5km in less than 30 mins - any advice?

[Knowitall2112]

Hi,

I'd love to hear advice on how to crack 5km in 30mins. If you've any tips, training plans or apps that you would recommend, please do share 😊

I graduated from c25k in January and I've continued 3x runs per week, cycling through the c25k+ follow-on programs,
Stepping Stones, Speed and Stamina audiofuel podcasts each run.

These have all been great, I really wish the NHS produced more of them!

I can run comfortably for 30mins but according to my Stryd footpods I'm only achieving 3.5km in that time frame. I'm running in step to the audiofuel tracks as per Laura's cues, so I'm not sure where I'm going wrong. If I ran faster than the beats per minute of the track that would defeat the purpose of using the audiofuel podcasts. The tracks generally move from 150bpm up to 165bpm.

All and any advice much appreciated 😊

I got my times down from over 30 to 23 mins for a 5 k by a mixture of:

• long and slow running (or cycling) to build stamina and aerobic fitness
• intervals to increase pace once a week.

Thank you for all of the further responses, especially the personal running stats, well wishes and votes of confidence, they're all reassuring and helpful.

To answer some of the queries, my legs are 100cm long and I have a very high BMI.

I like the idea of having something guiding my pace, at the moment my steps match the beats per second of the c25k+ podcasts. If I move away from the podcasts, it would be ideal if my watch could alert if my pace drops, I'll have a look into that @KihoBebiluPute.

I decided to go with the Stryd footpods as they help measure my power, using similar metrics to those found in the FTP test for cycling. I need to get a few more runs under my belt before the Stryd can help guide me. I guess when this power training kicks in, along with the hill runs, continued interval and endurance training, my strengh training and the drop in my bmi, I'll steadily improve.

I'd love to join a running club, I hope i can find something suitable close by, thank you for the link @sunflowertulip.

@Rainyday26, I've just looked up the specific stats for the parkrun I'm interested in and the average finish time is well under 27minutes!!!! Now wondering whether I've possibly bitten off more than i can chew 😳😂

The treadmill sounds like a great idea, if I ever head back into a gym I'll give it go.

I'm hoping that what you've described @BogRollBOGOF is my experience. You're right, i hadn't factored in all the obstacles, traffic lights and other environmental factors which I encounter on an every day run.

There's lots advice for me to consider in this thread, and lots of similar themes coming through, key takeaways being,I need to work on my stamina and endurance, by taking longer runs and hilly runs and I also need to do some concentrated speed work. I've taken these all onboard; thank you.

Well done OP on your achievements so far. I’ve got to the 30 min 5k and am trying to knock a couple of minutes off that so all the advice here is great. Currently, I’m upping the cycling miles as I try to look after my shins

The great thing about Parkrun is that average times have got slower over the years it has run. Meaning that there is a wider standard of runners taking part. Your current 3.5k run in 30 mins followed by a run/walk mix would be perfect at our local park run. Also - the marshalls will always work their magic and encourage you to keep running that extra few metres.

It may be a quick route - I’m half minded to suggest finding a Parkrun with a slower average, but that may well be hillier and harder!!

The best thing is though, you’re a runner and it really doesn’t matter how fast we are as long as we’re enjoying it! Good luck

@TakeMeToKernow

I’m also a vote for increasing distance/stamina. My PB 5k time happened after training for a half marathon. I’m trying to get back to a sub 30 min 5km at the moment and The training plan I’m following has weekly long runs up to 80 minutes long.

My last two parkrun pbs were the week following a longer race (10k & 10mi) . I was trained up for the longer distance then had had 5 days or so of recovery so was quite fresh.

Interesting about ParkRun averages. I looked up our local one which is run as several laps of a park I use as part of my regular run - gently undulating - and its average is 29.27 which seems just about in the achievable bracket! Plus the average for women must surely be lower, so that give me some encouragement that I won't be out of place there!

Thanks for the book recommendation @LaLaLanded . I wouldn't be that bothered but I feel self-consciously ploddy and have a couple of niggly injuries which I'd like to see off.

@ohhhhitsme

My 5k runs were not getting any quicker than around 32 minutes until I started incorporating speed work into my runs (I started a half marathon programme). So I've been doing 39 minute tempo runs and 40/50 minute interval running each week as part of the programme, and on my last two tempo runs I have done 5k in 28:13. It does work

I think I'm doing the same half marathon programme as you. Is it the BUPA one? I've joined it at week 5 for a virtual half in April.

I've always been a 10 minute miler. Whatever the distance you could set your watch by me. My first week doing the training plan I did a 30 minute tempo averaging 9'29" miles. The interval run is still around 10' though because I'm so knackered at the end I've slowed to a crawl!

As a PP said, and Vassos Alexander quotes in his new marathon book, if you want to run faster, run faster.

I found that one long (slow) run per week really improved my ability to run run shorter distances at a faster pace. This, in addition to occasional interval sessions was what I did when i was working on my 5k time. Once you're comfortable with running the full 5k a few times a week I'd slowly (max 10% increase each week) build up to 10k once a week, or even longer if you fancy it. Speed is really not the key objective in long runs, and i always have to consciously hold myself back the first few kilometres. It should feel fairly easy for at least the first third or half of the long run. Good luck with the training!

I've done a 5k time target plan with Garmin - final run is tomorrow. I've got a choice of 2 traffic (and gate) free routes and will try to get out before they get busy.

Running alone is tough, my previous attempt at a sub 30 5k, in June was a total disaster as I missed my planned split by 3s on my 2nd km and gave up rather than keeping on going! I think I'd have done a better job at a parkrun because I'd have been less focussed on the watch and just trying to keep up with people.

The other problem I've found is that I don't find 30 minute pace easy to "find". All of my race pace repeats have been faster than 6min/km, my legs would prefer around a 27-28 minute pace but my cardio fitness does not agree... so going off too fast and wanting to stop/slow down is a real problem for me. Doesn't help that none of my routes are great for GPS signal and my watch doesn't settle into a pace for a while, making it hard to start at the pace so want to start with.

I agree that the biggest difference is stamina - my fastest 10k according to Strava was during my 2nd half marathon! To be fair Strava didn't actually agree that the UKA measured 10k courses were 10k but there's only about 30s quicker...

@AnnPerkins Yes the BUPA one, and I'm actually enjoying it!
Yes I joined at week 6, I felt like I'd already covered weeks 1-5 in my regular runs, and it's worked out fine.
I feel like I could run the HM now, but I want to be at my best so I'm sticking to the plan and hopefully that's helping my pace. I'd like to do it in under 2hr 15, preferably under 2hr 10.
The speed work is definitely helping. I keep shaving seconds off my 5k PB in the tempo run each week. Yesterday's was 27:51. A couple of months ago I was dreaming of a sub-30 minute!

What got me going faster was firstly increasing distance, and secondly getting DH coming out with me on his bike! He lets me set the speed but I set a faster one with him there, and that knocked a serious amount off my time.

What made me faster was to set my Garmin to vibrate every time I dropped below my ideal speed. It’s the tech equivalent of someone giving you a prod & shouting COME ON!!!

[quote ohhhhitsme]@AnnPerkins Yes the BUPA one, and I'm actually enjoying it!
Yes I joined at week 6, I felt like I'd already covered weeks 1-5 in my regular runs, and it's worked out fine.
I feel like I could run the HM now, but I want to be at my best so I'm sticking to the plan and hopefully that's helping my pace. I'd like to do it in under 2hr 15, preferably under 2hr 10.
The speed work is definitely helping. I keep shaving seconds off my 5k PB in the tempo run each week. Yesterday's was 27:51. A couple of months ago I was dreaming of a sub-30 minute! [/quote]
I'm enjoying it but the weekly increase in length of the Sunday run makes me nervous. I did 8 miles last Sunday and am expected to do just 60 minutes this week and 10 miles the week after. I worry about getting injured.

When is your HM? Mine is 11th April. I've only done one HM before, about 15 years ago. I did it in 2'11" and I'd be very happy to do somewhere near that again. I'm also doing the London marathon in October, I'll be happy just to finish that one!

Sorry for the thread hijack, OP. I'm going out to do intervals in a minute. It's my least favourite run of the week but I like the tempo. It's actually quite fun and really helping my pace too.

I have my garmin set to buzz when my cadence drops below 170.
Trouble is it buzzes away when I'm struggling up the (numerous) hills I live in so I've started to ignore it even when I get up to the flat bits!

I have a plan to do some actual hill reps tomorrow to try to get myself going up them a bit quicker - no that I've made that plan, I can't "not" do it, but I'm not looking forward to it.

This thread is also spurring me on to actually contact and join the local running club I keep facebook stalking!

@Chocolateteabag

If you're trying to improve "hills" the most important thing is to keep the cadence up, however tiny your steps need to be to keep it. If you're going for a time it might be quicker to take slower bigger strides (or walk - which is annoying...) but for hill practice purposes keeping the quick/tiny steps going is more useful!

I also have a time target and my Garmin buzzes at me if too fast or too slow on average - so uphill hopefully is balanced by down!

@Sammysquiz

What made me faster was to set my Garmin to vibrate every time I dropped below my ideal speed. It’s the tech equivalent of someone giving you a prod & shouting COME ON!!!

Luckily with the pavements being quiet at the minute, no-one can hear me hissing "oh, fuck off, you!" at my wrist

I'm either saying "I know" or "make your mind up to mine".

"Fuck off" is reserved for when I've just got back from my long run and it tells me to 'move'!

@AnnPerkins You'll do it. I think the shorter 'long' runs are to give you a break for the bigger one next week. So I'm on Week 9 and have just done my long run which was 8km 🤷🏻‍♀️ but I did 16km last week and I have 19km next week. That 8km was really good and I'm impressed with my pace, so I feel in good stead for 19 next week. I just need to work on my legs to carry me, as I find my aerobic fitness is good but my legs get tired.
Wow your HM marathon time was great, I'd be happy with similar. I don't have a HM planned to be honest, I was just going to do my own at the beginning of April. Not quite the same as a planned event but I just needed a goal that wasn't too far away

@randomsabreuse

I'm either saying "I know" or "make your mind up to mine".

"Fuck off" is reserved for when I've just got back from my long run and it tells me to 'move'!

I like that I'm not the only one who talks back to her Garmin Thanks for the hills advice @randomsabreuse - will be thinking of you as I curse life going up that hill!!

I still haven't got under the magic 30 min but I came close around a year ago. At the time I was training for a 10 k and nervous that the distance would be too much so building up my distance by doing a long run weekly getting closer to 10k. I also did a weekly parkrun and some strength training - apparently single leg squats are the best thing for running. Doesn't have to be lots just has to be regular. I also had lost 2 stone which I think makes a big difference as there was less of me to move I guess. That was definately diet and not exercise - I started running first and kept gaining until I started my diet. I do agree with the fartleks thing too but to be honest I don't think I was prioritising that at the time. Perhaps the weekly parkrun was a similar thing with sprint finishes and a bit of healthy competition to spur me on.

good luck

@SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun I'm going to get onto those single leg squats right now👌🏽

I would run 5k once a week. Just go slowly and see how long it takes.
I would also try running a shorter distance quickly. Even if you start at just 1k, run it as fast as you can. Build up the distance gradually but try to keep the same pace.
Thirdly, once you can comfortably manage 5k, make your longer run longer than 5k - try 6k- to build up stamina.
Do parkrun when it restarts. You will definitely run faster with other people there.

Get into Parkrun when it comes back in June. Try to overtake/keep up with people ahead and aim for small improvements each week. The comments about hills and internals are spot on too. Get your body used to 10mm pace for short bursts to start with.

" So that's a 60-min 10k"

Well, not necessarily. I presume it would be easier to do 10kph for half an hour than for an hour.

If you are looking at the parkrun stats then don't worry too much about the average. Look at the number of people who will be going a bit slower than you or about the same. As long as it isn't zero then there is nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about anyway as everyone is really supportive and the tailwalker always finishes last but comforting to know. Quite often there are walkers at parkrun who finish in 50 min (faster than I can walk) to just over an hour. And probably everyone will be slower than before at the first one back.

"Interesting about ParkRun averages. I looked up our local one which is run as several laps of a park I use as part of my regular run - gently undulating - and its average is 29.27 which seems just about in the achievable bracket! Plus the average for women must surely be lower, so that give me some encouragement that I won't be out of place there!"

The average for my local park run is 27 minutes.
Seems quite hard, but if you look at the results, there are lots of people who are in running clubs.