Seeking more information about the average 10 mile run time by age? If so, I am glad you are here and welcome to RunDreamAchieve. The 10 mile event is my favorite race distance. I was able to eventually run a personal best of 50:54 en route to the 1:07:06 half marathon I ran. It was the 2007 Philadelphia Distance classic now called the Rock n Roll Philadelphia half marathon. I also ran an open 10 miler time of 51:29 at the 2007 Cherry Blossom 10 miler.
So, I do understand what it takes to run a fast 10 miler time. My goal with this post is to share with you a few strategies to consider to make you better. The 10 mile distance will test you both physically and mentally. You most certainly don't want to rush your fitness. Remember, it takes anywhere from 21 days to 4 weeks for the body to adapt to the stresses you are placing on it.
The key tactic with a proper 10 mile training plan is to improve the body's lactate tolerance. Easy running is not enough. Sure, you can build some legitimate endurance running easy. That being said, you need to train at or far below your goal 10 mile race pace in order to make your goal time a reality. The world's top runners are running between 35 to 40 percent of their weekly volume at higher intensities.
What is a Decent 10 Mile Run Time?
You should be running your 10 mile around 55 to 65 seconds slower than your best mile. For example, if your best mile time is 5:20 you should be able to hold around 6:15 mile pace for 10 miles. So, the average 10 mile run time by age will be based on various factors. The type of course you are running on is going to impact race performance. In addition, high temperatures and high wind can certainly effect overall run times.
That being said, if you are seeking the average 10 mile run time by age definitely check out Running Level. I think they did an outstanding job of breaking down time, age and athletic performances. I recommend focusing on a minimum of a 16 and preferably 20 to 24 week build-up. Again, you want to train properly and not be in a rush. I have created 10 mile training plans located here at RDA to help set you up for success.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TRAINING PLANSHow Long Does it Take a Beginner to Run 10 Miles?
As mentioned above, the longer the build up, the better. I would first focus on building your aerobic mileage. The reason is you can just run easy and take your time. In addition, you will strengthen your muscles, ligaments and tendons. Also, lessen the likelihood you will get injured. So, you want to do easy running for about 4 weeks first. Beginners as well as elite runners need to train and prepare smarter, not harder.
There are plenty of hard working runner who still miss their time goals. My jobs as your coach and mentor is to help you think outside the box. Higher mileage is not a guarantee you are going to run faster. It is the quality of the training that you are doing that counts most. I would add in strides twice per week during your training build up. Strides are short, 50 to 100-meter acceleration drills. In addition, will help you focus on your form and are great to get your heart rate up.
A build up of between 16 to 24 weeks is optimal timing for you to run a great 10 mile time. Of course, a shorter 8 to 12-week training plan can still yield legitimate results if you prepare well. What has been the longest tempo run you have done in the past training for your 10 mile races? 5 miles? 6? I would focus on gradually lengthening it out to 7 to 11 miles. Again, take your time. You need to first adapt to doing 3 to 4 mile tempo runs before you extend the time duration.
How Do I Improve My 10-Mile Run?
Continue to develop your overall leg speed. The 10 mile training plans and running courses I've created have this built in. Pace sustainment is the biggest challenges most runners face. Sure, you may be able to hold 10 mile race pace for a portion of the race but what about to the finish? So, you have to focus on training at your vo2 max. Your vo2 max is the body's maximum oxygen uptake. It is running at speeds so fast that you simply can't clear lactic acid faster than it is building up.
The good news is the body always adapts. In addition, doing speed training will help to get your 10 mile goal race pace to feel less aggressive. The result is you will be able to hold race pace longer once you taper down your training. I am a big believer in a 10-day rather than a 3 week taper. In fact, I set personal bests from 2 miles to the marathon using this tactic. Of course, the average 10 mile run time by age as listed by Running Level above can't factor in mental power.
Mental training and rehearsal should be mandatory practice for runners seeking excellence. The reality is most runners only focus on physical preparation. My recommendation is to start spending 10 to 15 minutes daily seeing yourself succeeding. In addition, getting across that finish line with your goal 10 mile time on the clock.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PRIVATE, MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITYHow Can I Run 10 miles without Stopping?
Be patient and consistent in your training. We all hurt and get frustrated in the early stages of training. You may need to do a combination of jogging and walking in the early stages of your build up. I state runners should focus on easy aerobic mileage for a minimum of 4 weeks for a reason. It will help to take the stress off of you. It does take time to get in great shape to where you can run 10 miles without stopping.
The good news is the body will definitely adapt to the training you put it through. Consistent action will yield you the results you are aiming for in due time. Strides are very important as I mentioned above. You will have spent several miles or kilometers at sprint pace over a 20 to 24 week block of training. In addition, you can still do these short acceleration drills on top of your other weekly workouts. Fartlek workouts, pool running, speed training and working on doing long runs will all help build your stamina.
Remember, you don't want to run long and slow every single weekend. The faster you run the more fast twitch muscle fibers you will recruit. The more of these you can recruit the more efficient you are going to run. Easy running will build your endurance. Fast running will get you to a point where running 10 miles is no longer as difficult as it once was.
Closing Thoughts
Are you ready to take your training and racing to the next level? If so, make sure to subscribe to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I create new training and race videos there each week to help runners succeed and work smarter. I hope this post has been helpful. I created this website in 2011 to help create resources to help runners meet and surpass their fitness and racing goals.
Reach out anytime and I look forward to hearing about your upcoming personal best over the 10 mile distance. Are you seeking coaching, running courses or a training plan? Click on any of the green buttons you see on this post to learn more.
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