5km time target - training

[LaLaLanded]

Hello,

I’m wondering if anyone has trained to improve their 5k time?

I’m was training for a half marathon but it was pushed back to due covid and I know find myself at a bit of a loss.

So, I want to get my 5k time to 20 minutes. It feels like a stretch goal for a woman. I don’t often run 5k and yesterday did a quick one over lunchtime - I did 22.53 and had more left in the tank - it was a bit of a surprise and probably because my runs have typically been longer. To make 20 though, I know I need to be more intentional; I tend to run 5-6 days a week and do a long run, temp run, recovery run and a couple of just... runs. There isn’t really a plan though.

Has anyone managed to get their 5k time to 20 minutes?! I’m thinking if I...

• increase mileage (currently 30k) p/week - but what to?
• extend my long run - currently 15k, to 20k
• add in a hill sprint session once p/week (ughhh)
• refocus on strength training, perhaps get a PT (was thinking about a PT anyway)

Do any more experienced runners have any thoughts? In case anyone asks, I’m 32 and in good nick, no niggling injuries. It’s a totally arbitrary goal I’ve set myself, but I was a sprinter as a youth and I don’t think that mentality ever leaves! Any advice greatly appreciated.

To run faster on a long run you do not need to run longer, but you need to run faster, so sprint training either short 200 but also 400 or even 600 alternated with a very slow recovery jog.
There are many programs but most involved a repeat 8x200 mt, or 6x 400 and so on. The pace on a 200 vs 600 will obviously be different.
By training with sprints you build muscle and resistance.

You can and should of course add distance, but when it comes to speed, you will get your stamina from sprints.

\Here is one www.runnersworld.com/training/a20865004/sprint-workouts-to-increase-speed/
or
www.runnersworldonline.com.au/4-sprint-workouts/

My fastest 5k runs have always been when I am training for a marathon. Also found that parkrun really helped as trying to get a PB or get past the person in front meant i would try that bit harder.

Good point Boris, that what I used to do for swimmingl. Select a lane with a fast swimmer and try to keep up with him.

My husband has a coach who gave him a training plan for sub 20 5k. Basically run about 20-25 miles a week made up of 3-4 runs. Of that, that's 1-2 easier runs of 4-7 miles. Two runs are the harder runs. Do a time trial once a month to judge progress. Speed workouts should vary including 1000m, 2000m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 600m repeats at around 5k pace which for you would be 6.22 per mile I think. As you get fitter you do more repeats not faster. You also do hill repeats and fartlek workouts. Total 'work' distance in a workout is like 2-5k plus rests between sets and warm up and cool down. Oh and tempo runs.

I know all this because I just typed his plan up for him!

This is so helpful! I was under the impression I’d have to run significantly longer to improve my stamina. Sprints are good, sprints I know how to do!

LeGrand and Holly thank you for the examples - these look what I have started doing on the treadmill, which is encouraging. I now need to build in consistency and some actual planning probably - It’s all been very... informal.

Boris I’ve never done a park run! I really want to, when they’re back.

LaLaLanded, have you thought about your cadence?

It's the best way to speed up your running. If you just try to run faster, more often than not, you might start overstriding (and overloading your ankles/knees/hips).

Instead, grab either a basic cheap metronome, or a smart watch-tracker, and aim to get your foot-fall cadence up to 180 bpm (which is gold-standard-fast!).

This sounds like me...

I've got my 5k time down from 23 mins to 20 mins over the last couple of years. Getting down to sub 22 was easy enough but knocking off that last minute was HARD.

My thoughts are that it's speedwork and hillwork you need, as well as upping the mileage a bit. 30km a week is light on miles for a 20min 5k time, so I'd be aiming for at least 25 miles a week over 5 runs.

Your proposed training plan is ok, but my thinking is it lacks any proper speed work. For me, it was 400m reps that made the difference and added that sharpness you need for fast running.

A pp said they ran their fastest 5k while in marathon training. That used to work for me, up until a 22min/23min 5k time but not these days - in fact it's now the opposite. When I'm marathon training I'm doing so much at 8:30 min mile pace that I seem to lose my ability to push it up a gear and do the properly fast (anaerobic?) stuff.

So yes - my thoughts are you need more miles overall, plus some proper targeted speedwork during which you'd go sub 6 min mile pace. Good luck!

I've only got my 5K runs sub-20 when I have a teleconference to attend or a child to collect...or someone has royally pissed me off.

Hello! Sorry, what a day.

@SomethingToldTheWildGeese yes good point - I do need to watch my cadence when I’m going fast - I’m 5’10 so I tend to lope if I don’t watch out. I’ve seen good results from controlling it but haven’t actually measured properly - may do that. I’m also always continuously working on my feet - not heel striking.

@fellrunner85 so interesting - I agree, more speed work needed. I’m doing a proper treadmill speed session tomorrow - was going to start with 1000m splits and work my way from there? I was a sprinter in my youth so it’s a comfort zone for me and I’m quite looking forward to it! Will report back. I do 50km a week currently - sorry that was a typo in the OP! Was trying to convert to miles and totally failed.

@TeeBee rage runs are the best. I sometimes go out slightly too late before a work call too - works wonders

The best runs I ever did was when I was getting divorced. A good decision on many levels 😄

Wow 22 minutes sounds brilliant to me - I clicked on this thread as I am trying to get my 5k time to below 30 minutes (currently about 35 minutes, down from 39)

I am working on it by structuring my runs to be 4 minutes of gentle jogging then XX seconds of going as fast as possible, where XX started out being 20 seconds, and gradually increased and is now 50 seconds, and will eventually get to so that I am doing 8 minutes of faster for every 4 minutes of gentle jog - and then I will cut that 4 minutes down to 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1 etc. That's the plan anyway.

The advice I have had for how to get my speed up - do static strength training exercises at least 3 times a week to build up your running muscles, and when running remember that it's not just about how fast your legs are pumping but the amount of stretch you put into your thighs as you take each stride forwards, and the amount of push you power into your foot as you spring off at the end of each step.

The women's olympic record for 5000km is 14 mins 40 seconds. Lower-ranked events that don't attract olympic-level competition tend to be won with times in the 16-19 minute range - getting to 20 minutes would certainly be an impressive achievement and would put you in the elite bracket - good luck!

I got my 5k down to 25 minutes. This is a stretch for me and I only managed it whilst marathon training. I am not a fast runner but everyone can improve.

My advice: yoga and fast / slow treadmill sessions. If you set the pace for fast at faster than 6 min mile pace and slow for 8 min miles for example. Good luck. I think you can do this! I definitely couldn't but you definitely can!!

My 5k is considerably slower than yours but I managed to get my pb down to 28 mins - usually run 30ish - during lockdown. I ran with my son, who is much faster than me. We started at 3.5km & upped the distance slightly every 2 weeks but tried to keep the same pace.

I have also found in the past that my 5ks tend to be quicker when I'm training for something longer. 5k seems easy in comparison, I think.

getting to 20 minutes would certainly be an impressive achievement and would put you in the elite bracket

I wish that was true!! 20 mins isn't very elite, sadly. I've never won anything "proper" with a 20-min 5k, and am nowhere near the properly fast women in road races. I'm occasionally first lady at parkrun but that's about it 😄

Still, it's all relative - I'm certainly not saying 20 mins is slow!

It took me years to get a sub 30 5k so I'm just in awe!

Hello! I didn’t realise this thread was alive again thanks for the encouragement and to those of you going for faster times, good luck!

Bit of an update - I’ve set myself 6 months to get to 20 minutes, which seems broadly reasonable.

Weather has been horrid so I’ve been on the treadmill which has been great. My sessions have evolved into:

• 5km “warm up run” at 23-minute pace, but getting progressively faster every 0.5km
• 5km intervals - typically two, 1.5km splits and then two, 1km splits. Yesterday I ran the last km at 3.58/km pace which is 20-minute pace. It felt ok! Just. The plan is to build the speed for the intervals and then begin to connect them together, like a puzzle... of pain.

That’s 6 times p/week, one rest day, plus I’ve been much more diligent with stretches abs a ton of glute and core work. I need to build in shorter sprint work which I’m planning after Christmas. And I want to did some proper Hill work outside - again, building this in after Christmas. This period is just about keeping my km steady at 50 p/week and training my body to run faster - it’s been really interesting in terms of form and how the body adapts to maintaining speed over distance.

Oh lord I’m obsessed...

@LaLaLanded a good predictor workout for 5k is 4 X 1 mile with 2 mins recovery (you can walk rather than jog the recoveries). The average pace for the mile reps is the pace you should be able to sustain (or possibly slightly faster as this is quite a tough session) for 5k in a race situation. It's a good benchmark workout, so you could do it now and then test again in 3 months time to see how you are adapting.

not as fast as you (started c25k in spring) but I'm getting faster by doing intervalls.
about 2k slow jogg followed by streches and 2k of 100 'sprints' alternated with 100m slow jogg.