Race Info

Distance: 10km (solo time trial)
Date: 02.08.2025
Finish Time: 55:00
Previous 10K PR (1 month ago): 1:02:02
Pace: 5:30/km
Previous Pace: 6:12/km
Goal: Sub-57 – ✅

Background

I’m a 32-year-old male, currently weighing 70kg, down from 75kg when I started training about 1.5 months ago. Until then, I used to run casually — maybe 7km per month, never more than 20km per week.

What changed? I committed to daily running, dialed in recovery and nutrition, and got myself a proper GPS watch to track VO2 Max and effort more accurately. I’ve gone from a VO2 Max of 43.5 (lab) to 53 (watch), and built up to 85km per week of running.

So far, I’ve logged 330km in total during this new chapter.

My Zone 3 pace is 5:30/km at 153 bpm, and I ran both my recent 10k and the previous one at that exact HR — so the pace improvement has come from efficiency gains and consistent training.

Plan

I’m currently following a Garmin Coach plan with a goal to run a 10k at 4:40/km pace by October 1st. So far, the focus has been on consistency, aerobic base, and staying injury-free.

Training Choices

Running almost every day (mostly Zone 2, +1-hour runs)
VO2 max and sprint intervals a couple times a week
Cross-training with bouldering and calisthenics
Core strength training
Volume at ~85km per week with minimal burnout

Pre-Race

Ate a banana ~30 minutes before starting
Wore my Asics Novablast 5 (first race in them)
Carried a trail vest with electrolyte drink (sipped every 15 mins)
Took carb gummies every 15 mins — trying out fueling strategy for longer efforts

Race Breakdown

KM 1: 4:20 – went out too hot
KM 2: 5:13 – reeled it back
KM 3: 5:20 – started locking into rhythm
KM 4–10: steady between 5:35–5:45/km, doing loops around a 1km park– relaxed form, focused breathing, consistent cadence

Mindset

I feel like I’m entering a completely new zone. Running gives me this insane feeling of peace — like I’m in a Zen temple retreat, totally in the moment. No distractions, just me and the movement. That feeling has become just as important as the metrics.

What’s Next

Keep building toward my 4:40/km 10K in October
Incorporate more strides, hill sprints, and strength work
Stick to the joy: running + bouldering + calisthenics
Run my first ultramarathon before the end of the year

Also worth noting: My race prediction from the watch has gone from 4:08:46 to 3:31:28 for the marathon. I haven’t actually run a full yet, so I take it with a grain of salt — but it keeps me motivated and dreaming big.

Would love to hear from you

Is this progress promising for someone aiming to move into ultras, and in general, a beginner?
Have you made the jump from max running half-marathons into ultras? If so, how has this journey been like?
How much trust do you place in Garmin’s race predictions?

Thanks for reading — I’m just getting started and really open to sharing progress stories. Let’s gooo !!!

Race Report: 10K PR After 1.5 Months of Focused Running (7min Drop from Previous Best)