Last 10km test run before the Berlin Big 25

The goal of the training was to run 10km with a pace of 4:00. With all the interval training it is now not too hard and I even managed to do a pace of 3:55.  Looks promising but I do not know at what pace I should start. Last year I started the first 5km with a pace of 3:35, but I paid the price for the rest of the race. I am tempted to still try to start faster, just to see if with a miracle I could do under 37:00.  Lets see what happens.

My training on Strava



I really liked the 10km run for the big 25 because you do not have as much runners than for the half marathon. You start quickly and you are not annoyed too much at the beginning.

Running Barefoot, testing the Vibram KSO EVO

I started running barefoot because I had knee pain after running the marathon of Berlin 2015. I was not trained enough, and I am stubborn and wanted to finish no matter what... I passed the finish line in 4:32:12 swearing I would never run a marathon again. Two month without running later I has still pain each time I tried to run. After reading blog after blog, some telling me that running barefoot helped them with knee pain, I said what the hell lets try (It cannot be worse).

So I bought them because they where not that expensive and recommended by other barefoot runners.

 

It was a success. It has been 3 months and I do not suffer from knee pain. To be honest I cannot tell if it is the barefoot shoes and/or better training. The fact is I can now run more that 10km barefoot with a normal pace (see below).

I started with very short distance and with a very slow pace. Something like 5km with a pace of 6:00 and increased each week a little both speed and distance. I only run once a week with the Vibram KSO EVO and never for an interval training.

By the way I changed my mind about long distances and I will run an ultra trail in December 2016 http://www.saintelyon.com/ (72 km)

If you have a different experience, please share :)

Training Up hill + barefoot

Today was a easy training that I do barefoot. The last months I had some knee pain that would not go away. After reading multiple running blog, and seeing people healing them selfs with some barefoot run training, I wanted to try. I actually had nothing to lose (only the price of the shoes).

I also try to to some up hill running to make it more interesting. I actually get board if I train 4 or 5 times a week running on a flat track.

After 3 month of experience, I can only say that I no longer feel knee pain, even if I run more than 50km per week. It might also come from a better training over all. But since I like the feeling, I will continue to run barefoot once or twice every week.

This is the strava activity of my weekly natural running training in Berlin.  I will try to write soon a test of the shoes I am using to run barefoot: Vibram KSO EVO

My training plan for the 10km

I will start next week a training plan in order to increase my chances of running a 10km under 38'. I found a great german book that explains how to train and offers multiple plan. I already did last year the 10km under 39' and it worked well, so I am doing the plan under 35' this year.

What I like about the training plans is that they give you the speed you should do your interval training and not just percentage of your maximum heart rate. 5 trainings are planned every week, but since I play football I will give up one low pace session to only have 4.

These are the main type of training
- 400m interval at at 1:19 (this is a pace of 3:18)
- 1000m interval at 3:30
- long run a low pace
- 10km at a pace of 4:00

Even if I will officially start the plan next week, I already did a test today:

Preparation to the Big25 10km in Berlin

I registered to the big25 10km 2016 in Berlin. I already participated last year and did my personal best on this distance, 38'49. Of course, I would like to do better this year with a secret dream of being under 38'.

 I will keep you updated :p

 This is my strava.com activity of the big25 10km 2015: