<24 min 5k training

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tomcornhole
tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Would it be reasonable to set a goal to get to a sub 24 minute 5k time in 5 weeks? I'm at 28:39 now (just started running for 5k) and I simply plan to subtract 1 min / week. My speed / interval training is done at a 7:30 pace which puts me at a 23:15 5k time. I do a 3 day / week training schedule that has 1 day speed / interval (doing 6x400 right now), 1 long day (6 miles) and one 5k day for time.

Thanks,

Tom

Replies

  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    5 minutes in 5 weeks is going to be hard. I wouldn't say impossible, cause I don't know your base point - maybe you ran 15:00 5000m in college. For some people, that takes years. For other, it is impossible (I don't think I could ever cut 5:00 off my 5k cause 15:30 is FAST)
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    II have almost no running experience. I'm "fit" from powerlifting and lean from a good diet, but I have run more in the past 2 weeks than I have in the past 20 years. So, no base. I think going from 28 to 24 will be a lot easier than 24 to 20 from what I have read. My end goal is sub 21but I'm not sure age and genetics will allow that.
  • mateo57505
    mateo57505 Posts: 83 Member
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    I started running at 35, had always been a basketball player could play 3 or 4 hours everyday and lifted regularly but never ran for distance. When I did start running I trained for about 6 weeks and was running a 5k in about 29 minutes under 30 was my goal. Ran my first 5k in 27 minutes and was pretty happy but after the run felt like I still had allot of energy signed up and ran another run 3 weeks later and my time was 24:37 felt like I was going to throw up at the finish but knew I had nothing left. After another knee surgery im now 37 and ran a 5k about 3 weeks ago and did it in 23:30. It was very easy going from 27 to under 25 but over the last year I have only been able to cut about a minute off my time. So I think its possible but since its your first 5k its way different then training. My second 5k was way different and better than my first and they have gotten better since and if you increase your higher runs 10k, half those will be different too . The key is learning your body and how to listen to it as you run during a race .
    Good luck and I think you can do it under 25.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    26:50 today so I'm a week ahead of schedule.
  • sisterlilbunny
    sisterlilbunny Posts: 691 Member
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    Tagging in cause I want to know if you make it. That is an awesome goal! I was just happy getting mine under 45 minutes. :laugh:
  • jchadden42
    jchadden42 Posts: 189
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    I'm a lot faster on race day than I am when I'm running by myself. My "normal" pace is about 8 mph. My PR for a 5K is 21:08. I hope to someday be at 20:00, but I doubt that I will ever be that fast. I might add that I am a swimmer, really, not a runner.

    I think you can do it. I read an article that said to increase speed, you should increase distance. I don't know if that's true, but I had been running 10K and 1/2 marathons. The 5K was for Alzheimer's research, and I was the 2nd person finished.

    Best of luck to you.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    So far the only impact on my power lifting I have seen is speed day. That day kills my legs and seems to use the same muscle fibers as my squats. So I am going to do speed day after squats on the same day. As long as I eat enough the running and lifting seem to work ok for now together.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    No progress this week due to cold. Got 15 miles in total for the week but all slow.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    25:55 today. Back on track to meet my goal. 2 more weeks to sub 24.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    you can totally do it.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    Well, had a delayed chance at running this week but today I hit 24:46 for 5k. 47 more seconds to go.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    If anyone is following this, I ran a 23:48 5k today. A week behind schedule due to family issues, but I am happy. Now to break 20 minutes.

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