Although I was relatively happy running the distances I was achieving, I was disappointed with the times.
I decided to go back to shorter distances and run them at a faster pace and then work my way up the distances again.
I was 70 last week and have now finally achieved a sub 40 minute 5k. Now I need to improve on that and start working up to 10k again. (If I could flatten all the hills I could be closing in on 7!!).
How do others feel about distance v speed?
I like pushing it and don't want runs to be always easy.
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BOBOZ
Graduate10
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Well kudos to you bozos and happy birthday for last week! I like your strategy and would also like a sub 40min 5K but that is a little way of just yet. You are an inspiration to keep trying!
Hello BOBOZ, Having now been on the forum 2.5 years, I have noticed that most injuries seem to occur when people try to go fast, or try to go further too soon. I was also guilty following a running break (ski injury!). I was very patient working back up to 5k and then thought I could just push it to my pre-injury speed. Wrong. Achilles injury followed.
So yes, after C25k you will continue to get faster and run further , but my advice is to not be in too much of a hurry. Remember why we all took this up was to get healthier and fitter, so slow running is better than no running.
Intervals are fun, if you haven’t tried them yet, but a flat course is an advantage.
I've just turned 60 and am also competitive with myself, so understand where you're coming from in wanting to run faster. However, everything I've read on here suggests that you get faster by going slower, i.e. getting in more km at a slower pace, rather than pushing harder on shorter runs. Over time your pace on shorter runs should then naturally increase.
For me personally, I often find that runs where I've decided to push it turn out less well, in both terms of stats and enjoyment, than ones where I let myself go with the flow. The latter have led to some nice surprises both in terms of time and distance.
Not QUITE everything on here . My frequently expressed view is that your pace on shorter runs won't (can't) NATURALLY increase just by running longer and slower, although that will make you CAPABLE of going faster . You have to do something positive, either increasing your stride length or cadence - and start trying that out over shorter distances, so if you want to increase your 5k speed, try running 1k at perhaps 30secs/k faster pace (i.e if you can do 5k in 35 mins, try 1k in 6'30"). If that works, try 1.5k the following week.
Apologies for the capitals, I wish there was some other way of stressing individual words but if there is, I haven't found it yet
Maybe I should have said "from what I've read" rather than "everything" as I don't read every post on here, by any means!
That said, it's still true - I stress for me personally - that setting out with a specific goal to push myself rarely works. I prefer to see how I'm feeling and then decide what to go for.
Prime example was yesterday evening: I set out just to get a couple of km in, set off fast and felt good so carried on. At 4k I realised that my second-ever sub-30min 5k (and first as a 60 year old!) was possible, provided that I shot off like a bat out of hell. So I did, and ran the final km in 4:36.
While I'm super-chuffed about that pace, it's frankly ludicrous. I'm still a very new runner and it wouldn't be a good idea for me, psychologically or physiologically, to push myself to that point all the time.
That’s exactly the way I think you should go about it. Longer distances to build up strength and stamina, then convert that into more speed over shorter distances, sleep and repeat!
Happy belated birthday BOBOZ, We are all different just like our DNA, speed vs stamina is a good way to look at it, However your body will let you know which is best ,as often we try to achieve something we are not ready for.
The mind plays tricks on us and the confidence we gain makes us want to push our limits,as let's face it we don't know what our limits are until we push too much .
The app is brilliant with loads of advice, and factual stuff, I would just enjoy the new Journey of Running 🏃♂️, with the mindset to avoid injury.
Personally I think I sped up naturally on my shorter runs after becoming able to run longer distances. For me, I'd recommend pushing distance by going at a (very) easy pace, and then maybe once a week doing a short, fast intervals / progression run. My other runs in a week are easy - a comfortable pace + a comfortable pace.
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. My frequently expressed view is that your pace on shorter runs won't (can't) NATURALLY increase just by running longer and slower, although that will make you CAPABLE of going faster . You have to do something positive, either increasing your stride length or cadence - and start trying that out over shorter distances, so if you want to increase your 5k speed, try running 1k at perhaps 30secs/k faster pace (i.e if you can do 5k in 35 mins, try 1k in 6'30"). If that works, try 1.5k the following week.
10k - a great distance
Just a case of chasing pace !!
How to increase distance 
5K pace, 10k pace etc.
New route, new distance 🤗
