jackangel said:
What kind of workouts are you doing now? I assume this involves running away from things that aren't chasing you? What kind of 5k or 10k shape are you in now? And what about at your best?
I go to a "gym" after work that is part of a snooty (and likely racist) club here that is members only and you have to have connections to be a member. I go because it is free to me.
The "gym" is really just a few rooms of mirrors, a few situp pads, a few of those Swedish balls, an ab roller thing, some TVs, a desk, a stereo, some of the shittiest circuit machines I have seen (although well maintained - or perhaps just rarely used), an exercise bike, two ellipticals, one stair master, and 3 treadmills. Oh, and some dumbbells that I think top out at 30lbs or so.
I run on the treadmill because it is dark in the morning here, and it is dark by the time I'm out of work and there aren't really sidewalks here except for in town.
I hate the treadmill soooo much. I would use an mp3 player, but I have a workout partner and don't want to tune him out.
I do running and then a circuit of weights - other days I do speedwork.
On the weekends I can run outside - Saturday do speedwork and drills and Sunday do a long run - will sometimes hop in with running groups for that.
I haven't run a race yet, so it is hard to say - I tend to perform better when I have competition.
If I had to guess, I'd say I'm in really shitty shape due to not enough speedwork, but I am noticing pretty good improvements.
If I had to do a single mile, I think I might be able to get under 6mins right now.
I think I can hold a 6:30 pace for a 10K.
Slightly faster for a 5K.
I haven't been training for running in a long time, so I'm very out of shape right now.
I think within a year I should be in top shape, barring any accidents.
My best 5K in high school was 15:50 and the only 10K I ran in high school was with my dad just to encourage him - it was mostly backwards that I ran so that I could taunt him and piss off everyone around him. No clue what that time was.
I didn't run that many 5Ks in college - come track season I was usually sick or had allergies now that I look back on it. I think I ran a few 5Ks around 15:50 and that was about it.
In a workout where the 5K was only a small part of it and we were just working on surges, I ran a 15:45.
In a 5 mile race I ran the first 5K in a 15:30 or so - but that was XC.
I haven't done the proper training when I ran in school - so I am hoping I can focus now and get the proper training done and get some better times.
My fastest mile is only 4:30 - but I'm pretty sure I can do a 4:20 or less with better training for it.
Goal 5K by next year is just a sub 15:30 unless there are people faster than me in the race.
Goal 10K is sub 32 since I haven't really run one for real (I ran one in track over spring break one year in college and the number of laps friend my brain).
Starting in a week or two I will get into speedwork for real again. Mile repeats, form drills, and tempo runs will be the bulk of it.
Some Cruz workouts would be nice too (run a football field with quick strides, then do push ups or sit ups or frog jumps or hill climbers, etc - then get up and run again, do that for 10 times back and forth, and then run an 800 on the track all out - and then repeat all of that 1-3 times).
(likely tempo on Tuesdays, cruises (which I hate) on thursdays, and then repeats on Saturdays - I might flip-flop the thurs and sats)
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