Speeding up on longer runs

LindsayGii

Tips wanted please. I have a 10k in three months. I've started losing weight and being fit again for the first time in forever, am 50 years old, dodgy knees and am too slow!

By doing intervals I've done c25k in 40 mins since January. I just want to speed up so the 10k is less than 90 mins. All ideas welcome

30kgin2017

I am suppose to be training for a 13km in a month. I was doing well on my training plan until I tried 10km too early in the day and got heatstroke. Been a bit all over the place since then. I was doing 2 x 5km runs a week and the added in a 3rd run which I was making progressively longer each week. My 5km times got better with this strategy. While I am not worried too much about my time for the 13km race, my goal is to be able to run the whole thing (last year I got to about 9km and then had to do walk/run intervals). So I am aiming to be able to do slightly longer than 13km so when I drop back to 13 it’s easier and I should be faster as what happened with my 5km runs.

TavistockToad

LindsayGii wrote: »

Tips wanted please. I have a 10k in three months. I've started losing weight and being fit again for the first time in forever, am 50 years old, dodgy knees and am too slow!

By doing intervals I've done c25k in 40 mins since January. I just want to speed up so the 10k is less than 90 mins. All ideas welcome

Run farther to get your 10k speed up.

sofchak

Run intervals, fartleks or sprints.

Machka9

I improved my speed a little bit by running a short distance (1.5 or 2 km) faster than usual. That was usually a mid-week, after work run when I didn't have a lot of time. And because it was short I didn't have to pace myself.

On weekends I would continually increase my distance.

spiriteagle99

Running more miles overall will help your speed. Do most of your runs easy, but once a week do some faster running, with either intervals or strides. You might want to follow a program like Higdon's intermediate to train for the race: http://halhigdon.com/training/51123/10K-Intermediate-Training-Program

dewd2

As a beginner the best thing you can do is run more each week. Don't worry about speed - it will increase as your body adapts. Slowly increase the total distance each week and work your long run up to 10 miles. Be patient. Going too hard too quickly will increase the risk of injury.

Save the speed work for later when you body is ready for it.

Good luck.

kathleenneriducharme

I'm 54 and I find as I get older I need to do more strengthening stuff. Squats, lunges, weights, plank.

rybo

Logging more miles. There are no shortcuts to improving fitness quickly. Ramp up you mileage at a reasonable rate, that will do wonders for your "speed" more than anything else.

MeanderingMammal

LindsayGii wrote: »

Tips wanted please. I have a 10k in three months. I've started losing weight and being fit again for the first time in forever, am 50 years old, dodgy knees and am too slow!

By doing intervals I've done c25k in 40 mins since January. I just want to speed up so the 10k is less than 90 mins. All ideas welcome

What's your weekly mileage at the moment?

I'd support the suggestions of more steady paced running, as a beginner. No point in anything more sophisticated until you've got quite a solid weekly mileage.

jgnatca

At fifty years old with sketchy knees your goal is to avoid injury and complete the run.

To do that you will first work on your endurance and cardiovascular capacity. Do your stretches and follow up or stop if you get weird joint or ligament pains. Don’t soldier through an injury or risk months of recovery.

A little bit of DOMS won’t hurt you however.

Speed comes later.

mbaker566

1) strength training to protect your knees
2) run farther
3) sprint, fartleks, and hills

pondee629

Increase your distance at the same perceived effort (easy). It, the run, doesn't get easier, you get faster.