Training for a 5k - first time w/ speedwork (Read 548 times)

I'm training for a Shamrock Run 5k on March 7, and I've been building my mileage over the last couple of months. I'm still very new to running (started C25k last July), so I've just been running easy miles and increasing them until now. I ran my first 5k in December, but really feel that I've trained to demolish my previous time, so I'd like to start working in a little speed. I've been adding a little more speed at the finish, very conservatively (5min at 10mm pace or so, most easy miles at 12mm pace lately), and I've been doing some striders in some of my longer outside runs, though I have no idea what the pace has been, I've only held them for 20-30 seconds or so. This week, I tried my first interval type workout, but still kept the intervals on the long side and not at a full sprint. I ran 2 miles easy yesterday, then ran 2 1000m repeats, 1st at an 8:48 pace, 2nd at a 7:58 pace with 2 minutes rest after each, followed by another 1000m at a recovery pace (~13mm). I'm not following any formal plan, but just had a general feel from my reading on here that this would be helpful. Am I correct, or am I wasting my time? Any other advice on how to prepare with only 3 weeks left would be appreciated as well. Thanks, Brandon

Hmm, just 3 weeks? At your stage, some interval work is fine -- it could pay big dividends -- but it has to be gentle! Don't do miles & miles of intervals or at a pace that makes you feel like you're going to throw up. Seriously. 3 weeks to go: OK to do intervals in one of your workouts. The 1000m's you're doing sound great, or you could do shorter intervals. Maybe some striders in another workout. Adding some speed finishes to your runs is fine. 2 weeks to go: OK to do intervals again (once!) but ease up on them; do half what you did the previous week. 1 week to go: Go easy. Token interval or striders. Take a day off before the race (I take 2 days off for 5Ks and people think I'm lazy, but it works for me).

I'd say maybe a bit of faster running this week and next, and then just take'r easy the week of the race. Good luck, and be careful not to blow up, it sounds like you're in shape for a great race.