Park Run observations

[Mojoxxx]

After graduating last month, I have now done 3 Park Runs. I don’t find them easy at all but a great feeling to turn up and run. I am always towards the back and find myself amongst similar runners but some walk and run and some, like me, just run continously. My times are pretty consistent in the 35mins but wonder if I would benefit from mixing it up a bit with slightly faster running followed by short burst of walking. Do you think that would benefit me in the long run with getting quicker times and getting stronger or just stick with continuous running? I have read the Health Unlocked links about Easy, Tempo, VO2 max etc runs but just wondered on your own experiences too. Thank you

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Tempo runs are good preparation for “race” days as you use your desired pace over longer and longer distances until you are nearly at “race” distance. So maybe we want to bring you in gently here and bring you in from 7 minute kilometres to 6:45 ones. In theory you could start at 1km and extend the tempo run a little each week.

Intervals could be used, so you could calculate a run/walk strategy for 5k that is quicker than just running it. You could even go fartlek with it and run constantly but with the odd 200m push, for example. If your 35 minutes is conversational a fartlek could probably lower that time next week!

The issue with all of these is, the quicker you go the more energy you use, so you hit your endurance limit in less distance. The answer to this problem, and the real key to unlocking a quicker 5k is to extend one run a week beyond 5k. You could extend it safely by 500m a week, so 5.5, 6, 6.5k etc. This will do exactly what c25k and build your vO2max. Someone who only runs 5k can run it faster once they have reached 10k for sure… and there would be a noticeable benefit by 7k I think. The elites go to about 16k long runs for 5k races!!!

[Mojoxxx Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Great, thank you for the advice. So same pace as now but extend the distance a little each week and by no more than 10% (I believe I read). I can definitely give that a go and I know the key is to stay slow for longer to mitigate injuries so this is certainly a longer term plan of action, maybe my Autumn/Winter training plan

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Mojoxxx]

If I were you Mojoxxx I'd just increase distance on your longest weekly run, by not more than 10% of your overall weekly distance, while keeping to a comfortable pace for the whole run. If that's slower than your current pace it doesn't matter. Have fun!

[Mojoxxx Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Thank you Cmoi. I will do that

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Yeah, just one run… then you can use the others for the odd tempo/interval/fartlek session

[nowster Graduate in reply to Mojoxxx]

The key thing is that most of your running miles should be at a relaxed pace, with only a minority of them pushing the edges of your capabilities.

At this stage, increasing your longest run length each week is likely to have more benefit than trying to increase your fast run speed. Training for "staying power" is likely to help your parkruns most at the moment.

Also, some parkruns are harder than others. My fastest was two weeks ago on Anglesey (26:50). My slowest was this weekend just gone on soft sand at Pwllheli (36:04). My local one is fairly hard, too.

I'm currently doing a Garmin 10km plan to improve my 10km time. Nearly all of the runs so far are at a pace that's a minute per km slower than my goal pace. If it succeeds, I may be knocking about 4 minutes off my 5km PB too.

[Mojoxxx Graduate in reply to nowster]

Thank you for your reply nowstar

[Chinkoflight]

Good advice above.