Stuck on 32 to 33 minutes for 9 months

[martinhermanus]

😂 just completed my 51 st park run! I feel better and better as I used to feel wiped out on Saturdays and spent the balance of the day on the couch. The reason for my tears is I am battling to break below 32 / 33 minutes on a difficult park run. I am a 54 year old male. My heart rate climbs if I push too hard like over 180. I am running more in the week and am going to start interval training. It's taken 20 months to get here. I am doing one long run and two 5 km plus my run on Saturday. I was hoping for quicker progress.

[misswobble Graduate]

No short cuts sad to say. You have to get stronger to get faster and it takes time. Are you in a particular hurry ? I wouldn't be but would enjoy the job of achieving those running aims 🙂

Are you doing any fitness stuff other than running? Strengthening exercise is great. I do it at home with a DVD as I can't afford a gym. Cycling, swimming, WALKING, body pump,or dance. It all helps. Maybe four times a week is too much for you. You could knock off a 5k during the week and see how it goes. I find fast five k runs are very hard as you have so little time to even get into your stride and hit your run rhythm before it's all over. Longer runs are much more satisfactory in that regard 🙂

As for the heart rate thing. Have you a particular issue about your heart rate? For parkrun you only go hell for leather at the very last bit. You're not running at that rate for long

[martinhermanus in reply to misswobble]

I rope jump a little, you are right it's the long haul. My heart rate only spikes on the last km as it's all up hill. I keep it below 175. I do agree maybe I need to run longer distances so that I have more stamina during the 5 km race. I have only realised recently that it's going to take commitment to get faster. My long term goal is 28 minutes. Many thanks for sharing.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to misswobble]

I agree, sometimes less is more. If this isn't one of those brief frustrations that it just helps to get out there (we all have those), it may be time to revisit your underlying principles around running if its not fun enough on its own (Again, we do all like to spice it up from time to time and some like more pressure than others)

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

So, you are running 3 x 5KM PLUS a longer run? That sounds like an awful lot...and 32-33 minutes on parkrun sounds very respectable. I'd suggest taking a step back for a bit, maybe just do 2 or 3 runs for a few weeks, see where that gets you. You can still do PR, and your longer run...

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

You don't give us any idea of progress. What was the time for your first parkrun?

[martinhermanus]

It took me about 8 months to get to 33 minutes from 50 minutes with only one run of 4 km plus a parkrun per week. From that time about 9 months ago I have only only improvedo by a minute. Some speed training ... I found my iron levels were low. Nothing else was wrong ...

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to martinhermanus]

Knocking 17 minutes off your PB over 8 months is very impressive in my book.

In two years I managed to knock 1minute 52 seconds off my parkrun PB. I have seen no improvement over the last two years, but I am not really pushing for it.

Running parkrun and aiming to reduce your PB every week is probably not a very good strategy. How about keeping your runs at a slower pace and go for a PB once a month. Before that attempt, give yourself an easy running week. with at least two, maybe three rest days beforehand. You probably need a rest to achieve your best.

Look at this. runnersworld.co.uk/rws-trai... You are probably making the new runner's mistake of running too many runs at too high a pace. The calculator will show you how slow you should be running at times. I bet you will be surprised.

You might just be running too much and might benefit from dropping one of your three weekly 5ks. I do 2x5k and 1x 10-12k each week at present.

[martinhermanus]

Thanks will try that. Much appreciated.

[iain-strachan Graduate]

As regards heart rate, the 220-age formula is only a really rough guideline for the maximum heart rate, which differs from person to person. I think there are ways to determine your true maximum heart rate ( hill sprints etc), which may be higher than the guide. The truth is it is self-limiting, and you will physically not be able to sustain your true maximum heart rate for very long at all. So if it goes above 180 but you don't flop out gasping for breath then you haven't reached your personal maximum heart rate. I may be wrong about this so please check, but I believe if you've no existing heart condition, that you can't give yourself a heart attack by running too fast because your body will just prevent you from carrying on at that rate because it won't be able to get oxygen into your system fast enough, then lactic acid builds up and you won't be able to stand it.

I think there are many websites that show you how to determine your max heart rate, so have a look at those and don't just take my word for it. But sometimes listening to what your body is telling you is better than just listening to what the numbers are telling you.

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to iain-strachan]

Try this website for instance:

polar.com/blog/calculate-ma...

[martinhermanus in reply to iain-strachan]

Thanks I now have all my numbers ... getting fit happend at a snails pace ...

[martinhermanus in reply to iain-strachan]

Agreed my max for my age is 168 I don't go over 175 as I am stuffed if I go at 180 for any length of time to get a better time of 15 seconds for feeling very sore for the rest day is not worth it. Much appreciate your inputs. I have had a heart rate of 189 but I don't want a parachute malfunction 😂.