Note to self, next time it says 9 degrees when you set out, wear a vest top, not long sleeves ... you will only be cold for five minutes!
I'm a little concerned about my pace. I would like to enter Oxford Town & Gown charity run next year (my daughter is doing it next Sunday), and probably some other 7 or 10k runs in the meantime, but they have a cut off time and I'm way too slow. Do I work on my speed now for a bit? Any suggestions welcome.
At this stage I wouldn't worry too much about pace. I'm at a similar stage to you having recently completed 10k following ju-ju- plan. I am consolidating at the moment; doing 3 runs a week a long run (alternating 7k, 8k, 9k and 10k) a 4K and a 5k. I think building strength and stamina will help my pace increase. My pace has very gradually increased since I started running regularly.
Enjoy running in beautiful countryside.
Good advice. Thanks x
Yes but when it’s cooler 😁. Throw some intervals into your runs maybe Fast as you can to the phone box sorta thing, and park run too of course 💪👍🏃♀️
It was only 9 degrees this morning. i was a bit hot towards the end, but only because I had a long sleeved winter top on; shan't make that mistake again! Intervals are a good idea. I'm a lot faster on shorter runs, under 5k. Alas, park runs are a bit difficult as we have no parks and I don't drive.
Intervals it is then. They don’t need to organised. Just spontaneous quick bursts as you feel like it.
If you do like being organised, a fast 3k run is a good training run. Do say one a week 👍🙂🏃♀️
Thanks, that's good advice x
We're about the same pace, sometimes I worry about how slow I am and I then have to remind myself no way could I run 10k 12 months ago even if I am slow 💪
I was wondering the same yesterday, should I now work on pace and I don't think I will, I'll just see what happens.
I'm going to continue doing a 5k, a shorter run (which hopefully I can do quicker) and a long run each week.
My best runs are when I just go out and run and don't worry about pace, if I worry about pace I don't enjoy the run and I want to carry on enjoying running 😅👍
I'm a lot faster over shorter distance, even in the 6s sometimes, with 4.5 once or twice (not uphill!!!). I never worry about pace when I'm running, partly because i don't wear glasses to run so can't read my watch all that well. I suppose I have to factor in the hills, and accept that I'm old and so will never be as fast as I was in my youth - and I was quite slow then 
PS: I like your short and long run idea. I've been doing this too, /i'm running every other day. I've done an 8k and today's 7k, so I will do a very short run on Wednesday before my ex husband comes to see me (I like him so much better now we aren't married!) x
😂 to the ex husband
Sounds like you're speedy on the shorter runs so I would say your pace will improve on the longer runs over time
Maybe do a 5k, shorter interval run and a longer run each week. That way you're breaking it up a bit and know that you're faster on the shorter one. I think you'll naturally get quicker on the longer runs. Maybe on the longer runs run the last 1k at a faster pace?
Thank you, that sounds like a good plan. Haha, yes, the ex, love him to bits but he would drive me bonkers if I lived with him. It’s bad enough with Mr I Dont Snore! 😂😂😂
Maybe try walking for some sections and see if that is quicker than your running pace. You may find overall you go quicker that way and use less energy. I think my quick walk is about 8.5m to 9 per km on the flat though.
So my long runs are at your walking pace! I think I was going at MY walking pace in places today. Mind you, i still pass walkers easily. I can up my speed quite a bit on shorter runs, and if I pick the very few non hilly routes - which are never very long. But I don't want to walk instead of running, I want to speed up my running pace.
Ehm sorry I didn't mean to insult. I have observed really quick runners ie 45min 10k etc walk for sections as they burn themselves out running too quickly but still with jeffing finish way quicker than I can without walking. My walking pace is quite quick as I have long legs and can power walk. As you say your shorter run pace is a lot quicker so I wo dered if breaking it up with walks achieves a net gain overall.
You didn't insult me at all. I was responding very tongue in cheek 
xxx I think I'm concerned to keep running when i can, and they do say running slowly builds stamina and increases speed eventually, and i guess i should stop wingeing and factor in that i very seldom get to run on the flat (though that excuse fades into oblivion when i see young women bounding past me like gazelles and floating up hills round here without slowing. I'm glad you responded as i very much respect you as a runner, and that you have bothered to get properly informed about the subject
I have been collapsing in a heap and then walking because of the hills round here in swanage. I really need to work on it but they are all 1in3 which is ridiculous as its hard to even walk down them lol.
I mean be serious photos.app.goo.gl/xODt9zuGc... I had my road shoes on. Oh if only I had a rock plate lol
Just saw the photo. Gulp! I would think twice about walking down that, let alone running. The Asics Fujirados have a rock plate.
Morning Flick, If you did the Town & Gown, at the pace you did this morning, last year you wouldn’t have been last, far from it.
Bear in mind that the T&G is flat and if memory serves me right, you did a 7.30k/m pace on the flat previously?
More importantly there’s no such thing as too slow, you run at a pace that you’re comfortable with 😊
See at the T&G next year 🏃♀️🏃♀️🤗
I've done faster than that on the flat. 6.5 I think with 4.5 fastest (going downhill for that bit!). I shall be at Town and Gown this year to cheer my daughter on. Will you be there? I'm going to run up to Headington after as it's Mic's dad's 90th and we're meeting up for lunch x
I’m running it Flick, aiming for 1’05” Unlikely you’ll see me amongst several thousand runners. I’ll be running in a white Adidas singlet. Look out for the bald bald head and shades 😎
Im going to be at the cricket pavilion to see Rosie before she runs and when she gets back. I will probably be wearing my peacock leggimgs and black running jacket as am running to Headington after, so if you see me, give me a wave.
At my running club we're always advised to mix up each run with fast bits. Just when the mood takes you. Don't think or plan it, just do it every now and again on your runs. It's good fun!
Im definitely going to try that. So many of you have suggested it x
You're doing great! I decided to try to speed up a bit 6 weeks ago, once I'd run 5k. That run was at 11 min 15s per mile. I run 3x per week. One steady but quite hard 5K, one 5k with 14 fast timed intervals and one longer slow run (Interval run is: 5 min jog then pyramid starting with 30s moderate effort, 30s jog, 30s as fast as possible, 30s jog, then all if that at 40sec, 50s, 60s, 50s, 40sec, 30s and end with 5 min jog) I ran my 5k at 10m 21s last week. Hoping to get to 10 min / mile for 5k by end of May, then same for 10k in July. I use Endomondo as my phone app, and programmed in the interval session so I know when to start /stop each section. Then I can check my speeds per interval when I get home over a cup of tea. So far, so good ... and it's quite exhilarating to run hard, even if just for a short burst. Don't omit the warm up jog though! Your muscles need to be warm to be safe.
I always warm up, always! Having said that, I have great admiration for the young woman I saw erupt from her front door a few weeks ago and disappear over the horizon! Im lots quicker if I ever get a flat place to run, but it aint going to happen round here. Im finding your stats hard to decipher as you have a mixture of miles and km 😊 i shall go and convert. Thanks very much for your detailed response x
Oops!! Sorry - I still do back and forwards conversions between metric and imperial 40 years after decimilisation. I understand what 5k is but not speed per km - lol! "A litre of water's a pint and three quarters", "a metre measures 3 ft 3, it's longer than a yard you see" etc etc ... but I don't know how tall I am in cm x
Me too! We straddle two worlds! I was working in a bakers when decimal currency came in, and the pensioners used to ask you to take the right money out of their purses.
I was at school and a big fan of the Beano ... they took the opportunity to put the price up hugely at decimilisation so I stopped buying it 
Oh, boo! I wasnt allowed to read it, so used to binge read it in break time at school sometimes: we were kept in if it was wet, and there was a stack of comics.
Wow! A school with the Beano? Luxury x
A wise person on here (or probably several wise people) said dress as if it's 10 degrees warmer than what the thermometer says. I know that when I start out I'll be cool (or downright chilly) but when I get going I'll warm up fast enough 
Your pace looks good to me!
Yes I learned to my cost. We've barely got rid of the snow. Not used to this warm malarky!
Early morning cliff top run
Lovely morning for a run!
Lovely morning for a run
