Six weeks ago, I started training for my most ambitious PB to date. A sub 45
minutes 10k. I've been getting my head down and training hard with help from my coaches plus a very
cool friend of the Running Channel, who you'll meet later on. But don't worry, you haven't missed anything. Here's a quick, quick
recap of the last six weeks and how I've been getting on trying to break 45 minutes.
It is the end of week one and I am loving this. It feels so nice to be
back on a training plan. I've had a couple of easy runs in there and an interval session, which was
interesting. Ten times, two minutes at five k pace. So it's important to run at
speeds that's faster than your goal race pace, so that your race pace starts to feel a little bit
easier or as easy as it can feel. And hopefully that interval session will have made a big impact.
I am just about to do my last session of the week and then that is two down, ten to
go. The weeks are flying by, but I'm just keeping telling myself
that a lot can change in ten weeks. Or at least that's what I'm hoping. My aim for
this week has been to keep the easy runs easy. Let's keep it easy
and let's go.
Five k ticked off. And that is week number three done. This week definitely had the
most savage interval session yet. It was 1 mile at ten k pace, then eight lots of 60
seconds at five k pace, and then another mile at ten k pace. Now, I never
usually work in miles, so I set the workout up on my watch and that meant that it came up as 1.6
k, which is so hard to pace. I managed to just about cling onto that pace, but
45 minutes of that is going to be tough.
Just eight k to go, and then that's week number four ticked off. This was definitely a
confidence boost week. The interval session from week one was repeated and I felt 1000 times
better doing it. So that is a massive relief and I'm going to take that high into week five. But
first, eight k easy
Hills. That is the word I would use to describe week five. Saturdays have been so
chilled up until this point that week five saw a curveball, three k at ten
k pace, then eight times, 32nd hills, and then another three k at ten
k pace. Absolutely brutal. Although don't tell anyone. I quite enjoyed it.
And now we're into week six. The halfway marker has arrived. And today on the plan, I've got a
5432 1 minute workout that I'm going to bring you along with me for. But first, I think we could all
use a little ten k pep talk. And who better to give it than Olympian and Puma athlete
Jess Piaseki. She is now the second fastest female in British marathon history
after clocking 222 at Seville Marathon this year and she's also got a ten k
PB of 31 minutes and 19 seconds. So I picked her brains and asked her what
her ten k top tips are for training and race day.
A lot of people think that when they're trying to run fast, they have to do every single run as
fast as possible to try and beat their time. And that obviously ends up being quite substantial fatigue.
So really spread out your harder sessions throughout the week with
some really easy running just to get time on your feet. I'd also recommend doing
one long run a week that probably needs to be away from the faster
sessions, so maybe two or three days later or whenever fits better than your schedule.
And that probably needs to be further than ten k with no particular in training. Just try and
break it up into chunks. So think about, you might have ten
repetitions, so just think about the first two, what you're going to do, what are the objectives for these
two reps, and let's just think about those two. And then once you've done that, you can think about the next
two and so on and so forth. For the race itself, I always like to actually do a practise
in my kits, in my race kit, so particularly if I'm doing a new
race with a new set of kit. So for example, recently I was at the World Championships,
I made sure I tried on the kit and I did a session in the kit before the big
race day. So I knew it felt comfortable, I was going to feel
confident in it and I was going to get a bit of chafing and so on and you where to put the
vaseline, those kinds of things. So yeah, that's really important and I would recommend
doing that. You don't have to do it all the time, but maybe just the last couple of sessions
before your rates go through the motions and then that links back as well to the nerves. If you
know what the kit feels like when you're putting it on what fits were, then doing it on race
day isn't so daunting, it's just something that you've done before so that then
helps that side of things as well.
Okay, so it's now time to put the advice from Jeff into practise. I'm just finishing up my
warm up and then I'm ready to go into two lots of 5432 1 minute
intervals with 1 minute recovery in between each rep and then three minutes between
sets. I start off at ten k pace and then I just progress as I feel like guess
see how much is left in the tank. So let's see, let's go
five minutes into a done. That was pretty solid. I'm now on the three minute one.
The first set just about clinging on to that 435 kilometre
pay, but I think I've got stuff left in the bank, so let's see what we can
do.
Just on a recovery. Trying to take it nice and slow in these minutes, but they are
flying by. 60 seconds can sometimes feel like the longest time ever
when you're on a hard effort, and then when you've only got 60 seconds for recovery,
it goes like that. I've got 20 seconds left and then I'm
into the last minute of the first set. So
just trying to keep myself restrained on the recoveries and then give it
everything I've got and then I've got three minutes. Oh, here we
go. Let's go.
Five minutes is a long time. Really trying to
focus on my breathing. Two minutes left. After five minutes in the second set,
I'm really looking forward to the recovery. I'm still in a
bit of disbelief, but I'll be able to do this pace for a full 45 minutes,
but each time I do it in a workout, it is starting to feel better. Not great,
but better.
Last minute of recovery and then one final minute. I'm going to try and go closer
to five k face because I feel like I have got a lot left in the tank, which is making me feel
positive. So 1 minute, let's go.
Wow, what obsession. That felt absolutely incredible and hopefully that
is a good sign of the next six weeks of training. I'm not doing a benchmark or anything to mark
halfway, so it really is about having faith in each session and working on my mindset
to get towards that final ten K. Speaking of which, have you picked up your
ticket yet for the final event? It's going to be an incredible evening, wednesday, the 24 August at
Baptist. Track tickets are limited, though, so make sure you cheque your diary and pick up your free
ticket now via the link in the description of this video. We've got lots of good stuff
to give away and it's going to be an incredible night. And you get to watch me sweat around a track for 45
minutes or hopefully less. Also, if you've enjoyed this video, then we've got a reward for you. Hit like and
drop a comment down below and you could be in with a chance of winning a pair of the brand new Puma Deviate
nitro two shoes, as well as some apparel to get you race day ready. Now, the next time you see me,
I will be lining up to take on the final ten k, so if you've got any words of wisdom or encouragement,
please leave them in the comments and I'll see you next time for the final ten k.