Following Everytime's suggestion, I did my first 200m interval training session today. Session done on a treadmill with 10 x 200m at 17-18kmh with jogging for 200m after each interval.

It was an intense session and once I'm used to it I'll run faster. Great way to get the legs moving and keep the workouts fresh.

Nice thread huntypro! Good advice from Everytime and I also think neg3sd's first post about increasing mileage at a slow pace would benefit you a lot. It's not very glamorous but I think there is a lot to be said about getting up to at least a basic mileage of 50 or so.

I also see you specifically said that running 50 miles isn't a short term goal for you but I still think regularly getting to 35 or 40 would be massive.

Btw I am also in Dorset, lots of nice places to run here! And don't you guys complain about the running in the cold... I have to swim instead.

Thanks Oxygen! I have a goal to increase my mileage to 30 miles a week as my hours at work are long and I have a family. Long term I will have a go at 50 miles a week just not in the next 12 months.

Please Oxygen, don't tell me you swim outdoors!

Haha, no. Although I do have a swimming wetsuit... maybe when it warms up a bit!

43.13 in 10k Bournemouth Bay Run.

Smashed my PB of over 49 minutes.

Official chip timing 43.11 secs.

Every second counts!

73rd out of 1200 runners.

15th in M40 age group.

Assuming the course is accurately measured you are getting darn close to 20 min 5k shape.

I do feel really good at the moment. I can't wait to run my next 5k Parkrun.

Agreed. Very nice work, hunty!

By the way the courses I've run have had the distance measured by a UKA accredited Course Measurer, following IAAF procedures.

Huntypro, you should read the book 'Power Speed Endurance'. It basically explains that a good endurance runner should be a good overall athlete, not just a good runner, and proposes that your focus should be primarily on improving technique, then adding speed and power, and then increasing distance (endurance). It's worth reading at least the first 50 pages or so to understand proper running technique (stable midline, use gravity to move forward, land on toes, lift with hamstrings, etc); I think getting this down is huge for avoiding injury.

Excellent work. When's your next planned ParkRun?

This Saturday morning I'm running the 5k Parkrun.

My legs are really aching today. particularly my calves, so a rest day today. Then an easy recovery run tomorrow. In fact all my runs will be easy before Saturday.

Then I'm going to smash my PB.

5 mile recovery run at 8.39m/m

Felt good.

Practised running downhill rather than stumbling.

The run in the previous post was yesterday evening.

Today I ran 3 miles. Decided before I ran that the middle mile would be at near race pace.

Splits

1mi 8:14
2mi 6:24
3mi 8:31

Had a steak dinner 45 minutes before the run and the weather is awful plus I'm still feeling the 10k race on Sunday in my legs. My pacing of the middle mile was spot on.

Great stuff, good luck on Saturday!

Really good pacing! good luck!

Ran in the Poole Parkrun 5k today and ran 19.31.

Bit windy today so not ideal conditions. However, I felt awesome going into the race and I had a race strategy. I wanted to start really fast so nobody held up my pace and then hang on and fight. I expected the run to really hurt so I knew to keep going when the pain kicked in.

There are consistent 15 minute (Steve Way) and 16 minute runners at the run so a fast start is standard. The race is two loops and a finish around a circular playing field. The 2nd half of the race was really hard and it felt slower than the 1st half but the 2nd half required so much effort. The very last part of the race seemed to go on forever.

When I finished I knew the time was quick because I finished 32nd which was 40 places better than my previous PB of 21.10. I asked a couple of guys close to me, at the finish, their time as I was anxious to see if I had done it.

Great feeling and now I'm going to go for sub 19 minute 5k.

Wowzers! That's a sick improvement, congrats, I bet that feels pretty awesome!

Thanks Ron. I'm buzzing!

My first proper attempt at running, June 2012, I ran 4 miles in 42 minutes and had to stop twice. Now I'm running a 5k at 6.16m/m.

I kept up with the best runners for about 2k which felt really good.

Awesome job, hunty!!! Congrats on the PR!

Thanks ook! I was running with the elite for the 1st part of the race today (well for about 3 mins). Felt amazing. Felt really awful at the end!

18:xx next.

What's the long term goal? Specialise at getting faster over 5k or go longer?

I want to run different distances probably try a half marathon next in under 90 minutes. At the moment I really enjoy the 5 & 10k races. I want to run under 40 minutes for a 10k.

I'll keep training and I will run 5k races more because the local 5k Parkrun is free and takes place every week.

Great result mate! Got to be more in there if you let the 2:17 marathon guy go on his own from the start!