Sub 20 minute 5K

I don't agree about it being about the mileage though - try reading 'run less, run faster' which basically says you are better off doing fewer but more focused, high quality training session where you run (3 per week: Pace, interval and long) and do complimentary training such as cycling.

just train hard my friend all it takes is heart and dedication if you have those two things and push yourself every run you will get that sub 20 and have that under your belt forever

yea that not too hard when your thinking about it from an athletes point of view, 5k is what 3.1 miles right so even at something as slow as a 6:30 pace gets the job done with that, I run one mile in 5:12 so im assuming I could crank that out in about 18 minutes or so but ive never timed 3.1 miles always either 1 - 3 - 5 - 10 - or 13.1 point is just train up and you should knock that out just fine

thanks Superman. now tell us again about the time you stopped the earth from rotating and saved us all.

all Im sayin is that if you train seriously for it then it shouldnt be an issue, obviously the guy has it in his sights so im assuming hes a decent runner, I dont even consider myself a great runner, good sure but great not by a long shot I wouldnt even be able to compete at a college level those guys are ****ing insane runners. but a sub 20 isnt an act of god it just takes a little work and thats all im saying. as for saving you...eh not necessarily save but I do work in special ops and I am in Afghanistan right now so while your there being a ****ing douche-bag im over here, so your ****ing welcome for your freedom and safety

I'm 42 and only started running 9 months ago, previous to that it was PE in High School. I'm also not genetically gifted so for me it is a huge deal.

just train hard my friend all it takes is heart and dedication if you have those two things and push yourself every run you will get that sub 20 and have that under your belt forever

Unfortunately, genetics have a way of making a mockery of your last statement.

IIRC, even Florence Griffith-Joyner could not run a sub-20:00 5K.

I think the general discussion assumes that someone has the inherent ability to run a sub-20 min 5K, and is looking for some specfic training methods to help achieve that goal.

I don't agree about it being about the mileage though - try reading 'run less, run faster' which basically says you are better off doing fewer but more focused, high quality training session where you run (3 per week: Pace, interval and long) and do complimentary training such as cycling.

This is a minority opinion. I think that you would find that if that time put into cross training was used running, the times would be even better. For someone who can't stay healthy running 6 to 7 days a week (and I question why...to much too fast, bad mechanics, etc.), this may be a way to see some good improvements. The general consensus in the running community, from recreational levels to world class is that in order to run your best times, you have to run a lot.

Until I see a world class runner start using FIRST, or running in VFF, and start making podiums, I'm going to stick with what is known to work. Thank you Arthur Lydiard.

wow, so the general consensus seems to be run longer, slower miles to run a great 5k? this goes against everything i would have thought... i figured to run a fast 5k you'd need to do more intense intervals and sprints. interesting.....

Before my last 5k I averaged around 8:00 to 8:15 on easy run miles, around 8:30 to 8:45 on long run miles, and 9:00 to 9:15 for recovery miles and was running an average of 70 miles per week for 3 months. My only speedwork was a fast mile about once a month. I ran the 5k at a 6:30 pace. You can run a lot faster in a race than you do in training if you build a big aerobic base. Once that base is in place you can get somewhat faster with speed training. Most of your racing ability though comes from the aerobic capacity built through lots of easy miles.

My training paces are even slower than yours. Easy runs are between 9:00 and 9:45, recovery between 9:45 and 10:15. I do more up tempo stuff than you do. Probably why my easy is slower because I'm doing more quality workouts. I run easy days at whatever the pace my legs feel like running that day. I notice that when I take some time off from quality (like this week), my easy run pace creeps into the 8:30 range, which sort of validates my previous statement, for me anyway.

I'll state up front, I am not a runner right now, but I do know about how the body adapts and energy systems.

What I would do if i was in your shoes (i don't even know how much time you have to prepare). First I'd measure my RHR when I woke up for a few days and get the average. I would do something similar to this. Find out the pace. Which is 6.45mins per mile. If you maintain that pace it will be 20mins for 3.1miles. You want slightly under that. So I'd shoot for 6.35min per mile, this is 1.5mins per 1/4 mile.

What I would do now is... Run at that pace, until the my performance drops. Lets say I can run 3 laps on a track at 1.5min per lap. Then on lap 4 for it takes me 1.7mins. Shoot for total on time of 20mins. So i'd rest, recover and repeat untill total on time is 20mins. That would conclude my workout. This is where the RHR comes in to play. Every morning I'd check my RHR, if it's higher then normal, I wouldn't run that day untill my RHR is the same.

20:00 5k = 6:26 mpm.... not 6:45.

It takes quite a bit more than this to get to that goal. But intervals on the track is part of the formula.

ha, i almost made that same mistake. I didn't say it's "6:45 mph" i said "6.45mins per mile" It's 45% of 1 minute. 45% of 1 minute is 27 seconds. So in time it would be "6:27mpm"

I'll state up front, I am not a runner right now, but I do know about how the body adapts and energy systems.

What I would do if i was in your shoes (i don't even know how much time you have to prepare). First I'd measure my RHR when I woke up for a few days and get the average. I would do something similar to this. Find out the pace. Which is 6.45mins per mile. If you maintain that pace it will be 20mins for 3.1miles. You want slightly under that. So I'd shoot for 6.35min per mile, this is 1.5mins per 1/4 mile.

What I would do now is... Run at that pace, until the my performance drops. Lets say I can run 3 laps on a track at 1.5min per lap. Then on lap 4 for it takes me 1.7mins. Shoot for total on time of 20mins. So i'd rest, recover and repeat untill total on time is 20mins. That would conclude my workout. This is where the RHR comes in to play. Every morning I'd check my RHR, if it's higher then normal, I wouldn't run that day untill my RHR is the same.

The primary energy system used for a 5k is aerobic. You can build the aerobic system much quicker and higher through volume with some speedwork such as you described topping it off.

When I say volume that doesn't mean just a whole bunch of slow running. Some is slow, some is medium, and some is at the best aerobic pace. It all contributes to building aerobic capacity which has to be in place before the speedwork will make any significant difference in race times.

The more volume one can run, without injury or overtraining, the faster and higher the aerobic capacity can be built as per Arthur Lydiard.

Just as in weightlifting, the principal of progressive overload applies. A volume that would kill someone today will be easy next year if that person keeps at it and consistently builds.

That's my view, it's about progressive overload regardless. What i am confused about is you saying that 5k is aerobic. In my mind, it would be on the verge of breaking your LT. I know sometimes terminology gets mixed up. So I will use energy systems for example, so there is no confusion.

Fat oxidation
lactic buffering
creatine phosphate.

I would assume 5k pace is between the LT zone and the creatine phosphate system.