Not any faster

[Mcdon]

Have been running 3 times a week since I graduated in March now doing a 5k, 8k and a 10k a week the heat has been a killer. Today was much cooler almost pleasant to run in with shorts and vest on yet I’m 5 minutes slower than my best time back in April. I’m trying not to get too demoralised about it but thought I would be faster by now 😂

[pinkaardvark Graduate10]

I think you can fall into a comfortable pace and without making the effort to run faster you won't ever get faster. You may well be fitter and better equipped to run faster but you have developed a single gear, maybe you even run 5,8 and 10k at the same pace per km. This is not unusual, but if you want to be faster you have to go through the motions and act to improve your pace through sprints, intervals, hill sprints, fartleks and strides etc.

[Mcdon in reply to pinkaardvark]

Yip you are right my pace is constant and comfortable. Maybe need to push more

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Mcdon]

Yep you probably need to try harder. If you can run a 6min km for 10km then you should be able to run a 5:30min km for 5km, I you develop the faster pace over the shorter distance in time you will find your longer distance time will come down too.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

So, I'm reading this and thinking "Oh, yeah, I do this naturally but I might try and be more consistent and check the gap!". Well, after checking my stats, no I blooming don't! 😆

So my last run, 9K, was about 7 seconds faster than my recent 5K runs. I should add that I've slowed the 5's right down post-grad.

The reason: I'm using the shorter distances as recovery or intervals.

When I do intervals inside the recovery run the overall ends up the same as I take longer to catch my breath.

So, thanks to your reply I'm now conscious I need to sort this out.

I'm thinking of just upping the pace, no frills.

Do you have any other advice for me? 🙌

[Mcdon in reply to Hidden]

I’m enjoying my pace that’s the thing I’m not a spring chicken anymore turned 50 this year although I would like to be faster I don’t want to put myself off having to up things. The cycle path I run on is very hilly in parts so I’m doing lots of hills already I’ll see how I go but it’s annoying me a wee bit 😂

[GRoy]

Forget about the times it’s amazing that you are doing. It’s the distance that counts not the time you do it in xxx

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to GRoy]

Who says it is the distance that matters? If I can walk twice as far as I can run, should I not bother running as it's the distance that matters? That's a bit daft isn't it? What matters is what you choose to care about.

[Ripcurlrana71 Graduate10]

Firstly great to hear from you and your progress since graduating. I’ve only just hit 10K and I guess my pace is still about the same for all distances. But tbh I’m happy with that - for now.

What I do like to do is to aim to beat my previous time on each run. For me - I’m competing against me and I love to beat myself!! 😬😬

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Ripcurlrana71]

You can buy special sticks for that hehe

[Ripcurlrana71 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Oooh link please!!! 😜

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Ripcurlrana71]

Crack away amazon.co.uk/Snowhill-Ridin...

[Ripcurlrana71 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

🤫 Thank you!!

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

😲😆😆😆

[davelinks Graduate10]

My nephews time at Parkrun was becoming stagnant, but since joining a running club and managing to keep up with other runners at a faster pace and for longer his pb has tumbled, so it's giving him more endurance.

[Mcdon in reply to davelinks]

I just run myself with my shifts home life etc maybe that’s the way that go

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

It depends what your goals are, you sound like you are doing just fine.... In this heat even Bolt couldnt do what he normally does... its flipping baking. When its cooler and if you want to be faster then intervals and pushing yourself will make a huge difference.