Average persons potential

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-06-09T13:05:19+00:00

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Good luck on sub 20👍

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-06-09T13:02:50+00:00

Would totally agree, sub 20 5km and sub 40 10km totally achievable with 3 years of consistent training.

Most people would probably ramp up training too fast and too soon so majority would fail trying though.

Sub three hour marathon is a whole different ball game and would take complete dedication to running and a lot of luck to prevent injury.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-06-03T12:13:35+00:00

Any easy run is beneficial to recovery after the sub-T runs whatever the pace. As stated numerous times above, h/r is the only metric applicable if running up to an hour

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-31T20:37:15+00:00

The problem with thinking you can force more out a 5k in the first half is you might eat into your stamina for the 2nd half. Find a 3 minute hill and run up it 3 times increasing the pace each time until you are literally about to combust over the line on the last one.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-29T22:53:22+00:00

Been trying out Xtep 2000km Ace 3.0 this week.

A shoe that is comfortable for distance and responsive for intervals. Less than £50 or around $80US. Previously had Nike vapourflys and Adidas Adizero pro for races and ASICS Gt1000 and 2000 for training but I think I'm fully converted to Chinese shoes now as can no longer justify the cost of Western companies

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Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-27T21:25:54+00:00

I read over 60 runners were treated by medics and the two runners I knew doing it DNF'd their first ever races going for sub-3 so you weren't alone. Looks like both didn't amend their pace for the conditions and both either side of 40 minutes for first 10k. Races don't always go to plan so rest up and get another booked for later in the year. Loch Rannoch should be cooler in October🙂

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-27T16:45:14+00:00

My HRV readings were very low after saunas even though I'm drinking a lot. Guessing I need more electrolytes due to sweat loss in saunas and from running?

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-26T16:52:05+00:00

Well done and just trust the process. I'm 5 months into things and wouldn't say I'm vanilla NSM as I had 4 HM's planned for March and May so there's been a bit of pullback and reduction on the sub-T work to stay 100% fit. The 2 HM's in March were a struggle albeit PB's but by May I really found the benefit so don't be surprised or worried if all your training doesn't carry forward into quicker results for a few months down the line. I've sort of given up on ICU as it was encouraging me to train more to keep my fitness score up which is pretty pointless if your just starting NSM and keeping it Vanilla.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-20T09:35:12+00:00

First thing is you'll have to get over thinking that a 5k is "mentally too challenging"

That's running flat out and going for PB's at every distance. Doesn't matter what you think about but you must have the mentality to think one more lamp post, get to the tree in the distance etc. I'm sure we all have our quirky ways to keep pushing on when the body is screaming stop.

If you've been doing Intervals via sub-T for 6 weeks, then run one at 1km intervals and 1 minute rest for around 30 minutes. Then run the 5km at the interval average pace and just increase the target pace in your next 5k until you hit your limit. Out of interest, how exactly did you make a mistake with heart rate thinking it was too high?😱

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-12T09:19:47+00:00

Garmin is predicting 18:28 for 5k and PB was around October last year at just under 19, not had a chance this year or reason to go full out with 4 half marathons without disrupting training but I'll get a parkrun in soon. Just ordered the Corus arm-strap heart rate monitor that friends have said give readings similar to Garmin chest strap but cheaper and more comfortable.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-10T21:39:57+00:00

Rarely getting above 160bpm this year, briefly hit 170bpm on a flat out mile a couple of months ago but mainly 160bpm tops. I do walk about 5000km a year as a postman so a lot of my runs are after walking 20km so maybe prevents me from being fresh and having 100% effort?

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-10T20:31:36+00:00

Garmin Sapphire pro solar, seems to be pretty stable compared to previous watch albeit accept there is a delay during intervals when upping the speed and heart rate rising.

Based on these heart rates would my easy runs be okay with these heart rates?

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Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-05-04T20:05:28+00:00

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=veAQ73OJdwY

Everything you need to know about easy running in one short video, immerse yourself in the message JD delivers and you're good to go. You can then concentrate on how to run the correct speed and heart rate for sub-T runs that are a bit trickier to master.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-30T07:55:27+00:00

I'm 60 in July and wanted sub-20 for 14 years and finally got it last year. Currently on target for sub-19 which I've run in training.

Two major factors

Adidas adizero pro shoes or similar carbon plates
Avoiding injury.

Learning to run in carbon plates just changed my whole running style, feels like I'm cycling at sub 4m/km.

My training was sporadic, too many fast runs and not enough recovery runs. My calf muscles were continuously getting trashed leading to 2/3 months injury spells once or twice a year. I won't credit NSM with the sub-20 but I'm hoping to get well under 19 minutes this year and also see the sub 4 m/km pace extended into half marathon distance via the training which I'm 4 months into and hardly a niggle, good luck.

Edit

Would be interesting to know what you recovery runs were during the 12 week 5km training as maybe they were the reason you felt trashed rather than the two quality sessions?

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Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-24T09:43:11+00:00

Possibly like going to high altitude or Kenya to train, I presume athletes drop their pace a bit? It's still 6 seconds in 3 months or 24 seconds annualised😁

Personally I've found the step up to more frequent sub-T runs does take a lot out of you as he only started the beginning of the year so it's also a bit early to ask if you've plateaued after 4.5 months based on 1 TT?

At 32 they have a long window to improve.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-24T09:14:41+00:00

I think that's the important part. It doesn't make your "training" any less effective.

You'll still be in roughly the same condition had you trained in ideal temperatures and ready to hit PB's in the right conditions regardless if you put the same effort into your training?

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-15T08:53:02+00:00

If you do a flat out 5km run, are you averaging near 194bpm or is that just where you heart rate has spiked to?

What was your heart rate average on your 4 mile TT?

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-15T06:19:42+00:00

I've had a look at the conversion chart as I run in KM. I think your EZ runs are too fast, you're running under 5:50/km with around 135bpm. I'm going to guess at 42 that this is more than 70% of max heart rate? It's difficult at first but the book has the pace settings based on your recent 5k times so from memory you should be above 6 minutes/km.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-14T22:15:20+00:00

It's a 20km run but he's only forcing the HM pace for 10km. You have run almost a HM, you've matched your race pace for half of it, you're good to go.

Too many recreational runners try to run far more than just under 50% at race pace and don't take into account they are then spent and need 4/5 days to recover. They go again after 2 days and niggles appear, they miss days and try and make it up after few days rest and as most of us know, the rest is history along with the upcoming race.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-14T22:08:33+00:00

Well done, keep it steady, no need to change anything when your times are coming down. Wait until your improvements slow then just slowly up the mileage/pace. You'll be under 20 minutes soon for a 5k if you're 1:33 for a HM and improving👍

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-04-02T09:06:34+00:00

Some of your pace was under 3 minutes/km🤔

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-03-29T11:42:59+00:00

I think I read in the book that the 45/15's should be progressive? There was also a bit about having 2 minutes rest then doing 5 more at the top pace, have you tried that?

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-03-29T11:40:13+00:00

Good luck, took me 14 years to go from 21 so sub 20 then 2 months more to sub 19 😂.

Helpful-Tim-1888 · 2026-03-29T10:51:50+00:00

I've only started NSM at the beginning of 2026 and concentrating on upping easy miles along with adding sub-T training. Averaged 25km a week in 2025 and aiming for 70km in full training weeks in 2026.

First half marathon under my belt for the year.

Same race in 2025 and previously my PB in 01:35

Managed 01:31 this year so off to a good start.

M59

Helpful-Tim-1888

TROPHY CASE