I want to run faster

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Erica262
Erica262 Posts: 226 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ugh you guys I just remembered I'm doing a 5k at the end of March. I'd like very much to not suck at it too bad. Know of a good training plan to get me speedy in a month? I've been doing distance running for the last couple of years and it's slowed me down. My 5k PR is 29:27, so I'm not super speedy to begin with. Right now I think I'd be lucky to finish in 35 minutes. Ideas for getting faster within a month? The 5k is on March 30. And I'm just now getting over a bad cold and haven't run in nearly 2 weeks, so my lungs aren't really in top shape.

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  • lbetancourt
    lbetancourt Posts: 522 Member
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    fartlek work

    http://running.competitor.com/2012/07/training/speed-training-for-beginners_8047/3

    basically, you jog at a comfortable pace for some time then kick *kitten* for 1-2 min. intervals. it's quite a workout.

    AND, Hills. yuck!

    Good luck!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I'm sure there are oodles of plans out there, check out runner's world and similar sites.

    Or just do things like sprints, intervals, bleachers/stairs, etc.
  • Destanie_Robyn
    Destanie_Robyn Posts: 304 Member
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    I agree with the previous posts! and I recommend hill workouts and sprint intervals. On your week of runs - do a long run on the weekend and during the week do intervals like - 10 min warm up (run at easy pace) then 1 min tempo (race pace) 1 min slow, 2 min tempo, 2 min slow, 3 tempo, 3 slow, 5 tempo, 3 slow, 3 tempo, 2 tempo, 2 slow, 1 tempo, 1 slow and 10 min cool down (easier way to write that would be 1,2,3,5,3,2,1 with 10 min warm up and cool down. Also mix it up by swiching out time intervals with distance intervals ex: 10 min warm up then .25 mile tempo pace, .25 mile slow, (repeat) then .5 mile tempo, .5 slow (repeat) then .25 tempo, .25 slow and finish rest of distance (whatever milage you are running) or a 10 min cool down. Hope that helps! this is the kind of stuff I did and I started seeing improvements within the first month. Another key thing to do is to make sure you are getting 4-5 runs in during the week (when you run two days in a row though - only have one of them be an intense interval or hill day have the other one be at more of a conversation pace) your interval/hill "intense" runs should be 2-3 times a week. Hope that helps! Map my run also has training plans.. but they cost $
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    more miles, more miles, more miles

    you'll get faster as you build your endurance

    fartleks are good too

    too much speedwork doesn't make sense if you lack a solid aerobic base
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
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    interval training,hill work and as arc said...miles,miles,miles and miles. someone who is a marathon veteran said to me " you have to run before you can run"...never made any sense at the time, but it sure does now.

    Good luck with your race!
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    weight training is the only thing that gets me faster
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
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    I would recommend
    1 workout per week where you keep your long slow run (perhaps end this run with some strides )
    1 interval / fartlek speed work run (running at or preferably above your target race pace). Hill repeats are also a good interval workout that will build some strength
    1 10K tempo run

    fill in the rest with easy cross training or zone 1-2 runs

    ETA don't forget to rest up the week of the race. That will probably make more of a difference than any fitness gains you can jam into a month
  • Erica262
    Erica262 Posts: 226 Member
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    Thanks for all the advice! :flowerforyou: I looked up some farlek info and found Yasso 800s, so I think I'll try those in addition to a long run and a couple of easier runs each week. I like long runs, so putting in mileage isn't a problem. It's doing shorter distances as a faster speed that's a problem for me. So I'll keep my long runs long :smile: For cross training there are these new machines at the gym (Octane Lateral) that are crazy awesome that I've been doing probably twice a week, plus weight training and yoga.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Intervals...

    I personally never let off the gas the week of a race either.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    more miles, more miles, more miles

    you'll get faster as you build your endurance

    fartleks are good too

    too much speedwork doesn't make sense if you lack a solid aerobic base

    Arc generally always knows what he is talking about. I'm a firm believer in distance before speed, get the distance you want to run and get faster at it.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    more miles, more miles, more miles

    you'll get faster as you build your endurance

    fartleks are good too

    too much speedwork doesn't make sense if you lack a solid aerobic base

    Arc generally always knows what he is talking about. I'm a firm believer in distance before speed, get the distance you want to run and get faster at it.

    Not always true. I was a solid 42:00 10K runner and a solid 20:30 5K runner. I might sneak something in the 19's in, but rarely. So basically my solid 5K time was my 10K split, rarely ever faster.

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