Every Race is an Adventure!

I'm curious about how long you think a tempo run should be when training for a 10k. The program I've been following says that the runs should be 3-4 miles, run 15-20 seconds slower than your 10k pace. 4 miles seems a little short to me - at least I have a hard time believing that I could increase my pace and hold it for 2 miles longer than I've done in training runs. What have you typically done in the past?

The first thing you should realize, if you haven't already, is that I don't generally follow a structured training plan. I probably should, but I don't. With the progress you have been making, I should probably come to you for training advice.

I often piggy back on the training plans of my running buddies who have similar goals...I run what they run. Beyond that I play it by ear, taking runs a day at a time. I enjoy running with buddies or alone, pushing hard or enjoying the scenery. For me, running is a lifestyle, with performance goals tossed in to keep it interesting.

That said, it is my experience that I always seem to be able to run quite a bit faster farther on race day than I have in my training. Using 3-4 mile tempo runs 15-20 seconds slower than race pace to train for a 6.2 mile race seems reasonable to me. If you feel up to 5-6 mile tempo runs at race pace, go for it. I think come race day you'll find yourself running even faster.

Again, take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm sure there are other bloggers (like Sasha) with far more knowledge and experience than I.

The first thing you should realize, if you haven't already, is that I don't generally follow a structured training plan. I probably should, but I don't. With the progress you have been making, I should probably come to you for training advice.

I often piggy back on the training plans of my running buddies who have similar goals...I run what they run. Beyond that I play it by ear, taking runs a day at a time. I enjoy running with buddies or alone, pushing hard or enjoying the scenery. For me, running is a lifestyle, with performance goals tossed in to keep it interesting.

That said, it is my experience that I always seem to be able to run quite a bit faster farther on race day than I have in my training. Using 3-4 mile tempo runs 15-20 seconds slower than race pace to train for a 6.2 mile race seems reasonable to me. If you feel up to 5-6 mile tempo runs at race pace, go for it. I think come race day you'll find yourself running even faster.

Again, take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm sure there are other bloggers (like Sasha) with far more knowledge and experience than I.