Thread by @rebootdude

1/ A tale of 3 #5K runs

This season #halfmarathon training started late. Training has been on/off for multiple reasons.

The first #5k this season was 14th August. I have run two more since then. Each has a story to tell, a lesson to teach and learn.

Let's take a look.

2/ For the first 5k my goal was to complete the distance. I had been struggling for 4 weeks to break 5 km but kept on dying at 4k mark.

14th Aug was our first group run post Covid and I thought running together is the only way I can be shamed into finishing the distance.

3/ Here are the splits from the run on 14th Aug.

You can see pace is all over the place. Pushed too hard in beginning, essentially dead by the time we hit 4k.

All downhill from there. But I was happy with a sub 7 finish.

Monthly mileage at this point. 30k a month for 2 months

4/ The next one was run on 10th Sep. I had been training hard after the 14th August run. This Thursday morning I knew I was ready.

Dropped 11 seconds per km. Finished really strong.

5/ Here are the splits from 10th September.

Felt great heading into the 4k mark. Really strong finish for the distance after many many months. You can also see negative splits (first half is run slower than the second) at work.

6/ The final 5 was yesterday. Here are the splits. Consistent pace with negative splits. Shaved another 11 seconds off.

What gets measured improves.

Average mileage at this point is 15-18 km per week. We will now be doubling up mileage every month for the next few months.

7/ The lessons.

I am clearly not ready on 14th Aug. Ran the race and then couldn't run for next 8 days. Desperate push to the finish killed me.

I am clearly in control on 10th Sep. Pace is planned. Despite the strong finish, I am able to run and train the next day.

8/ 2 key pieces. Stamina and Speed Endurance.

On 14th Aug I have neither. By 17th Sep, a month later I have made good progress.

Part of this is increased mileage. The rest is speed endurance. Essentially 500m and 1k repeats at race pace once a week - focus on stride length

9/ Negative splits take practice. Consistent pace takes practice. Switching gears takes practice.

Correlating pace with your stride length on the fly takes practice.

Do enough km and it becomes part of muscle memory.

10/ @BStulberg puts it really well. Gains compound.

3 months of hitting the wall at 4k. And then one fine Thursday morning you are not just through, you are running it faster.

The game now is to increase distance of each long run and shave a few seconds from the pace.

11/ Not just in training for half marathons. Also in life and as founders and startups.

5k become 6. 6k turn into 10k. You don't just add distance you also run it faster.

Practicing scales @ishaheen10 @sameerchishty

12/ I am an overweight, self employed, 50 year old father of three.

I have never run a 10k in 60 minutes in my life. I have been trying to for the last two years. My personal best is 64 min.

I have a feeling, this is the year. Join me on my journey to find a better me.

13/ Four things are going to determine if I hit my goal

a) Training
b) Recovery schedule
c) Diet and mindset
d) Physio

Lucky enough to find the best sports physiotherapist in the country and the best distance running coach. Still working on (b) and (c)