Need something to shift me off my running plateau

[AdventureBe]

I'm 45, been running around 5 years. Parkrun PB 24:01, 10kc. 49 mins, HM 1:51

I've been doing times close to that for 3 years. Train 5 times a week.

Sat - Long Warm up and parkrun
Sun -Long run 10-15 miles depending on what I'm training for and core sessions (sometimes!)
Tues - Reps sessions with club
Weds - Easy 45min, plus Yoga and core

Thurs - Threshold run

What tweaks would you make to try and get me off that plateau? I feel like I'm doing everything right, but my times aren't shifting. I suspect the only answer is to lose some weight, but I'm already at my lowest weight since puberty! BMI 22, so in theory there's plenty of room to lose a bit, but I don't know where from!

I don't run but go to kettlercise class and my instructor often says that runners have improved since going to classes and strengthening their core, maybe this could help?

What does your club session involve?

I found increasingly long intervals above 5k pace helped me.

So your 5k PB is at about 4.48 per km - try running at 4.30 per km, initially for 2 minutes, with 1 minutes rest in-between, x 10 or 12.

Then increase the interval length on future sessions to 3 mins, with 1.5 mins rest, then 4 / 2, and work up to 7 minutes fast, 3 minutes recovery. If you can push it to 10 mins fast, 5 mins recovery, 10 mins fast, I bet you can smash your 5k PB.

By 'rest' I mean easy run/jog, not stand still.

Thanks pootle. The club session is similar to what you describe, with a different session each week. Sometimes it will be on hills, other times flat, with the reps varying form 20-30 seconds to 5mins, according to the sessions.

I suspect you may be right and longer reps might be the way to go.

Have you a Garmin or similar? I think it's not just about doing intervals, but about sticking to a pre-determined pace as you do them, iyswim.