Goal of sub 17 minute 5k (Read 8081 times)

Because what this place needs most is another Goal of X time for Y distance thread.

 

My story is that in the spring of 2004, after about 4 years of relatively consistent and progressive training and racing, I upped my mileage and had a breakthrough season. One day in May at a local yokel 5K I ran 17 flat. Officially, anyway. The last numbers I saw on the finish clock before I crossed under it were in the 16:5X's and my watch, which I stopped a few meters after the finish line, read 16:59.xx, but the official results said 17:00.00, so there it was. Seriously, point zero, zero. I wish I were kidding. But no worries, I figured. Surely I'd just break 17 at some other 5K that summer or sometime soon. It was a given at that point. A lock. Well, later that summer my running took a left turn and I wound up taking a hiatus from racing and any real training for almost 2 years. When I started back at in in 2006, I'd lost not one step but many, many steps. It took a while and a lot of miles but I'm almost back to where I was.

 

There were two major pieces of unfinished business from that spring of 2004--a sub 2:50 marathon and a sub 17 5k. I checked off the marathon last October. So here we are. This may all end badly but I figure if I don't give it a serious go this year then I'll only be one year older when I do. Who's with me?

Last year I tried to go sub-16. I failed. I think you'll get sub-17 this year though, and I'll cheer you on. Maybe you'll be up the coast a bit this Summer and I can race you at one of the local ones up here.

I can't believe you just posted this thread as I have been researching for the last three days how to break 17 min for a 5K. I honestly don't know if I can do it but I think I can come close and would at least like to try. I would be happy with 17:10 to 17:15 Last year I wasn't serious about speed and I did 17:45. My goal last year was just to go sub 3 for a marathon. My friends tell me I should be able to and I did beat a woman at that race that normally runs around 17. What I found out is that it's a rare feat for most runners. I wasn't able to find a plan on how to achieve it. I bet you did go under 17 at that race. I usually click my watch a second after the start and I click usually after the line and my time is always slower according to race results. If you have any ideas on workouts let me know. Thanks. Good luck and safe training.

Who's with me?

4/25/09

I can't WAIT to watch all this happen!!!

I'll catch up with you guts in November.

That's what I call "leaving it all out on the course". But I doubt it'll stay there for seven months. Me? I'm focused on 19:00-19:15 in the fall. So I shall now lurk here. Ok then.

Go for it, Mikey. I've already got my sub-16 5K checked off, so I'm trying to check off the sub-2:50 marathon, and join you there. So...let's both just get our check marks. I'll take the marathon, you take the 5k.

So what's the training plan for post-Boston to get the leg speed down?

Mostly 1000s and 300s. I'll jump off that bridge in May. Gotta build the house before I pick out the window dressings.