OK, I'm in again. Missed it by the narrowest of margins last year, running a 40:00.00.

I'm training for Boston again, using the same program (Pfitzinger 18/70) I did last year, but, of course, I'm a year older, so we'll see. Still, I injured my Achilles near my peak condition last year, which hurt my later times. Hopefully this time around I can be more careful.

I agree that 10K is a tough distance. Being a marathoner, I don't view it as an endurance race, but running hard all the way makes it a real challenge for me. 5K is even harder from my perspective. For me, the half marathon is about the ideal race distance. I prefer actually running marathons, but there is such a massive training commitment that goes along with them.

Good luck, Jim. Comparing our (recent) times, we're pretty close -- except for the 20 years I have on you! Your older times are numbers I could only dream of.

Bob[/URL" target="_blank">

Good luck everyone this is a good site as well from my old running club. http://www.runningforfitness.org/rp.php[/URL" target="_blank"> I like the average from everyone. those times work best.

http://This message has been edited by paulmitch (edited Jan-02-2007).

Just to throw something different into the mix, I'm going to recommend that those who haven't yet read Chris Lear's RUNNING WITH THE BUFFALOES order a copy from Amazon and get cracking. It's a fascinating day-by-day study of the 1998 U of Colorado XC team on their quest for NCAA glory.

In some ways it makes hash of those who argue for controlled heart-rate LSD training; these young bucks seem to go hard every single day, until something breaks, and "hard," in this context, is pretty....sick. 20-milers at 6:00 pace and below--for Goucher, at least.

On the other hand, you might read the book and decide that Mark Wetmore, coach, has single-handedly vindicated the somewhat more moderated training model of John Kellogg, since most members of the team break down at some point. This may be very effective training in the short run, but one of a coach's jobs, it seems to me, is to rein in testosterone-crazed 20-year olds and teach them the true meaning of recovery runs.

In any case, it's a gripping account, with a devastating tragedy smack in the middle, and it does have much to teach runners like us--even a 48-year old like me. Learning its lessons requires that one read against the grain sometimes, seeing ways in which Wetmore, for all his success, lets his boys destroy themselves as often as outdo themselves. But there are a host of useful training lessons here. In particular, you begin to get a sense of how various training modalities--repeat miles, fartlek, neuromuscular training through faster-than-race-pace repeats--actually work in the course of a season.

Since these guys are basically training for 5-mile and 10,000 meter races, the training paces Wetmore puts them through have something to teach slower runners like us. And there's a thrill, of course, in watching over Goucher's shoulder as he slams down 6 x mile in 4:48, or whatever he does.

Since I'm talking about good reading for runners, I'll also mention the portrait of Juma Ikangaa in Michael Sandrock's TRAINING WITH THE CHAMPIONS. (I think that's the title; could be off a word or two.) I've always loved Ikangaa's motto, "The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare," but I had no idea just what his training was about. His regular Sunday long run was 30-35 miles at 6:00 pace. He often averaged over 200 miles a week. "You must train fast to race fast" was something else he often said. He won something like 8 out of the 35-odd marathons he entered, most of them against very strong fields, and came in second almost as many times. When I've got the book handy, I'll post the one week of training that Sandrock gives. It's pretty staggering. Still, some of Toshiko Seko's long runs put Ikangaa's to shame. Eight hours? I believe that Seko sometimes put in runs that long.

Sorry for the marathon hijack. I'm glad I've put marathons aside this spring! Think speed!

I'd like to sign up as a new sub-40 hopeful for 2007. I'm a little out of my league at the moment but hopefully I'll improve to match my ambition.
I started running in July 2006, although I've always kept fairly fit, and used to run a bit when I was in my 20's. I'm now 42 and I finished the year with a 19:51 5k (race on a flat, certfied, course) and a 40:53 10k (time trial on the track keeping a very even pace) both at the end of December.
I'm currently thinking that my first attempt at a sub-40 10k will be at the end of March or April (same 10k race at the end of each month).

I'm in. I started running in July after a 20-year break. I ran a 47:35 10k in October, and then a 20:20 5k (which could have been faster) New Years Eve.

I've got a 10 planned early May (downhill most of the way), on July 1 (flat) and MAYBE one while we're on vacation in Japan in March (I'm a bit worried about that one - the race I'm looking at had 179 entries last year and a male winning time of 31:52 - at least it'll be fast. Plus I'll probably be getting way too much attention as the only white guy in the race).

My plan - increase mileage and speed as much as safely possible over the next 4 months. My times have been dropping pretty dramatically over the past 2 months, so I figure it's do-able.

Well, I'm in again! I contributed to the old thread, but never even got a chance to run a 10K last year, in the end. I don't think I was ever in sub-40 shape, though, so no matter. I injured myself with some marathoning adventures which ended my season, and learned a few lessons in over-reaching.

I'm in light running mode right now - trying to lose weight (not easy to do this time of year), but would like to be in the low 150s before I start running hard and racing again.

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brook trout

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