Two runs, and a new training plan

[rmc28]

I only managed one run last week, where I played with the RunKeeper "target pace" workout by using it to run for 30 minutes with a target of 8:45 min/km.  (This chosen as my fastest split pace from the 5k run the previous week.)  Essentially, this meant that every time I got a time or distance check, I was also told how far ahead or behind my target I was.  Being me, I was happy to stay slightly ahead of it the whole way and average 8:30 min/km.

I found that I don't mind doing my warm up and cool down outside the "official" activity recording on RunKeeper; however I also felt that my self-chosen targets were not engaging me especially.  I like having a structure to follow.

After some playing around with the free training prorammes on RunKeeper, I settled on "Sub 65 min 10k".  This calls for 4 runs a week, which may be hopelessly unrealistic, and has a target pace much faster than I currently manage over much shorter distances.  On the other hand, a year ago I wasn't at all sure I'd manage to run 5km ever and now it's a thing I can just go out and do if I feel like it.  

Run 1 today: 3.2km "slow and easy".  I did it at ~8:30 min/km again, which seems to be a comfortable slow pace for me.  In theory, I will run again on Thursday.

Comments

[liv]

Gosh, that's a really cool goal, 10K in 65 minutes. Really good luck with it, I look forward to reading about your progress. It definitely is a really good feeling to be able to just go out and do [a 5K run] if I feel like it, like you I wasn't at all confident I would ever get to that point.

I do need some new targets, incremental improvement isn't really satisfying or motivating me. Maybe I should have a go at target pace workouts, that might help with improving my speed. I'm still aiming for 5 km in 40 minutes as my immediate goal, and I think after that I want to try for 5 km in 30 minutes, but I almost certainly need a more structured training plan to make that much improvement.

[rmc28]

I've decided I'm entirely happy if I don't make the sub-65 min part of the goal, but trying to should help me get faster/fitter. Having 64 runs planned for me is nice.