Question For Seasoned 5k Athletes: How Do I Drop My Times?
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Don't mind me - tagging for reference0
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Run every day like it's a race. Whether you're doing 3 miles or 10 miles, run it like it's a race. Shaving seconds off will get easier when you're used to running at high intensity for longer.
Uhh no... Recipe for injury. Don't do this.
Clearly you can run. 19:xx 5k is nothing to sneeze at. So you clearly had some talent to get yourself there. At this point the best you can do is run more. A lot more. 6 days a week. 3 of those days should be relatively easy runs. 45 minutes to an hour or so at comfortable pace (probably 8:00/mi I am guessing).
One of the days should be a speed day. For a 5k you want to be building speed in the 400 and 800m interval range. If you are looking for an 18:xx 5k you want to be working on 400s in the 70-80 second range and 800s in the 2:50-3:00 range.
So your interval day will look something like a 2-mi warmup, 6x800 at 2:50-3:00 with a 2 minute rest between, 2 mi cooldown. That sort of thing.
Then another day should be a tempo run. Look to be running a decent 10k pace for 3ish miles in the middle. Figuring like a 2 mile warmup, 3-4 miles at 6:20-6:30 pace, 1 mi cooldown.
Then long run day. Long runs are important. Even if you aren't training for anything longer than 5k or 10k, you would be doing yourself a disservice to not have an 8-10 mile run in there as well. Slow is the name of the game here. You aren't trying to break any personal records, just adapt to being on your feet running for a bit longer than the race distance. 8:00-8:30 pace for this.
You are looking for seconds at this point, instead of minutes, so it's going to take doing the little things right. You got all the low-hanging fruit already to get to <20.
this is spot on.
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My current training regime is my normal distance runs are 7-10 miles at 7:30 or faster pace. I have speed workouts 1 or 2 times a week. The type depends on how I ran in my race the prior race. It could be 400/800s, mile repeats, or up temps. I also do hard hill repeats every Saturday before my season starts and about every Saturday I'm not racing during season. I do core every morning after workouts and after lifting or pool workouts in the afternoons.no one can give you specific advice until we know what your current training regimen is.
Based on this and the fact that you run 6 days a week, it sounds like you're working awfully hard for the 19:24. I'd be tempted to slow your normal runs down to around 8m/m, have a recovery day after a hard session (so only about 4-6 miles instead of 7-10) and make up the rest of your (easy) miles by doing a long run once a week of about 12 miles.
How much warm-up/cool-down do you do when you do your speed workouts or hill repeats? If it's not much, then you would probably benefit from increasing your total mileage. It's hard to tell from what you've posted whether you're doing 6x 7-10 miles (i.e. 42-70 miles per week, which is plenty) or more like 3x 7 miles plus some sessions, which might come out more like 35-40 miles.
I do 15 or 2 mile warm ups and 10 to 15 min cool downs and I do more of 45-60 miles a week
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My current training regime is my normal distance runs are 7-10 miles at 7:30 or faster pace. I have speed workouts 1 or 2 times a week. The type depends on how I ran in my race the prior race. It could be 400/800s, mile repeats, or up temps. I also do hard hill repeats every Saturday before my season starts and about every Saturday I'm not racing during season. I do core every morning after workouts and after lifting or pool workouts in the afternoons.no one can give you specific advice until we know what your current training regimen is.
Based on this and the fact that you run 6 days a week, it sounds like you're working awfully hard for the 19:24. I'd be tempted to slow your normal runs down to around 8m/m, have a recovery day after a hard session (so only about 4-6 miles instead of 7-10) and make up the rest of your (easy) miles by doing a long run once a week of about 12 miles.
How much warm-up/cool-down do you do when you do your speed workouts or hill repeats? If it's not much, then you would probably benefit from increasing your total mileage. It's hard to tell from what you've posted whether you're doing 6x 7-10 miles (i.e. 42-70 miles per week, which is plenty) or more like 3x 7 miles plus some sessions, which might come out more like 35-40 miles.
I do 15 or 2 mile warm ups and 10 to 15 min cool downs and I do more of 45-60 miles a week
Okay, in which case, you probably don't need more miles, but you may well need more easy running and recovery. How long have you been doing this mileage for, when is your 5k PR from, and are you still gradually improving, or have you been around the 19:2x level for a while?0 -
I run Monday thru Saturday and will run anywhere from 7-10 miles at a 7:30 or lower paceUltraRunnerGale wrote: »How often do you run during the week? I find that when I run consistently, I run faster. Speed work helps, as well.
Ok... sounds like you are running consistently. Maybe a running coach would help. I just started working with one. He is online and he is reasonable. I know others that he coaches and he definitely helps people get results. It's RunNerdsRock.com. Michael Scott on Facebook. I highly recommend him.
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Run every day like it's a race. Whether you're doing 3 miles or 10 miles, run it like it's a race. Shaving seconds off will get easier when you're used to running at high intensity for longer.
Clearly you can run. 19:xx 5k is nothing to sneeze at. So you clearly had some talent to get yourself there. At this point the best you can do is run more. A lot more. 6 days a week. 3 of those days should be relatively easy runs. 45 minutes to an hour or so at comfortable pace (probably 8:00/mi I am guessing).
One of the days should be a speed day. For a 5k you want to be building speed in the 400 and 800m interval range. If you are looking for an 18:xx 5k you want to be working on 400s in the 70-80 second range and 800s in the 2:50-3:00 range.
So your interval day will look something like a 2-mi warmup, 6x800 at 2:50-3:00 with a 2 minute rest between, 2 mi cooldown. That sort of thing.
Then another day should be a tempo run. Look to be running a decent 10k pace for 3ish miles in the middle. Figuring like a 2 mile warmup, 3-4 miles at 6:20-6:30 pace, 1 mi cooldown.
Then long run day. Long runs are important. Even if you aren't training for anything longer than 5k or 10k, you would be doing yourself a disservice to not have an 8-10 mile run in there as well. Slow is the name of the game here. You aren't trying to break any personal records, just adapt to being on your feet running for a bit longer than the race distance. 8:00-8:30 pace for this.
You are looking for seconds at this point, instead of minutes, so it's going to take doing the little things right. You got all the low-hanging fruit already to get to <20.
Could not have put this any better - great post!0 -
Worked well for me when I was competing. Guess it sounds like it's not for everyone.
Then imaging what you could have done with a proper training plan!
:laugh:0 -
My current training regime is my normal distance runs are 7-10 miles at 7:30 or faster pace. I have speed workouts 1 or 2 times a week. The type depends on how I ran in my race the prior race. It could be 400/800s, mile repeats, or up temps. I also do hard hill repeats every Saturday before my season starts and about every Saturday I'm not racing during season. I do core every morning after workouts and after lifting or pool workouts in the afternoons.no one can give you specific advice until we know what your current training regimen is.
Based on this and the fact that you run 6 days a week, it sounds like you're working awfully hard for the 19:24. I'd be tempted to slow your normal runs down to around 8m/m, have a recovery day after a hard session (so only about 4-6 miles instead of 7-10) and make up the rest of your (easy) miles by doing a long run once a week of about 12 miles.
How much warm-up/cool-down do you do when you do your speed workouts or hill repeats? If it's not much, then you would probably benefit from increasing your total mileage. It's hard to tell from what you've posted whether you're doing 6x 7-10 miles (i.e. 42-70 miles per week, which is plenty) or more like 3x 7 miles plus some sessions, which might come out more like 35-40 miles.
I do 15 or 2 mile warm ups and 10 to 15 min cool downs and I do more of 45-60 miles a week
Okay, in which case, you probably don't need more miles, but you may well need more easy running and recovery. How long have you been doing this mileage for, when is your 5k PR from, and are you still gradually improving, or have you been around the 19:2x level for a while?
The 19:24 was my PR from my last season so not to long ago, each year I've competed I've been dropping a minute or more off my times
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My current training regime is my normal distance runs are 7-10 miles at 7:30 or faster pace. I have speed workouts 1 or 2 times a week. The type depends on how I ran in my race the prior race. It could be 400/800s, mile repeats, or up temps. I also do hard hill repeats every Saturday before my season starts and about every Saturday I'm not racing during season. I do core every morning after workouts and after lifting or pool workouts in the afternoons.no one can give you specific advice until we know what your current training regimen is.
Based on this and the fact that you run 6 days a week, it sounds like you're working awfully hard for the 19:24. I'd be tempted to slow your normal runs down to around 8m/m, have a recovery day after a hard session (so only about 4-6 miles instead of 7-10) and make up the rest of your (easy) miles by doing a long run once a week of about 12 miles.
How much warm-up/cool-down do you do when you do your speed workouts or hill repeats? If it's not much, then you would probably benefit from increasing your total mileage. It's hard to tell from what you've posted whether you're doing 6x 7-10 miles (i.e. 42-70 miles per week, which is plenty) or more like 3x 7 miles plus some sessions, which might come out more like 35-40 miles.
I do 15 or 2 mile warm ups and 10 to 15 min cool downs and I do more of 45-60 miles a week
Okay, in which case, you probably don't need more miles, but you may well need more easy running and recovery. How long have you been doing this mileage for, when is your 5k PR from, and are you still gradually improving, or have you been around the 19:2x level for a while?
The 19:24 was my PR from my last season so not to long ago, each year I've competed I've been dropping a minute or more off my times
you do realize at some point you're not going to be fighting for minutes- but seconds- the closer you get to the top- the smaller the increment you fight to shave off.0 -
My current training regime is my normal distance runs are 7-10 miles at 7:30 or faster pace. I have speed workouts 1 or 2 times a week. The type depends on how I ran in my race the prior race. It could be 400/800s, mile repeats, or up temps. I also do hard hill repeats every Saturday before my season starts and about every Saturday I'm not racing during season. I do core every morning after workouts and after lifting or pool workouts in the afternoons.no one can give you specific advice until we know what your current training regimen is.
Based on this and the fact that you run 6 days a week, it sounds like you're working awfully hard for the 19:24. I'd be tempted to slow your normal runs down to around 8m/m, have a recovery day after a hard session (so only about 4-6 miles instead of 7-10) and make up the rest of your (easy) miles by doing a long run once a week of about 12 miles.
How much warm-up/cool-down do you do when you do your speed workouts or hill repeats? If it's not much, then you would probably benefit from increasing your total mileage. It's hard to tell from what you've posted whether you're doing 6x 7-10 miles (i.e. 42-70 miles per week, which is plenty) or more like 3x 7 miles plus some sessions, which might come out more like 35-40 miles.
I do 15 or 2 mile warm ups and 10 to 15 min cool downs and I do more of 45-60 miles a week
Okay, in which case, you probably don't need more miles, but you may well need more easy running and recovery. How long have you been doing this mileage for, when is your 5k PR from, and are you still gradually improving, or have you been around the 19:2x level for a while?
The 19:24 was my PR from my last season so not to long ago, each year I've competed I've been dropping a minute or more off my times
you do realize at some point you're not going to be fighting for minutes- but seconds- the closer you get to the top- the smaller the increment you fight to shave off.
I always fight for a lower time, wether second or minutes. Each time I face my goal is to be better than the last time
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You didn't say whether you have been running the 45-60 miles per week for a long time, or whether you've built up to that more recently? If you have been running high mileage for years, there's less chance of huge improvements now. But if you're doing more than in previous seasons, that alone should help (but slow it all down except the quality sessions).
Do you have any weight to lose? If so, that would help too. I am not racing anywhere near my 5k PR at the moment, but I am also about 5-7lbs heavier than I was when I ran it and I can tell that makes a difference! So I'm planning on gradually losing the extra weight in time for my target races in the autumn.0
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