5k in under 30 mins

I have a month and a half before my 5k run. My goal is to run it in under 30mins. How would I go about training for this? Any advice is welcome....

Replies

Shortgirlrunning

Intervals.

I run 3 times a week. One run is intervals, one run is an easy 2 mile run, and the final run of the week is a 5K.

tirowow12385

Unless youre near it, finishing 31-36 minutes for your average 5k, it would be very hard to break sub 30 in a half month of preparation.

apullum

How long have you been running? What does your current training plan look like, and what is your usual pace?

Most beginners do not finish their first 5k in under 30 minutes. If you just started running, a good goal for your first 5k is just to finish, and maybe to finish with no walk breaks. Speed comes with more training.

Beautiful_Gizmo

No, I have not been running long. I do end up taking small 1-2-3 minute walking breaks. If I don’t I will fall out. I am averaging about 40 mins on a 5k.

spiriteagle99

I agree with the above. Without knowing where you are now, there is no way to know how well you'll do at the race.

You have time to increase your weekly mileage a bit, which will help your endurance and stamina. That will allow you to run strong the whole distance. If you are currently running 15 mpw or more, then you can add 1/4 mile intervals. Do at least a mile warmup, then run hard for 400 m., then run easy for 200-400 m., then run hard again, then easy, etc. Increase the number of intervals each week. Then do a 1 mile cool down jog. Don't do the intervals if you aren't able to do the warmup and cooldown jogs because you are likely to get injured. Don't do more than one day of intervals each week. It's a hard workout and it takes time to recover from it.

MikePTY

Getting from 40 to 30 minutes in a month and a half would be a huge jump.

Since you can't run 30 minutes continuously, I recommend checking out C25k and using that program to work your way up to running continuous for 30 minutes. You might be able to start the program several weeks in if you have some running experience.

Instead of worrying about having a specific time, I would just focus on training and improving your running to the best that it can be before the 5k. One thing about 5k races is there are always plenty of them out there. You can do another then another then another until you eventually hit your goal.

apullum

It’s not reasonable to expect a 30 minute 5k a month from now. You’d put yourself at risk for injury if you tried to do that.

For what it’s worth, I ran my first 5k in about 45 minutes. I ran my first sub 30 minute 5k four years later. I did that mostly by training for longer distances, which helped me build both endurance and speed. If I had been focusing on the 5k, I might have done it a little bit sooner, but probably not dramatically sooner.

dewd2

You're probably already working too hard to make productive gains. You must first learn to run slowly before you can gain speed. Slow down. If you can't run 10K without stopping (or longer) then don't even think about running harder. It is counterproductive and can lead to injuries. The best way to increase speed as a beginner is to run longer, not faster.

BrianSharpe

I'll echo dewd2's advice. I once had a very wise coach tell me not to worry about a fast 5K until I could run a slow 10K.

You're not going to make the gains needed in 6 weeks, at the risk of raining on your parade, it takes time to develop aerobic capacity and speed.

If it's any consolation I ran my first 5K (in my early 50s) in 2009 and just barely squeaked under 40 minutes, the following year I ran the same race in 26 minutes. Patience & consistency.

RunnerGirl238

Definitely sign up for a program and follow it. It is easy to get injured running. Also cross train and do resistance training to work on form. All this aside, why not focus on this first 5k as your base level and sign up for another one in order to then really see what you can do. Consider this first 5k past ofnyour training.

Enjoy getting into the sport! It is an addiction.

riffraff2112

1. Run longer.
2. Try to run a 1 km in 6 mins as that is the required pace.

This does seem a little ambitious given that a 5k isnt easy for you, and 30 mins takes some natural talent or dedication.
I typically run a 5 k in about 35 mins quite easily, and those extra 5 mins are tough to improve upon without a lot of ground work and some focus on shorter sprints, or longer runs. Losing weight doesnt hurt either!

spiriteagle99

For now, run slower so you can run farther. When you can run continuously for 5k, add 5 minutes to your workout each week. Keep the pace slow and easy. More time on your feet will lead to an improvement in pace. Don't focus on going faster, focus on going farther.

edosluyter

Like other's have said before: Slow down to a conversational pace. If you're constantly out of breath you're running too fast. When you start running it should feel like you could keep going forever, but toward the end of the training it's ok if it doenst feel effortless anymore.

6 weeks is a really short time to prepare for a race. Most schedules take atleast 8-12 weeks. In 6 weeks you will make big jumps every week, so it's important feel if your body is up to it. Running can be prone to injury when you increase your speed and mileage too quickly. With a goal of 'running 30 minutes without stopping' this is what a 6 week schedule could look like:

week 1: 6m run - 6m run - 6m run - 6m run - 6m run
week 2: 5m run - 10m run - 10m run - 5m run
week 3: 3m run - 12m run - 12m run - 3m run
week 4: 15m run - 15m run
week 5: 30m run
week 6: See how your body feels, you can do some running but make sure you are well rested before the race
week 7: Raceday, start on a converstational pace (just like the training), if you feel you have enough breath/energy, save it for the last 1 or 2 kilometers and increase speed a little bit. Don't focus too much on your time and Enjoy!!

*Take 1 - 2 min breaks between the runs
**Try to train 2 times a week (or 3 if youre body is up to it)

sijomial

I don't disagree with the advice given to run longer but it's not the only way and wouldn't have suited me at all due to my unusual circumstances:

I've never had a comfortable slow running pace, even as a child.
I've got badly damaged knees which only tolerate a very low running volume.
My lumpen / awkward / plodding slow gait upsets my knees far worse than a brisk and far smoother running pace.
I already had good cardio fitness from cycling.

I simply ran 5k in intervals at my personal comfortable running pace and walked when I ran out of breath. At first that was 300/100m and over time I steadily increased the running interval and kept the 100m walk recovery until I got to the point I didn't need to walk at all.
My first 5k run non-stop in probably over 10yrs was 27mins.

If you don't already have good cardio fitness then I think your expectations of taking 10 minutes off your time in a very short timescale are very ambitious. But taking out those walking breaks will reduce your times quite drastically when you have the fitness to run 30 minutes non-stop (at whatever pace).
Meanwhile don't run until you are completely exhausted, don't walk until you are completely recovered - you are wasting a lot of time doing "1-2-3 minute walking breaks".

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Seems too short a time to drop from 40 to 30min, but just have at it and see what happens! No problem if you don't, there's always the next time!

I'm a newbie runner myself, and I've done a bunch of 5ks (and 10ks and even a HM). These competitions are a good way to stay motivated and judge your progress. Just do it!

Hal Higdon gives good training advice. You can buy his training plans as books or as add-ons to various running apps.

Most important: Have fun and just be you!

tcunbeliever

HR training is supposed to be a great way to improve endurance, if you are looking for a new method to try, maybe this would be a good fit for you?

https://runnersworld.com/beginner/a20812270/should-i-do-heart-rate-training/

samspam1023

I also agree that a sub-30 isn't a realistic goal right now. I've been running with a training group for 2 years now (and did couch-10K before that). My 5k started at 42 min and this year dropped to just over 33. Still haven't broken 30 min myself.

Longer runs have worked well for me, and I discovered I really love 10K races. I set my 5k PR training for a 10K, and set my 10K PR training for a half-marathon. Now that I'm between seasons and not running as long on the weekends, I'm noticing a serious hit to my speed on shorter runs.

My group uses Jeff Galloway's 5 min run/1 min walk strategy to train, and I love it. I even race with it and am faster than I would be running straight through. A Garmin or other watch helps you keep track of the intervals.

pondee629

You're going to be hard pressed to shave 3:18 off your current mile pace in 6 weeks. 40 minute 5K is about a 12:54 mile pace; 30 minute 5 K is 9:36 per mile. Have improvement as your goal.

AliNouveau

Every spring i decide to be a runner so i can have an activity outside to enjoy the weather. First time i decided to do this my goal was a sub 30 minute 5k. I believe unless you do 5k every time it's not really worth going out. i usually do intervals of running and walking. Well the first time i got super close i was like sub 31 minutes and know what happened??? I got injured. Plantar Fasciitis from pushing myself too hard. now i just happily do the interval program on my running app that takes me abut 6km and 45 minutes to complete and there have been no recurrences of the injuries. so don't be like me....take it easy and be happy you can run the 5k

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Everybody's talking about this! I wish I'd taken a couple of walk breaks in my last HM. I bet I would have done better. (My hips were getting very tight at the end.)

BrianSharpe

At a few of the races I do each year there are pace bunnies for both continuous running & run/walk and some of the run/walk ones are going for pretty impressive times.

lporter229

I have run several sub 1:45 halfs where I have gone neck in neck with run/walkers. They pass me when they are running and I pass them back when they are walking, but we cross the finish line close to the same time. Personally, I find it hard to stop and start because I never get into a rhythm, but it seems to work for a good number of people, at least in terms of finishing in the top half of the pack, so don't think that just because you are run/walking that you are not "running" a race.

ritzvin

Ditto. Slower than ~10:15/mi pace and my right knee really acts up. I can run, I can walk, I cannot jog. Throughout years of running I've gotten faster by adjusting the running versus walking intervals and the speed of the running intervals, but I've never gotten rid of the walking intervals completely except in shorter distances. My average pace is also generally much faster than when I remove them completely.

ritzvin

I only ever raced in 1 road 5K (the more major races in my area are 5mi/8k or HM)..I did beat 30 minutes, keeping all of my planned walking intervals (except the last one)..

I've had faster average 5 mi races since then (still keeping walking intervals).