How to improve 10k pb

[Pea1985]

I've been working on improving my 10k pb for 18 months. I've managed to get it down from 68 minutes to just over 57 minutes. Initially it was pretty easy to improve my time but it's starting to get much harder! My current pb nearly killed me! I'm still keen to reduce it further, however I'm wondering if I've reached my best now? I'm nearly 40 so not getting any younger! Any motivational stories from people who have managed to keep improving at this age? I'd love to get to 55 minutes.

What’s your weekly mileage?

What are you doing at the moment? (Ie what kinds of training sessions?) Are you doing any strength training? Are you a healthy weight?

Probably not enough! 15-20k a week

Small amounts of weights (probably should do more), also do a spinning class

Regular parkrun at as fast a pace as you can manage will help you improve your 5k time and that should knock on to other distances. It also just gets you “comfortable with being uncomfortable”. You can just do a 5k on your own of course but I find it much easier in a “pack”.

I’m using Runna to get my 10k time down to 50minutes. I was at an hour about 18 months ago and currently at about 53 minutes. I’m finding Runna fantastic. It comes up with a lot of workouts I’d never think of myself. Very varied. It’s expensive at £16 a month but worth it. I’m 33. Do you enter races? I do that so I have something to aim for.

If you up your mileage and start doing some more targeted tempo and speed work you'll see improvements very quickly, OP.

You're definitely not past your best; I'm older than you and still improving. With your mileage as low as it is at the moment, you have massive scope for quite drastic improvements if you start putting in some more time on feet.

And there's no need to pay for the Runna app either. There are lots of plans out there that will get you what you need for free; but the basis would be something like four runs a week - one easy/ recovery; one tempo (or parkrun); one hills or speed and one long run.

Good luck!

I got my 10k pb of 48 minutes at age 45 so you’re definitely not too old. I would mix up your paces by doing some interval training. Doesn’t have to be on a track. Warm up thoroughly then do something like 6 x 4minute efforts with 90s recovery. The efforts need to feel hard but doable so you can keep it going then walk the recovery bits. You can change up the interval distances and paces as you get better at it

Interval training is key I think. Well done on your improvement!

We’re a similar age and I think my PB is around 56 mins for a 10k. I’m not really trying to get it much faster. I don’t know if I’m imagining this but my cadence is already quite high as I have short legs and so not a very long stride length. I think I’d have to run really fast to get my times down. Seems like a lot of effort 😂.

Up your weekly mileage and add some faster work. Your current training is pretty low key so you have lots of scope to make some easy gains.

Sprints, intervals and hills are your friend. Anything that you do at a faster pace trains the body for speed rather then just plodding out 10k after 10k. You need to surprise your body so it adapts, so one week a short but fast run then a long slow run then hill sprints etc. joining a running club is good for this as they'll often have a varied training plan

What are you doing exactly - I mean each day.
What exercise (run, weights)
What distance, what pace.

I am a keen and competitive runner. I got all my PBs in my 40s. There is absolutely no reason that your age is a bar to you improving your time.