Threshold/10K pace/5K pace?

[Curlygurly2]

I've been following a Heart Rate based training plan I downloaded from Garmin Connect, usually it just tells me to run 7 minutes in zone 4 or whatever, but for an upcoming run it tells me to run 3 mins at threshold, 2 mins at 10 K pace, and 1 min at 5 K pace. Should I assume those get faster as I progress through the intervals? Is 10 K pace faster than threshold, and 5 K pace faster than 10 K pace?

I have never thought about different paces for different distances......

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

Threshold is Zone 4, so you’ll be used to that and it will mean that you get alerts to your watch automatically like you are used to. 10k race pace would be in zone 5 a little, and 5k race pace a little more, so yes they’re progressively quicker. You may have to set alerts manually for what pace to run at... somewhere just above your threshold pace, maybe 10 seconds a mile quicker for 10k and 20 seconds a mile quicker for 5k... only you know if they’re achievable of course... you could go less.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you, the weird thing is they all say Z4, I shall just do my best!

[mrrun Graduate10 in reply to Curlygurly2]

This can really get confusing, I fully get your question. I suggest you read Run Fast by Hal Higdon. Great book where lots is explained and there are brilliant running plans there as well. After I've run the ultra, I went back to 'basics' with cardio zones in order to improve my 5K time. By following Run Fast I nearly went under 25mins (I think I will soon) and that's by implementing various training runs, all done in different cardio zones. Btw, before I got into that book I simply followed and got priceless advice from marathon and ultra runners, some top pros, on Twitter.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to mrrun]

Thanks I'll bear that in mind! At the moment I'm in France, no idea how long I'll be here, and need to clear the house out, so not really possible to order books, but I will when I get home whenever that might be...so far I'm enjoying the plan, certainly gives me something to think about, and gives some structure to my running week. That's a pretty good 5K time, I'm hoping I might get to around 35 mins or a tad under.

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

That sounds like a slower version of my JogRunSprint app which I really enjoy 😊

When I’m running a 5k my average pace is under 7m/km , but you can add a minute per Km when I do 10k.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

That's helpful, thank you.

This plan has different runs, this week I've had 4 x 30 minute runs in Z2, then tomorrow I have the interval run in Z4 (as above), then there'll be couple of days rest followed by a long run, 70 mins next week. I hope I'll be a bit faster by the end!