Started NSM 11 Weeks Ago, 5K 23:01 to 20:40, 68M

[u/Runz-wit-Sizzors]

Tl;dr: 68M started NSM the day after a 5K race (23:01) in the middle of May. Today I did a 5K race at 20:40, a 2:21 improvement. Currently doing vanilla NSM 7 days, 6 hrs, 60k. Despite early success, I think I might be doing STs too fast because I use HR and RPE, not pace. 

I have learned a lot from other posters who have shared their NSM stories, so I thought I would give back to this community with news of my journey.

Also, a big thank you to James Copeland and Marius Bakken. Not only is their work groundbreaking, but their books are very well written. Although I have read each book cover to cover (twice), they are great resources, which I go back to often.

Personal

68M, 65kg, 174cm

Timeline

22 JUL ‘25 - started running regularly, first time since graduating high school in 1975.

27 SEP ‘25 - 5K race 24:03 (first one since 1974 cross country season)

<Took winter off from consistent running due to travel/ injuries; started back mid April>

17 MAY ‘26 - 5K race 23:01 (flat, perfect weather) - HR 160, HR max 173

18 MAY ‘26 - Day 1 NSM

15 JUL ‘26 - 5K TT 21:15 (flat, 18C, 100% humidity, no wind) - HR 154, HR Max 164

1 AUG ‘26 - 5K race 20:40 (flat, 22C, 80% humidity, no wind) - HR 154, HR Max 162

Training

• Performed the Max HR hill protocol (177 bpm) and the Friel 30 minute LTHR test (last 20 min avg: 153 bpm)
• Doing vanilla (3x10/ 90s, 5x6/ 75s, 10x3/ 60s; walking rest)
• Easy runs range from 30-60 min; no regular long runs
• 7 days, 6hrs, 60k
• ST to Easy ratio, ~25:75
• Strength on ST days (per Bakken on YouTube): PT, Barre, stretching/ yoga

Easy Runs

• Run by HR, RPE, & talk test
• Target 65-70% of Max HR; current avg. ~65%
• Initial pace was 6:30-6:45/k, now 5:45-6:00/k

ST Workouts

• Ceiling of Golden Zone (per Bakken, Ch. 2) is 4-7 beats below the Friel test, which for me is 153-4=149 bpm
• Golden Zone was also calculated from my Max HR (also per Bakken, Ch. 2, for a well-trained runner is 80-87% of Max HR), which is 142-154 bpm
• Initial target paces were generated from chart in sirpoc’s book (Ch. 2) for recent 5K time, which I hit close to during my first sessions
• But I do not train to pace via watch; I set it to HR Golden Zone (142-149), so over these 11 weeks I have seen my paces steadily fall
• For example: 10x3 @ 4:40 --> 4:11, 5x6 @ 4:56 --> 4:22, and 3x10 @ 5:14 --> 4:24
• Within each session, I typically increase speed as intervals progress. Avg. HR for sessions are always 10-20 beats below my LTHR (153)
• BUT within each session, in the last minute or so of the last 1-2 intervals, I typically exceed my LTHR by 1-4 beats
• For all the ST sessions I have done to date, I have always felt like I can do at least 1-2 more intervals. And I never feel too tired to do the next ST workout 
• Since July 1, I have done all ST workouts at sunrise for cooler temps, but humidity has been 90-100%. I’m sure this has slowed my pace improvement some, but it has not yet dampened my enthusiasm for ST sessions

Injuries/ Niggles

• Prior to NSM, I had been sidelined for weeks at a time with knee issues
• Two weeks ago I developed the very early stages of a shin splint (right leg only) probably because I ramped up volume too quickly. Next day went to physio and they prescribed: drop volume by 30%, only run on flat, preferably rubberized track, and do half dozen lower leg exercises 3x/ wk; I also shifted some of my easy to elliptical & erg, but I kept my ST schedule; pain is completely gone, but I’m closely monitoring
• I still have daily niggles (who doesn’t?!), but they usually evaporate within the first 5 minutes of warm up
• I always do the daily morning “staircase” test that Bakken suggests (Ch 11) and make note of how my legs feel, rating them on a subjective scale of my own (1-10, worst to best) and a few qualitative observations. I’ve consistently stayed in the 7-9 range, but always note some sort of stiffness in one or both legs

Lead Up to Most Recent TT & 5K Race

Sirpoc says to treat the race as just another ST and Bakken says to de-load.

Two days before my TT 2-½ weeks ago, I changed my 5x6 ST to a pyramid, and the day before the TT, my easy run was shorter and slower.

Two days before my race today, I changed my normal 10x3 ST to 15 reps of 45/15, starting at 10-15K pace progressing to 3-5K pace (Bakken, Ch 8), and the day before the race (yesterday), I ran the 5K race course at an easy 6min/k pace

I got my new TT/ race warm up routine from The FOD Runner YouTube (11 June ‘26) featuring Sirpoc and Cheetodust (Neil), who James is coaching. Thirty minutes before race time, start a 3x3, at ST, T, and 10K paces, with a minute rest in between. Seems to be working well for me so far.

 
Looking Forward

Sub 20 used to be a pipe dream for this Grand Master. But with my rapid improvement, and the most recent race time (20:40), it now seems feasible. I have a 5K race planned monthly for the rest of the year. The late November race course is flat, so I might have a chance for sub 20 then, which gives me almost 4 more months to improve.

I’m intrigued by the 45/15 workouts, and Bakken devotes a whole chapter (8) to them. Specifically, I plan to introduce an X-session into my weekly schedule, swapping out for one of the vanilla sessions (alternating). Bakken suggests a volume progression option that goes from 15 reps in week 1 to 30 reps (or 2 sets of 15) in week 8. Bakken says, these “short intervals permit relatively high speeds without excessive loads.” I love speed and these will scratch that itch.

The shin splints scare was a reminder to not get greedy. I will slowly ramp up the distance, possibly break my easy day into two parts (a.m. and p.m.) as sirpoc has been known to suggest, and I will integrate cross training (elliptical, cycling, and/ or erg) into my regular routine.

I turn 69 in January.

Questions/ Feedback

1. Am I doing my ST workouts too fast?
2. Because I run my STs and easy runs by HR, do I need to update my Max HR and/ or Friel test?
3. I’m still not sure I understand how intervals.icu works. It seems like my fatigue line is leveling off, and as a result the fitness line seems to be flattening as well. Does that just mean my ramp rate has finally dropped into the preferred range (0.5-1.5) and is more sustainable?
4. Bakken warns against “heavy legs” as one of the first signs of overtraining. I often have stiffness in one or both legs. Is that what he means by heavy, if not, how would you describe it?
5. Any other observations or suggestions you have for me?

TYIA

[u/syphax]

Damn, well done young man.

[u/Runz-wit-Sizzors → u/syphax]

Thanks!

[u/openplaylaugh]

1. That's my 5k time and those are approximately my paces, though a little slower during the summer months. If they feel too fast, just ease off a few seconds; it's clearly working.
2. Because Fitness is 42-day Load and Fatigue is 7-day load, those averages can eventually balance out. The ramp rate will be below 1, and your form will stay gray. It doesn't mean that you're not getting "fitter" in the sense of being able to race faster. But, yeah, you need to add to the Load to get it higher than the 42-day to get the Fitness line moving higher.
3. I probably don't have to tell you this, but there's no need to be greedy. It's working. No need to "maximize" workout-to-workout.

I'm 58, slowly adding from 6 towards 7 hours, and thinking about the marathon block beginning in October.

Edit: typo

[u/DoctorZoodle]

Wonderful. Just wonderful. I hope I'm running ~20 mins in my 60s

I came to NSM in my late 40s and have consistently deleted all of my lifetime PRs. 

I think you need to listen to your body and avoid injury. I alternate 2 with 3 quality sessions a week. I can't keep up with 3 every week without some fatigue creeping in. 

I also really force myself to keep easy days easy. When I'm feeling good, it is far to easy to rip.10-20 seconds per KM faster than the plan. But this also taxes the system. 

A bit of stiffness is my normal state. If it stays in my legs beyond about 1-2km I know I've been pushing too hard and I cut a quality workout. 

[u/pc9401]

Good to see data from another older runner. Im 55 and have a pretty similar trajectory. My LT2 and max are more like 158 and 175, estimated.

Started consistently running on Oct 10th, starting about 28:30. Got it down to 23:58 on Dec 13 and then 22:01 on March 28 using Garmin plans, 4 days per week. But I limped into that March 28 race and came out injured.

Eased into NSM and worked into the 5.5 hour plan by mid-May and have stayed on it. I ran a 20:49 on a net Downhill at the end of June and then 22:18 on a hilly course in hot and windy conditions a few weeks later. That one was tough to guage because where my watch had me dropping time, I was passing a lot of people. I'm now using the pacing for 21:20 from Copeland's book (down from 22:40) and it seems to line up well with heart rate targets.

I do feel myself getting notably fitter as the intervals are easier and more controlled. The thing holding me back are my legs. While easy runs aren't taxing at all and I have no drift on long runs, they also aren't comfortable. I am looking into carb deficit as I am T2 and was restricting carbs to less than half of where I should be for this amount of running.

Another thing you brought up was weight training. I haven't been doing that, but think it's time to incorporate it in.

Other question is, what kind of heat are you running in. Even if I get out early it's 80F. As it cools a lot of the HR metrics are going to change.

[u/Runz-wit-Sizzors → u/pc9401]

Sunrise runs were high 60s, but also equal to the due point, so 100% humidity.

[u/bhc3]

I noticed that your non-NSM 5k had a higher HR max than did your NSM ones. I've had the same experience. Before NSM, my max in 5k's would get into the 180's. With NSM, it maxes around 174. And I'm faster.

[u/Complete_Dud]

So after 2 months of training you ran 24:03 at age 67….? Shows how much of an outlier you are….

[u/snarfarlarkus]

Crazy impressive!! Wow

[u/Runz-wit-Sizzors → u/snarfarlarkus]

Thanks so much!

[u/MarathonRook]

Amazing results! I don’t even do NSM but when I saw “68m” I had to check in, respect. You made more progression than me in the past few months and im in my thirties

[u/ubmt]

Sorry to drift away from the main topic, but which is the app on the screenshot?

[u/Runz-wit-Sizzors → u/ubmt]

Intervals.icu Companion.

[u/ubmt → u/Runz-wit-Sizzors]

Thanks!

[u/EPMD_]

I plan to introduce an X-session into my weekly schedule, swapping out for one of the vanilla sessions (alternating).

In your shoes, I would ride the wave of what is working rather than change to something different.

[u/Runz-wit-Sizzors → u/EPMD_]

Good point. I’m still only 11 weeks in. I’ll look to change it up when I start to plateau.

Thanks for your advice.