopping

[Tomas Graduate10]

The world is your oyster, so whatever you fancy. Many (and I'm one of them) have learnt the hard way that trying to train speed and distance often leads to injury. So take your pick, but my recommendation is to not try to do both at the same time.

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

You can actually do both - most training programmes for longer race distances (say 10K) will have long easy conversational runs in them which will slowly increase over the period of training - plus they will have quicker paced tempo type runs and even quicker intervals. Note that the long slow distance will be much slower than what you are probably running now - and the tempo runs will probably be a bit faster (but shorter repeats) than what you are doing now. Put what you think is a "fast" 5k time for you currently into this calculator runsmartproject.com/calcula... or maybe even do a HARD FOR YOU 1mile time trial and use the time for that - the calculator will give you safe training paces for the various types of training runs

[Valcart in reply to Bazza1234]

Thats a really useful calculator link. Thank you Bazza

[misswobble Graduate10]

Wahay! 😃 Sounds like you have it all going on

You go further before going faster. Training miles on legs. Slow runs build legs, so no hurry. Walking is good cross training. Walking is good, end of 😃 I try and walk everywhere these days

Good luck. Take it steady. Stick to the ten per cent rule for increasing your distance

[Valcart in reply to misswobble]

Will try. Thank you