Achieve A Sub 40 Minute 10K
Ticked off in May 2018
Twenty-five laps of a track at four minutes a kilometre, held together by nothing but nerve and lactic acid.
The adventure
Sub-40 is the line that separates a decent runner from a properly quick one. It asks for 6:26 per mile, every mile, for six and a quarter miles, and there is nowhere to hide. Start a few seconds too fast and the last two kilometres turn into a fight against your own legs.
On race day it all comes down to the final kilometre. You do the maths at every marker, feel your breathing turn ragged somewhere around 7K, and then the finish gantry appears with the clock still reading 39-something. Big city 10Ks on closed roads make it even better, with crowds lining streets that are normally full of buses and taxis, and you are running a pace that would have felt impossible the day you first laced up.
Why it’s epic
- The target pace is 4:00 per kilometre, or about 6:26 per mile, for the full 10 kilometres.
- It is the equivalent of 25 laps of a 400-metre track at 96 seconds a lap.
- A runner who can break 40 minutes for 10K is usually capable of around 19 minutes for 5K.
- Closed-road races such as the Vitality London 10,000 take you through the centre of the capital without a car in sight.
What it is
Running 10 kilometres in under 40 minutes means holding a pace of under 4 minutes per kilometre.
How to do it
Follow a training plan with interval sessions, tempo runs and a weekly long run, and race on a flat course.
Top tip
Parkrun is a free way to test your speed every week.
Need to know
- Most runners need a year or more of consistent training, with weekly interval and tempo sessions, to get close.
- Choose a flat, accurately measured course so the time counts and hills don't eat into your margin.
- Cool, still mornings in spring and autumn give the best conditions.
How I ticked it off
Much like the idea of completing a sub 20 minute 5KM, the idea of completing a 10KM let alone a sub 40 minute 10KM race sounded ludicrous once upon a time.
Since i have taken up running on a more frequent basis 10KM has become a nice distance, and probably my favourite distance. its tough, but not too tough, with the added bonus of being able to squeeze it into a lunch break and shower after.
Living in London, i love the events which allow you to run on closed roads around the city of London, its such a fantastic experience and the support is always fantastic.
Some of my favourite events are the Vitality 10K, British 10K, & the Simplyhealth 10k which finishes in the famous Olympic Stadium.
If you would like to find a 10K event near you check out Find A Race
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