Once Inspired

As a triathlete training for 10km isn’t always easy. Here are 5 interesting ways to make your training a little more exciting and your 10km that much faster.

1. The muscular training. This is sessions of 6-10 km in distance on a hard surface.

Which means either the track or asphalt.

Ideally, a range from 1 – 6 minutes of effective running and recoveries about half of the time you have run on the previous repeat.

For example if you do 20 x 1 lap on the track in 80 seconds each – go for 40 seconds recovery

2. The “under distance” work. This is the mile-repeats / 1000-meter-repeats. On track or dirt/soft surface.

These should be a total of 4 – 6 km in the whole session.

The recoveries as long as the time run.

If you do 3 x 1.5 km repeat in 5 minute each, go for 5 minute recovery. Aim for your 5 k race pace.

3. The progressive 10k trainings, with short recoveries.

In these sessions, what you do is to have very short recoveries, from 15 – 30 seconds. For example you start a certain distance and finish in 1 minute.

The next time, run 0.5 seconds faster. Continue running a little bit faster on each one.

What you do here is to start off your “aerobic engine” (the endurance system) and slowly glide into more anaerobic (work with lactate acid in your legs).

This helps the finish of a 10k.

4. The pyramids. This adds another element to the muscular training.

You play with speed and this helps your muscles adapt to the demands of the 10k.

For example 30 seconds – 1 minute – 2 minute – 3 minute – 4 minute – 2 minute – 1 minute – 30 seconds of running.

5. The longer, off track/soft surface 10k/half marathon stuff.

This work should always be on increasing speed.

Which means – the last repeat faster than the one second to last, which was faster than the one before.

Typical sessions are 5 times 6 minute with 2 minute easy jog in between.

And there you have it. Go have fun with it!