adidas_runner wrote:
I currently run 20-25 miles per week and I'm 18 years old. I did a little research on base training and that's what I'm currently trying to do.
I see now. That's why your 5k is so much better than your 10k. That means you're actually very talented and have a ton of room for improvement, but you just lack endurance. I think sub 15 could be possible be your early/mid 20s.
Basically, you just need more mileage. Don't even bother with speed work. Just do mileage.
Follow this format:
M- easy
T- easy
W- tempo
T- easy
F- easy
S- race or easy (Use races as your speed work, race once a month at either 5k or 10k, and race twice a month closer to your peak race)
S- long run
You do a 6 month season twice per year. Peak in the spring and in the fall. After the season take 2 weeks off then take 3-5 weeks to slowly build your mileage up then resume the tempos. Each season you do a little more mileage than the season before.
Follow this progression:
Season 1: Easy runs of 4-6 miles, Long Run 8-10 miles, Tempo 20-25 minutes (with 10-15 minute warm up and cool down)
Season 2: Easy runs 6-8 miles, Long run 12 miles, Tempo 20-30 minutes (15 minute warm up and cool down)
Season 3: Easy runs 8-9 miles, Long run 14 miles, Tempo 25-30 minutes (20 minute warm up and cool down)
Season 4: Easy runs 10 miles, Long run 16 miles, Tempo 30-45 minutes (20-25 minute warm up and cool down)
Season 5 and After: Repeat Season 4, but increase long run to 20 miles and tempo to 30-60 minutes when you move up to marathon
Listen to your body and see how you feel. Some days you may run on the lower side of things (e.g. 4 miles in season 1 easy run), and some days you may feel better and run on the longer side of things (e.g. 30 minutes on season 2 or 3 tempo)