PB targets and milestones

My target for 2013 is to get PBs. I want to go for PBs at a range of distances including: 5km, 5 miles, 10km and probably half marathon.

In order to do this I need targets. I need milestones to aim for along the way and I need race targets, time targets and training targets.

So what race targets do I have:

5km:Well it has to be parkrun for 5km. I now regularly run parkrun with my 8 year old son and I give him the choice of when to run. However, I do know that he won't want to run every week. So when he decides not to run, sometime I will have to really go for it. I'd certainly like to achieve a PB before the end of April 2013 (that means beating my current PB of 17:28). And my overall PB target for 2013 is a very optimistic 17:15.
I would also like to get a parkrun PB at Brueton parkrun (currently 17:36) and at Leamington parkrun (currently 21:10).
My milestone targets for parkrun are sub 18 minutes in January, sub 17:50 in February and sub 17:40 in March.
5 miles:My main 5 mile target is the Sphinx Summer 5, which tends to be in June (I believe). This year I ran my 5 mile PB of 30:07 at that same event and next year I want to at least go under 30 minutes, with an ultimate target of 29:00. I would also like to improve my times from this year at all of my club's Summer 5 mile Handicap Series.
10 km:Leamington Spa Regency 10km - Sunday 7th April 2013:My current 10km PB was set at 36:47 at the Regency run in 2012. My aim is to beat that time and set a new PB. I know that this will be tough, so my main aim is a PB, but with 36:00 as my ultimate aim.
Two Castles 10km - Sunday 9th June 2013:
This is a tougher course than the Regency run and being in June it is bound to be hot. I would like to get a course PB (currently 38:27). I think this is achievable but anything more will depend entirely on the conditions on the day.

I am certain I will enter other 10km events in 2013, I am just not sure which ones yet. I'll aim for at least 2 more.

Half Marathon:My main aim is to find a suitable one and to get a PB. My current half marathon PB is 1:33:37 at Coventry Half Marathon in 2009. I am now a far better runner than I was then, so I should find this target relatively easy. My "absolute must" targets are a PB and sub 1:30, but I believe that I should be capable of a time around 1:25, so that is what I will be going for. I am yet to decide on a specific half marathon race target, I am considering one in the spring, but an Autumn Half Marathon such as the Birmingham Half may be more realistic.

Cross-country:I aim to do a couple more cross-country runs early in the new year and then next Autumn/Winter I will aim to improve my time and position at each event.


As far as training goes, I need to have targets in the following areas:

Weight: I know I need to lose a little weight in order to give myself my best chance of a PB. I'm by no means overweight, but racing weight is a little different. I would like to get down to 10 stone 5 lbs by the time I start to go for PBs, so I will aim for that weight by April. It's therefore likely that I will give myself 3 months to lose around 6 pounds (or maybe slightly more after Christmas) at roughly a pound every other week. That allows for a little bit to go on at Christmas, but any more and I'll have to lose it at a faster rate.

I'll aim to be 10 stone 9 lbs by the end of January and 10 stone 7lbs by the end of February.

Distance:I tend to average around 20-25 miles of running a week. I don't believe that this is really enough and I am certain that if I can manage to consistently increase this then I will automatically be in better shape. I have read previously that something like 40 miles a week would be ideal. I am not sure that I can manage to fit that kind of mileage in, so some may be replaced by static cycling. But any increase in mileage would be beneficial. I am going to set my target at 30 miles a week, and try to manage closer to 40 whenever possible.

Time/Speed:I will aim to do interval training at least once a fortnight and regularly achieve: 500m in 1 min 30 secs; 1km in 3 mins 15 secs; 2.5 km in 8 mins 30 secs.

I'll also aim to do my tempo runs at around 6 minute miles to get used to that pace.
Cycling:My target is to do a minimum of 2 static cycling sessions a week, and 3 where possible. I want one of these session to be a short flat out for 20-30 minutes and another to be at least an hour at a comfortable pace.

Hills:I aim to do a hills session at least once a fortnight.

Flexibility:My target here is really to spend time on flexibility. It is hard to gauge how that improves or set targets, but being able to touch my toes again and getting my socks on standing up are all I can really think of to judge how this goes. So they are my targets.

Another general aim of mine is to enter more events in 2013 as it has only been a handful (just 4 official races I think) in 2012.