Sub-40min 10K for 5'7"-tall male

[juan-john]

Just curious if it's even possible for a 5-ft 7-inch male in his mid-40s to achieve a sub-40-minute 10k, and what kind of training plan would be necessary to achieve that.

[DanielJ]

What's your weight and how lean are you already?

For what it's worth, I'm 6'2 and perhaps in the low 170s, and I could probably lose 10 pounds of fat to be ripped. I started 2014 with a 10k of about 43:40, and just broke 40 minutes for 10k on Sunday. So that's about 400 days, eh? I rowed about 2 million metres in that time, though the last 700,000 or so have been smarter metres with better technique and better workout structure as per learnings from this forum. As a result my returns aren't really diminishing yet.

Check this out for great technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf84O5cTWY4 (Note specifically his timing (his drive:recovery ratio), the drive through the legs, the sturdy back, the timing of the elements of the stroke etc.) I wish I had paid better attention to all of this before, because with better technique it makes training at all levels (from UT2 to limit) much easier to apply.

Once your technique is nailed down, then you can structure your training. I'm sure the other guys will expand on that. It's lunchtime for me.

[juan-john]

Thanks. Very helpful (especially since I'll have to lean out A LOT in the next few months before I can seriously even contemplate such a feat).

[Citroen]

Just curious if it's even possible for a 5-ft 7-inch male in his mid-40s to achieve a sub-40-minute 10k, and what kind of training plan would be necessary to achieve that.

It's possible. I did it at 43 yrs old.

You'll need to be under 75Kg.

[juan-john]

Awesome, thanks Citroen!

[kini62]

I'm 5'6" and had a best of around 39:20 back when I was running a lot and cross training with my rower I think I was around 47 at the time.

[lindsayh]

Just curious if it's even possible for a 5-ft 7-inch male in his mid-40s to achieve a sub-40-minute 10k, and what kind of training plan would be necessary to achieve that.

My erg buddy Terry Dargan did 10k in 38:47 in August last year. Age 70, wt 72kg and about that height
Definitely possible!!