Can't run 5k in 30mins

[chunkyrun]

Finished c25k absolutely loved it. Can run for 30mins solid but nowhere near 5k. Kept adding time on and run 5k in 40mins. How do I train to get my time down? I run once or twice a week, weight train and like dancing.

Sounds obvious , but to run faster you need to run faster! As well as gradually upping your weekly mileage.

I'd recommend two sessions to help you speed up - longer tempo intervals, and shorter Fartlek sessions.

1. If you're currently averaging 13 min mile pace (or thereabouts) I'd recommend incorporating tempo sections into your run; say a warm up at your usual pace, 5 mins at 10 min mile pace, 5 mins at your usual pace, another 5 mins at 10 min mile pace and then a cooldown. Do this once a week instead of a steady 5k.

2. Replace another of your runs with a 20 min Fartlek (speed play) session. 5 mins warm up, 10 mins Fartlek and then 5 mins cooldown.
   In the Fartlek section, you want to pick a point (say a tree or a lamppost in the distance) and sprint, all out, to that point. You'd expect your pace in those blasts to be 8-9min miles ish. Then jog/walk until your breathing is back to normal, and do it again, repeating for 10 mins.

If you do each of these sessions once a week, and then a 3rd steady and enjoyable run, you'll see results quickly.

From personal experience, I've cut my 5k time from 32ish mins to 20 mins since doing proper speed training and also upping my mileage.

I treated myself to a session with a personal trainer who specialises in running. I was running a 27 minute parkrun and more like 30 minutes when I was just out running on my own. He told me to do a 30 minute or so run a week where I did 2 minutes of 9k an hour (i.e. very comfortable for me) and then a minute of 12k an hour (hard but not like sprinting or anything).

It's really comfortable and breaks up the monotony. Doesn't involve anything unpleasant like sprinting. Obviously you need some sort of sports watch. I did it a few times and then promptly took my parkrun time down by 40 seconds after it having been the same for years.

At the moment you're doing 7.5km per hour. I'd suggest you do something like 6km per hour for two minutes and then 8.5-9 for a minute. The 6km per hour will feel not much faster than walking but that's fine.

And well done btw - 40 minutes really is faster than the vast majority of the population.

Well done! Great advice above. I also got faster when I extended my distance. It didn't last long - I trained for a 10k, hated it, and won't do one again, but my 5k speed did improve (temporarily!)

I also got faster when I extended my distance

This is definitely true, up to a point. When I'm putting in the mileage training for (comparatively) shorter distances such as 10ks and half marathons, my 5k time gets faster too.
The exception is marathon training, when I have to get used to running slowly for long distances, and find I'm not as "sharp" over short distances. After my last marathon, for example, I found I was about a minute slower over 5k, and was struggling to switch up into that extra gear.

But, marathons aside, the theory stands - the more mileage you do, the faster you get. It's no coincidence that the fastest blokes in my club (15 min 5k standard) average 90 miles a week, and more if they're in marathon training.

Doesn't involve anything unpleasant like sprinting

Sprinting isn't unpleasant! It can be great fun. Only in training though; racing on the track is far too hard.

An easy way is to go back to the c25k programme but substitute slow jogging for the walking intervals and faster running for the run intervals.

Hills! Hill sessions are brilliant for improving speed, and also toning your bum

Find a decent length hill - maybe a long uphill street? Jog to the hill to warm up. Then set a timer for 8-10 mins and run as fast as you can (but at a consistent pace) up the hill until you reach the top. Jog or walk down. Repeat until the timer runs out.

If you do that every couple of weeks it will make a difference.

I'm pleased that I ran 35 mins, that's 10 mins quicker than when I first started parkrun. Can't wait for it to restart

Thank you some great advice here! Be nice to mix things up

In nearly 10 years of running, I had only one year where I comfortably did park run under 30.
In the past now!! Sorry that's no help.
Speed training sessions definitely help.
Join a club?

There are 3 C25k+ podcasts that are good for introducing intervals and threshold runs to improve speed.

Agree with ask the above, mic it up, a long run 8-10km, Hill runs (run up, walk or jog Down repeat for 25 mins or so), intervals - sprint for 2 mins, jog for 3 mins - repeat 4 or 5 times.
I think a lot if people think if they Keep running 5km over and over they will just faster. They only works to a point and then you plateau .

I've run on and off for years and was always around the 35 minute mark. In lockdown I started trail running. Lots of hills, lots of difficult terrain. My times got slower, and my routes got longer. Then one day, I tried my old 5k road route, and got 29 mins!!!! So yeah, as others have said, mix it up a bit.

intervals.
we (me and dc) did c25k. at first we were around 35-40 min as well.
we now added interval training once a week:
2k warm up jog
stretches
5 or so 100m sprints (well fast jog in my case) with 100m walk in between.
we marked out a 100m length in the park and run one direction and walk back.
stretches at the end.

I want to be clear that my sprints are nothing like jess ennis hill's
it's more like a steam train going up the hill

My speeds went up when I started running with a friend who was a faster runner than me!! Pushed me out of my comfort zone

Just keep at it.

I was in the same position when I finished couch 2 5k.

Keep exercising, making sure to do resistance training such as weighted squats or a leg press. And make running your main cardio, but maybe add in cycling too. Gradually, you’ll improve. A year later, my 5k is now 25 mins. I’m happy with that.