Goal Setting for Runners: Speed vs. Distance - Find Your Focus

Question
Out of personal goals, how do you decide if you should focus on running faster or farther?

I do have problems with goal setting, I would like to run faster sub-10k distances but I would just as well like to build up to half marathon too and maybe even forget that it'll take me 2 hours.

If there was a 'technical' reason to choose training for either one it would help a lot.

Answer
Anne,

It really depends on what you want. You either need to set a goal to run a half marathon or to run faster shorter distances or you can set a goal to do both.

Whatever goal you decide, increasing the volume of your training should help. You need to run more miles in a week essentially. One or two of those days should focus on speed regardless of your goal. Speed should range from 200 meters to 800 meters.

Your pace for anything over 2 miles will end up being about the same. For example if you can run 2 miles in 20 minutes you're running 10 minute miles. If you run 10 miles it will probably take you 100 minutes.

I hope this helps. If it doesn't, please follow up with another question. Good luck and good job running so much!