5k and 10K training

General thoughts on Weeks of a Mid-Summer Competition period:

Now during the Summer competition period and probably aiming for a peak mid to late summer, it is very important to pay close attention to how many hard days you have in about a 10 day period.

There needs to be no more than 3 hard sessions per 10 days, but this does mean you can have a few other medium days sprinkled in with the hard and easy days.

It has been shown to have found ( with Lydiard style training), that your anaerobic system can be developed in as little as four weeks.

He did a period of 4 weeks of 2 to 3 anaerobic sessions per week.

I prefer to spread this out longer, so as to have time to pay attention to the other systems of training.

My reasons are:-

a) It is never a wise idea to neglect certain systems, thus I feel a better effect is had when you spread the anaerobic work out over a slightly longer period, allowing you to maintain or work on the other systems.

b) Also, if you find yourself with too many hard days during this period there is a simple solution. Replace one hard day with two medium days, where you can do medium intensity LT and VO2max maintenance sessions or runs.

c) Recovery is so important during this period, because it has been shown that you need anywhere from 24 to 72 hours to bring your carbohydrate stores back to normal following intense anaerobic work.

d) In addition to this when you rest and recover it is when the adaptation process takes place in the muscles and your body.

e) Reduces the risk of injury or illness.

There's no use in continually working hard on quality sessions, if there is no recovery, because your body will never adapt, and thus never improve.

Therefore recovery runs become especially vital during this period of anaerobic 3k to 8k sessions.

Also during this period since if a Lactate Tolerance workout is done at race pace, it can take the place of a rhythm or pace session run or efforts because you are running at race pace for these and so you get a similar effect.

Please remember that progression and consistency of training sessions / runs is important!

Also some short high end tempo @ LTP or just under ie 10k pace and longer low end tempo around marathon pace, but would treat these as medium runs and not key sessions, as most people have to be careful as to how many key hard days they string together, but medium days can be done more often, or steady state days with a small element of 3k pace included, in the form of strides or fartlek.

The classic goal session for 5k is actually 5 X 1k @ your event specific pace, some have 3-600M jog recovery, I like 200m in an easy 1:30 or 400m easy / steady float approx 2mins - 2m30s.

Build up sessions can be :-

10-12 x 400m (@ Goal Pace), 100m - 200m 60-90sec jog interval between reps

8 X 600m (@ Goal Pace) 200m 75-90sec jog between reps

6 x 800m (@ Goal Pace) 200m 90sec jog between reps

I like a session format of a good warm up, then an 8-10min run @ LTP, followed by a few drills and strides and one of the above interval sessions.

Also a 5k session of 2k, 1k, 800m, 600m, 400m, 300m, 2 x 200m. with recoveries of 200m jog 90secs going down to 600m, then 60sec for 400 & 300m and 30 sec between 200m's. This is harder than it appears.

Variations including a shorter first and 2nd rep, 1600m to 1200m, or a pyramid with a 2k middle.

Also variable pace sessions, I like 3k or 5k pace with a float recovery of HM, mara or Steady state.

ie 400m @ 3k, 400m @ Steady State X 2 with 5th rep easy x 2 or 3 sets.

ie 400m @ 5k, 400m @ marathon X 2 with 5th rep easy x 2 or 3 sets.

ie 400m @ 10k, 400m @ half marathon X 2 with 5th rep easy x 2, 3 or 4 sets.

N.B. Similar can be done with 300m's or 200m's, but preferably @ 3k pace with equal or 1.5 x recovery times

10k sessions can have greater volume, shorter recoveries or in the 400m float format.

N.B. It is most important to have Long Steady runs included at least 3 times a month, all year and where possible include hill sprints or 15 sec strides. Plus regular sessions / runs @ 8-10k ie sub tempo, LTP or HM tempo.

N.B. Here is a sample early to mid-summer schedule.

But subject to individual background, circumstances and race plans, amongst other considerations.

Mainly 3k and 5k, prior to a 10k goal.

Personally an example like below I would do up to 60 miles per week, after that definitely some double days introduced, even earlier for some people.

N.B. I will show again with actual practical sessions and ideas of times of runs.

David Rodgers : Summer 2017.