I was having a look at some of my ‘Personal Records’, PRs or PBs on Garmin and I thought perhaps it’s time for a change. 🙂

I’ve been focusing on running long and building endurance for so long, and left speed, pace and PBs behind. If you know me, you’ll know I more or less HATE running fast, but perhaps now is a good time to challenge myself?

(Remembering I recently wrote, ‘Why I don’t think TIMES matter’ (I’ll link to it later – times are a good way to motivate and challenge yourself, my speedy Gonzalez brother Neil in Oz will be smiling reading this I bet you!)

Anyway, do you fancy joining me on the 5k PB challenge?

My PBs are as follows:

Distance : Time : Pace
5k : 21:33 : 6:56 min miles
10k : 44:14 : 7:08 min miles
13.1M : 1:38:18 : 7:30 min miles
26.2M : 3:28:51 : 7:58 min miles
Furthest run: 33.33 miles

It’s a long time since I’ve chased my own PBs in short distances, and perhaps the next 8-12 weeks, alongside strength training, is a good time to try. 🙂

So, how do you get faster?

Speedwork, hills, time trials, intervals, tempo runs all help your body and mind get used to running fast and help you beat PBs. So that’s what I’m going to do.

Over the next 8 weeks, I plan on supplementing my strength training with short, hard interval sessions, speedwork, hill work and time trials. I’ll do them on the days I strength train (mon & fri), usually at lunch time or after work if I’m busy at work.

My lunchtime runs will be 35 minutes long including around 15 mins of warm up and cool down, with the aim to cover more distance each time I run 35 mins (except for on hills).

My time trials will be short, 5k time trials and 2 mile time trials. The high intensity work should be good for getting my body used to running faster and help me be ready to run faster than ever when I do my time trials. Fingers crossed!

Week / Date : Mon Run / Fri Run
Wk1 / 6 Jan: 1:1 speedwork / Hills
Wk2 / 13 Jan: 3:3 speedwork / 5k Time Trial
Wk3 / 20 Jan: 2:2 speedwork / Tempo
Wk4 / 27 Jan: Easy Run / 2M Time Trial
Wk5 / 3 Feb: 1:1 speedwork / Hills
Wk6 / 10 Feb: 3:3 speedwork / 5k Time Trial
Wk7 / 17 Feb: 2:2 speedwork / Tempo
Wk8 / 24 Feb: Easy Run / 2M Time Trial

On top of the lunchtime runs above, I’ll do easy and long runs on my runs on Tuesday and Thursday.

Easy runs
Tuesdays I’ll run in the mornings before work, between 4-5 easy miles.

Long runs
Thursday I’ll run long in the build up to marathon training (8 weeks after the date below). I’ll add my long run distances here later. 🙂

The speedwork / hard / effective runs should hopefully help with ‘fat burn’ and my goal of getting ‘leaner and stronger’. Now I just need to stick to the plan and do it!

Ps: did I tell you I absolutely hate running fast? This might be a bit of a challenge for me! I think I’ll need my cape on just to get my trainers on and out the door! Hopefully this plan will help motivate me. Now, I wonder if I can beat 21:33 for 5k?