I am 33, started running at age 14.
Have you lost a lot of speed since your high school days, MJ? I ask because I see that we have almost the same 10k PR (mine was while marathon training) and I suspect that if I tapered properly for a half, my time wouldn't be too far from yours. This makes me wonder what I could have done in my late teens, early twenties. Not that I care, really. Just curious. I imagine that you were even faster at 20?
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Oh and FS, great job! Definitely an improvement there. It does look more like a progression run, but with your paces all over the place, which is very normal for a beginner runner. Progression runs are excellent, they helped me a lot when I started out. MothAudio is the one who introduced me to the concept. True tempo miles would be more even. But you can call it what you want, we know what you mean. You're getting faster!
Chief Unicorn Officer
Nope, I'm faster now than ever in my life. When I started running in junior high and high school my coach was nice, but frankly our training was subpar. We didn't do a lot of miles, our only workouts really involved 400's and 800's and they were sporadic, and we didn't do tempo or real LT running. My best time in high school XC was a 20:36 bit more often I ran in the 21-22:00 range. I did indoor track a few seasons and ran the 800, 4 x 800, and 2 mile (I don't remember my 800 times but my 2 mile was around 13:00, so still a little slower than now. I feel like I know a lot more now than I did then. A lot of the middle years were just recreational running and not year round, focused training because I played a different sport in college and had to focus more on that (softball, so I had a lot of practice and a strict weightlifting program).
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
Runs4Sanity
I was close!!!!! I was 5 years off!!!!!
Lily, thanks. Yeah, I'm still improving and who knows where I'll be 5 years from now but hopefully in a good spot. Honestly all this technical stuff can kiss my butt, I think the only runs I do that stick to the "definition" is the easy run and long run.... my tempo or progression runs usually consist of the first 2 miles easy or with no real effort, then by the 3rd mile I like to start picking up the pace gradually, getting faster with mile 4, 5 and then evening out around mile 6 before easing down a bit around mile 7. My favorite runs are between 7 and 10 miles for those reasons . Those runs are nice to test my fitness level, see any improvements or where some is needed, and to work on my stamina.
If that doesn't make any sense to anyone... well poo on you.
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
What you're doing is fine, and obviously working for you because I can see that you're getting faster. That's a good thing and keep up the good work. I'm not trying to pick on you or anything, just clarifying that a tempo is a specific type of workout and what you're doing doesn't seem to be a tempo. But technical definition aside, if its working for you, that's good and you should stick with it. It's not a knock on you. And I do think it's good to run the first mile or two of your runs easy--like a warm up. That's good stuff.
i dont really know what all the different types of runs are either. I should probably read a book about this stuff
I like the highlighted part.
this running stuff is/should be fun. Many times I just go run and have fun with it. I sometimes run fast between light poles and sometimes I just run the same pace. Sometimes I like to push myself, but mostly go run and kill and hour - who needs sleep anyways. I think that I have grown to not hate the 4:45 alarm clock This am my 4 miler was short enough that I was able to sort laundry before the wife and kids were up.
I dont know if it matters what we all runs as long as we are having fun and getting faster if thats the goal.
”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
Tomas
no worries. I might start calling it my "fast" run instead of tempo or something like that.....