Improving 5k run time

bluebell88xx

Hi all,

I have recently much to my own amazement been jogging 5k around 3/4 times a week. My PB is currently 33 mins 49 seconds but I'd really like to get this down to under 30 mins. Does anyone have advice on how I can improve my time?

TIA

jjpptt2

Keep the 3-4 times per week, but push one of the runs out for a bit more distance... work up to 4.5 - 5 miles over the course of a couple of months.

DX2JX2

Run slower over longer distances. Easy mileage is the best way for beginners to improve their speed and conditioning.

CarvedTones

Varying my pace helped me because I would keep a steady rhythm and I needed to change that rhythm. I don't run anymore because of knee issues. I eventually settled on 6 mph, which is kind of slow - 31 minute 5k. But I kept that pace for however long I ran. I ran a half marathon in 2:08 which is a little faster than my normal pace. As weird as it sounds, the faster part came at the end. I ran the first 10 with the 2:15 pacer, which is slightly slower than my normal pace. I felt like I had it in me and I just wanted to be done so bad after 10 miles that I stepped it up a notch. So one of my fastest 5ks came at the end of a half marathon.

competeagain

Run faster

MeanderingMammal

bluebell88xx wrote: »

Hi all,

I have recently much to my own amazement been jogging 5k around 3/4 times a week. My PB is currently 33 mins 49 seconds but I'd really like to get this down to under 30 mins. Does anyone have advice on how I can improve my time?

TIA

For an entry level 5K runner there is little point in a specific speed plan, until you've got quite a lot of aerobic capacity. I'd suggest going onto a 10K training plan, and you'll find that your place at 5K will improve anyway. I would specifically say, don't do any speed work until you're consistently running 10K sessions. Before then all you're really doing is increasing your risk of injury.

TavistockToad

DX2JX2 wrote: »

Run slower over longer distances. Easy mileage is the best way for beginners to improve their speed and conditioning.

This

mbaker566

a few things could be done. all three will help

1. strength training
2. running further distances
3. speed work, like intervals and fartleks

runnersworld and other online running resources have lots of workouts for 1 and 3
your local running groups could be a good resource. don't know where to find them? local running store, facebook, and meetup are good places to start

The_Enginerd

DX2JX2 wrote: »

Run slower over longer distances. Easy mileage is the best way for beginners to improve their speed and conditioning.

Do this if you want to improve your 5k time. I made large improvements in my 5k time by training for a half marathon and another big improvement when I trained for a marathon. I ran more miles, ran them slower, and cut speed work during that time.

competeagain wrote: »

Run faster

Do this if you want to injure yourself.

competeagain

How else would you propose to decrease elapsed time over the same distance?
@The_Enginerd

BrianSharpe

DX2JX2 wrote: »

Run slower over longer distances. Easy mileage is the best way for beginners to improve their speed and conditioning.

^^This..... a wise coach that I know once suggested that I shouldn't worry about running a fast 5km until i could run a slow 10km.

FWIW I went from a barely sub 40 min 5K to a 26 min 5K a year later with no speed work, just running longer distances.

Panini911

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

bluebell88xx wrote: »

Hi all,

I have recently much to my own amazement been jogging 5k around 3/4 times a week. My PB is currently 33 mins 49 seconds but I'd really like to get this down to under 30 mins. Does anyone have advice on how I can improve my time?

TIA

For an entry level 5K runner there is little point in a specific speed plan, until you've got quite a lot of aerobic capacity. I'd suggest going onto a 10K training plan, and you'll find that your place at 5K will improve anyway. I would specifically say, don't do any speed work until you're consistently running 10K sessions. Before then all you're really doing is increasing your risk of injury.

This is what I ended up doing. And the 10k program included hill repeats which suck but are awesome Increasing distance by going slowly (the program i use is strict on 10min run 1 min walk to increase distance).

My 5k pace has started increasing as well just doing the above.

Now working up to 15k!

pondee629

BrianSharpe wrote: »

DX2JX2 wrote: »

Run slower over longer distances. Easy mileage is the best way for beginners to improve their speed and conditioning.

^^This..... a wise coach that I know once suggested that I shouldn't worry about running a fast 5km until i could run a slow 10km.

FWIW I went from a barely sub 40 min 5K to a 26 min 5K a year later with no speed work, just running longer distances.

It seems counter intuitive but allow me to share a personal story. I ran a couple of 5 K's and decided that a Half Marathon would be a good idea. As I came up with good idea, the running club in the near by town that hosted my most recent 5K offered coaching for a Half Marathon at a reasonable cost. I took the coaching. Following the coaching, my weekly distances, and my long runs, gradually increased. (As it should). Then, a week before the Half, MY home town was hosting a 5K for the school system. I asked my coach if it would be a good, or bad, thing to run in this race and was advised that as long as I treated the 5K as a training run, which she incorporated into my last week's training, it should be fine. It was fine, I ran it kinda easy, and it remains my PB 5K to date. Yes, Virginia, increasing your distance without increasing your training speed will lead to faster race times.

nowine4me

Get a faster playlist and use map my run to holler at you every half mile so you can pick up the pace as needed

MeteoraTitanium

Same boat here, I've been doing 5k for a while. Going to concentrate on breathing technique and see if that helps.

TavistockToad

MeteoraTitanium wrote: »

Same boat here, I've been doing 5k for a while. Going to concentrate on breathing technique and see if that helps.

Or start running further, slowly

TavistockToad

nowine4me wrote: »

Get a faster playlist and use map my run to holler at you every half mile so you can pick up the pace as needed

Running further, slower will help more than that.

tirowow12385

Went from 40 minutes to 27 minutes in under a year by losing weight, increasing the number of running steps per minute and just lifting weights, building a very fit lower body and core will benefit you greatly, highly recommend doing sidebends with dumbbells, it will make your obliques strong.

RandJ6280

bluebell88xx wrote: »

Hi all,

I have recently much to my own amazement been jogging 5k around 3/4 times a week. My PB is currently 33 mins 49 seconds but I'd really like to get this down to under 30 mins. Does anyone have advice on how I can improve my time?

TIA

Well hello there. It's been a few years since I was an "active" runner. I'm slowly getting back in to it. But my PR in a 5k is 29:18. Most of my times were mid to high 30 mins.... soooo I'm looking as well once I get my mileage back in... to being consistently under 30 mins for a 5k.

hipari

Thanks for a very useful thread! I just did my first 5K this week, and I was going back and forth between trying to increase speed and moving on to increase mileage. I'll definitely be moving on to a 10K training plan next week (trying to get another 5K in today and see how it goes).