Advice on running goals - early 40s male

Just keep doing training and races and find out what you are capable of.

when? within 1 year or 2 years or until you start to decline due to age? if the latter, and based on only being able to run 3 or 4 times a week, probably a 37:30- 10k, and 17:30 5k.

your build isn't a barrier but it will hold you back compared to typical/optimal 170cm runners.

I’d encourage you to Google the thread on modifying the Norwegian method for low mileage. High success rate and low injury risk. Good luck!

For not running a ton and your life commitments running those times over 5km in particular is impressive. Good stuff.

In terms of targeting times I get it, you want to shoot for something. Why not give yourself a goal of simply breaking 18min to begin with and then reassess when you do? Like dude, don't say today "I want to run sub 17" because that could be a long way off and become daunting - this is where having a goal in running that ultimately doesn't matter (as in if you ultimately run 17min59 or 16min59 for 5000m it's only a personal thing) makes it so fun.

Based on your ability for 5km I think it correlates to maybe a 39min/38min30 10km right now so if you set yourself goals of breaking 18 and breaking 38 that would seem right to me and achievable.

My advice on training? Don't do too much on the track. You are a bigger guy and track running isn't easy on the body even if it's not at maximum effort. Especially if you didn't run a lot of it in your younger days. Why not replace a track workout with a fartlek session (open speed intervals) in a park (1,2,3,4,3,2,1min of effort with a jog rest in between) or some derivative of that (15-20min effort total). Your height and weight aren't an issue for longer distance running as long as you give it (your body) time to adjust to the increased workloads which isn't rocket science. Like if you are currently at 25mpw (just guessing) and have a goal of getting to 50 don't try and get that extra 25 in like 2, 3 weeks.

Sounds like you are having as blast though, great to hear.

Most marathoners are short, but Kiptum, Cheruiyot and Paul Tergat are all in the 5'11" to 6'+ range. I have known a couple of marathon runners (amateur) who are @6'3"+. Their main issue was high mileage training would wear them out.

43 is also the age when your body is not producing the amount of testosterone it used to. From 45 on, you really have to be careful with mileage and training intensity.

That being said, I think breaking 18 5k, 38 10k is a reasonable goal. And you should definitely try running a marathon. Everyone responds to the longer distances differently. Some people just crash and burn and others adapt well and do better at 1/2 to full than 5k 10k. You just have to jump in and find out.

As for training, the main issue is going to be recovery. There are a zillion different training plans out there. It is just trial and error to find what works for your. But I would keep total mileage at a max of 50 per week and do one hard workout a week or two shorter hard efforts a week.

The first half of this is me, the second half not so much. At 39 after 4 years off, I've lost all semblance of speed, and am telling myself its for the best that I don't push it so I don't get injured. I am just starting to get comfortable doing miles faster than 8:30 per again. How quickly did your speed come back, I'd love to know your tricks, what kind of track work?

Are you able to recover at all?

I'm 39 and after a long run I have very little time or bandwidth to recover/rest due to having young kids. This is probably the number one thing holding me back I'm typically very active with them which means no sleeping in, rest days on the couch...etc. I think in an ideal world, I'd be able to do a long run, lounge around, go do massage...etc. But life is too crazy so I'm typically squeezing running in where I can. I'm not saying it's an excuse, but I'm too lazy to run at 5am or go to the gym.

Not really, similar story to you. Young kids, no sleeping in, full time onsite job. I squeeze it in at lunch if i can, before daycare is out if i get off work early, late at night after everyone is asleep. Right now I'm in my 11th week of at least 15 miles, but no more than 25 across 3 and sometimes 4 runs. Running faster feels like it will make a lower leg injury inevitable (heel, shin, ankle, calf, pick a random side on a random day).

I ran just under 22 minutes at my first parkrun at the beginning of January. That was off the back of just a few runs. I managed to get back to sub-19 by the beginning of March. I don't think I did anything special at all other than joining the running club, which meant that I was doing the track rep sessions (example: 4 * 800m + 600m + 400m) which I've never done before.

Thanks for all the advice! This is great. I think targeting sub-18 to start with makes sense and if I make it then I can reassess. And it's great to hear that I shouldn't worry too much about the longer stuff. My intention is to build up through the year and try a marathon in the autumn.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the comments and advice in this thread - they've been really helpful.

Also I just found out that François D'Haene, who has won Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc four times and holds the speed record for it, is 6 foot 4!