How much can I improve my running time in 5 weeks?

Seigla

Ok so I started running again. I was injured for 8 months, but I discovered what the problem was and I solved it. I took a lot of rest and last Sunday I did a triathlon, which included my first run in a long time, a 5k. My 5k time was 23 minutes and 11 seconds; about 13 kilometers per hour. I was happy with that for a first run.

In 5 weeks I am going to do my next tri and I want to improve my time there. I want to train in the next five weeks. Now I am wondering; how much can I expect to improve (of course it depends on a lot of factors, but I am just curious what is possible)? I ran a lot and before I could run 5k in less than 20 minutes, so I wonder how long it takes to get back to that level (and beyond, because I am lighter now).

Thanks in advance!

ThickMcRunFast

Have you been running at all (how many miles/week)? What was the injury? How hard was the 23 minute 5k?

If you're still pretty well conditioned, you may be able to improve pretty rapidly (maybe not sub-20 again), but a full 5k training plan (400/800m intervals, mile repeats, progressive workouts, long runs etc) might be a bad idea depending on your injury.

Seigla

Good questions. My answers:
I did not run, but I walk a lot, and I cycled and swam. And I have a pretty active lifestyle in general. I did not stop exercising, I only stopped running.

The injury was the result from flat feet. My lower right leg could not handle much stress. I went to a speicalist and now I have insoles, which I have been using since 5 weeks ago and they really work well. I did not feel pain anymore, also not after the triathlon.

The 23 minute 5k wasn't that hard, I could've pushed myself further. Only hard thing was that I got blisters after only 1k from the unused (other) insoles in my running shoes (to save time I used them I did not wear any socks) .

I want to train a bit carefully, not all the way, as I am just starting. My muscles are clearly improving, but of course there is a limit and I don't want to reach that.

csman49

you're faster than me, so i'll just listen in

csman49

Incidentally though, training for a half marathon brought my 5km and 10km times right down

Capt_Apollo

you know, if you try and shave a minute per mile off your time on the run, you'll come in a 3 minutes faster.


but if you try to shave a minute per mile off your time on the bike, you'll come in a whole twelve minutes faster.

csman49

Capt_Apollo wrote: »

you know, if you try and shave a minute per mile off your time on the run, you'll come in a 3 minutes faster.


but if you try to shave a minute per mile off your time on the bike, you'll come in a whole twelve minutes faster.

LOVE these little snippets, tends to put things into a bit of perspective for me!

If i could shave 2mins/100m off my swim time, i'll finish the swim with the rest of the pack

Seigla

Haha good one!

To achieve a minute per mile less for running I would have to change my average from 13 km/h to 15 km/h, while for cycling it has to change from 35.5 km/h to 57 km/h!!

@csman49 - what is your swimming time now?

ThickMcRunFast

Sounds like you legs will give out far before you lungs do. so you could probably shave off some time easily just by upping your threshold runs and doing some light interval work. But...given its at the end of a tri, I'll let the tri specialists talk about how best to train for that.

csman49

And how about shaving it off between the two transitions?

My swimming is a 'work in progress'. Trying to learn freestyle, but struggling to breathe is hindering progress. Actually, im considering getting a snorkel so i can concentrate on everything else then sort the breathing out after.

Around 3m10/100m

Charliegottheruns

intervals, hill repeats.

Capt_Apollo

SirJaseph wrote: »

Haha good one!

To achieve a minute per mile less for running I would have to change my average from 13 km/h to 15 km/h, while for cycling it has to change from 35.5 km/h to 57 km/h!!

@csman49 - what is your swimming time now?

well, it seems that you are cycling pretty fast if you're going at 35 kmph!! and if your run off the bike is already a sub 24 minute mile, after spending months injured, that is pretty amazing. remember, that a 5k during a sprint tri is not a regular 5k. you've been working for 40 minutes or so already! if you work on going faster in all three disciplines and work on bricks to get used to the feeling of running off the bike, you'll be great.

and don't forget the fourth discipline, transitions. i know plenty of people that are faster than i am, but i've got them beat in transition, and come in before them at the finish line.

Capt_Apollo

csman49 wrote: »

And how about shaving it off between the two transitions?

My swimming is a 'work in progress'. Trying to learn freestyle, but struggling to breathe is hindering progress. Actually, im considering getting a snorkel so i can concentrate on everything else then sort the breathing out after.

Around 3m10/100m

i'd get that breathing sorted first. the snorkel is for when you want to work on your stroke and body rotation uninhibited, but a perfect stroke will mean nothing if you don't know how to breathe properly.

do you exhale into the water? also, keep your chin tucked in while face down. when you turn to breathe, keep the ear that stays in the water pressed into the shoulder. your mouth and one eye should be out of the water. don't look at the roof of the pool, there is nothing there. look at the sides of the pool.

Curtruns

I don't think you should look externally to set a goal, instead pick a "high" goal and a "secondary" goal. If you make the high one, great, if not accept what you made, hopefully the secondary goal and continue working towards the ultimate goal. An example is I desire a sub 3 hour marathon (my pie in the sky goal) but my fall back goal is a Boston Qualifying time (under3:15) When I ran my last marathon, it was nearly 80F at the finish and I was unable to make the sub 3 hour but was still very happy with my time; I made my secondary goal of a BQ time. There are too many factors that we cannot see in you that will play into setting a "realistic" goal for you.

cheshirecatastrophe

Run a lot; do it slowly.

I started running again after a major injury in early/mid March. It took me 1.5-2ish months of running by feel at an "I could go forever at this pace" speed that was 1.5-2 min slower than where I had been before, to yesterday when I knocked out my first speed set at my old speedwork pace. My "go forever" pace has come down slowly within the past 3 weeks or so.

csman49

Capt_Apollo wrote: »

csman49 wrote: »

And how about shaving it off between the two transitions?

My swimming is a 'work in progress'. Trying to learn freestyle, but struggling to breathe is hindering progress. Actually, im considering getting a snorkel so i can concentrate on everything else then sort the breathing out after.

Around 3m10/100m

i'd get that breathing sorted first. the snorkel is for when you want to work on your stroke and body rotation uninhibited, but a perfect stroke will mean nothing if you don't know how to breathe properly.

do you exhale into the water? also, keep your chin tucked in while face down. when you turn to breathe, keep the ear that stays in the water pressed into the shoulder. your mouth and one eye should be out of the water. don't look at the roof of the pool, there is nothing there. look at the sides of the pool.

@Capt_Apollo Hmm, i just been to the pool. I'm a bit of a nervous swimmer, trying to overcome it. Learned as a child, never really returned to the water. Nearly drowned off the Australian coast a few years ago which really knocked my confidence. Can breast stroke, and i can do the distance in BS. I no longer feel exhausted from it, but trying to put that into freestyle instead to improve time, confidence, and moe importantly, the amount of effort. Had my first lesson last week, 2nd lesson this week. So here's what i noticed today.... (i find it hard to take much notice of what i'm doing, and counting lengths i have no chance, i rely on a watch for that)

If i'm relaxed, and not breathing (holding breath and/or slowly breathing out), my stroke feels pretty good, long relaxed strokes, lead hand waits patiently, body rotation feels ok and i can make nearly half the pool (30m pool). When i'm putting breathing into the mix, i get a bit panicky, the stroke shortens/feels rushed. I struggle to rotate enough to get a comfortable breath, which in turn provokes the panic response and then gets harder to take the breath. Half a length in, and i resort to breast stroke again.

Seigla

@ThickMcRunFast - Yeah my lungs don't have any problem with running, my legs have to strengthen. Good suggestions!

@Capt_Apollo - thanks! I was happy with that speed too! I guess it is because I am dutch, we cycle everywhere . I see room for improvement in all 4 disciplines. I think I can win a minute in the transitions, last time was not great (I did not practice). I have never done serious brick trainings (cycling/running) but I hope to do that this month. And yeah the running is harder if you've already cycled and swam, so I guess I won't just do a sub 20 minute 5k next time, but of course that doesn't keep me from trying . You're into tri's too?

@curtruns - yeah I tend to have a high goal and a secondary goal too. It's nice to have one goal that you can attain more easily and a higher goal to work towards. Often I succeed in getting the high goal, but not always (but never far from it). For my next triathlon (1/8), my high goal is 1:05 while my secondary goal is 1:10.

@csman49 - Good that you're practicing your swimming, you can really improve! I also had to learn it, did it mostly by myself. My record is now 9:04 for 500 meters. The breathing is the first big challenge, but eventually it will be easy. Just swim at least weekly. I also felt a bit panicky at first, because you really have to learn a new way to breath, I imagine that can be worse if you nearly drowned once.