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So what are my chances at sub 17 5k by February? (Read 1478 times)

khardrunner


    k


    Feeling the growl again

      Given the generalities, I'm guessing you won't get a serious answer to this.  "How far can I get by barely training" threads don't have a good history here.

       

      This from someone who really tries to give people serious answers.  Quite frankly, nobody really knows.  A lot just depends on your talent level.

      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

       

      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

       

        The answer is of course you can. You've been there within the last three years. Whether you will is a matter of priorities.

        Runners run

        khardrunner


          k


          Feeling the growl again

            I know what it takes to run fast, but at this point I am not willing to make those sacrifices.

             

            You'll get as far as your lack of dedication, and possession of talent, will take you.

             

            I know all about having to choose other priorities in life...less than six years ago I was under 31 for 10K and now I'm in the 34s and 35s most seasons.  But given the "plan" you've shared, I'm not sure how you expect anyone to be able to figure out what you can do off that.

            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

             

            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

             

              February's a whole 3.5 months from now. Why don't you just follow through with your lack of training and see if it worked and get back to us?

               

              I mean, what's the end game here? You get a bunch of responses from internet strangers that say, "no, you can't", and you won't try...Or you get a bunch that say "sure" and you do? Does it matter?

              Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
              We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
              joescott


                Why don't you just follow through with your lack of training and see if it worked and get back to us?

                 

                I don't have much to say here except this question made me laugh.  I'm trying to picture a coach telling his team, "Boys, we have to follow through on our lack of training and see if it works."

                 

                MTA:  I think, as an unqualified internet stranger, that based on what you've implied that you have been under 15 before, that getting under 17 on 40-50 mpw is probably not too big of a stretch for you, but I think you will have to put in at least 1 quality workout per week. 

                - Joe

                We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.


                Why is it sideways?

                  I know what it takes to run fast, but at this point I am not willing to make those sacrifices. I realize that this thread sounds a bit on the not serious side, but I am very serious. I work hard with the runners I coach and spend every minute I can with them trying to teach them how to do it the right way. I really do take running well seriously. The problem is, I cannot choose to put the right kind of training in for myself. In reality, I am convinced that if I went back to my 80-90 mile weeks, lifting, and training properly there is no reason that I would not see low 15's or sub 15. I'm 28 years old and have been running since 8th grade. I have run somewhere around 15-18000 miles in my lifetime so far. While I know that is not impressive, it certainly does help.

                   

                  My reason for the question is that I'm just curious what you guys think. Is it possible with some talent and some training, instead of a lot of talent or a ton of training, to get back to where I am locally competitive? If you want more info, just ask and I'll tell you whatever you need to know. 18's to 16's seems like a big jump at times, but I've been there many times before. We will see I guess.

                   

                  When I was 28, I could run in the mid 16s off of 40mpw and an occasional interval workout. Basically regular 6-8 mile runs at around 6:30 pace and made sure to get a set of 800s or 1000s at around 5:00 pace every so often. 

                   

                  I often wonder how fast I could have gone in my mid to late 20s had I put more priority on running, but I had other (good) things going on.

                   

                  I'll just add that weight was no issue for me. If you are over your racing weight, things will be (much) harder.

                    The problem is, I cannot choose to put the right kind of training in for myself.

                     

                    You can but you won't.  And that's okay--that's the exact dilemma that pretty much all of us who run as hobby versus a profession face every day.  I know I could run sub 17 by February too, and I also know pretty  much exactly what it would take to do it.  And I know that I will not choose that path because I have several other priorities that I put ahead of running a time for 5k that would still leave me 4 minutes away from being relevant in the sport of distance running.  This is a hobby.

                     

                    Can you do it off of self-imposed sub-optimal training?  Who the hell knows.  I haven't been able to answer that question for myself so I sure as hell can't answer it for an internet stranger.  And really isn't that what the whole project is about?  Finding out?

                     

                    You're 28 and you've run in the 16's recently, though.  It would seem the deck is stacked heavily in your favor if you decide to give it a go.

                    Runners run

                      This is really inspiring.  Wow, I never realized that barely training was so challenging.  I am hopeful that one day the winner of a race will be judged not on how fast they ran but on how little they trained.

                       

                      Apparently it was too easy last time to break 17 minutes, so I'm doing it the hard way.

                       

                      The Plan: I plan to train some, but barely.


                      Cool as a Cucumber

                        Since I don't know shit and can only paraphrase from what the sages have said in this thread...

                         

                        Summary: More quality, less volume.

                         

                        This actually raises an interesting question: Given a certain fitness level, how can you get the most quality during the week (targeting a 5k) while still recovering? Assume 40 mi/week as the limit on mileage.

                        The pavement fears me.


                        Why is it sideways?

                          Since I don't know shit and can only paraphrase from what the sages have said in this thread...

                           

                          Summary: More quality, less volume.

                           

                          This actually raises an interesting question: Given a certain fitness level, how can you get the most quality during the week (targeting a 5k) while still recovering? Assume 40 mi/week as the limit on mileage.

                           

                          40mpw means different things to different people. For folks still in touch with their college running base, this is low mileage. For others, this may be a moderate mileage.

                           

                          I was running my runs at 6:30 pace because that was easy pace for me at that mileage level (not necessarily quality.) At 80+mpw, my easy pace was more like 7:15 (though really I would maybe have almost as much running at 6:30ish pace, just more recovery runs at 7:30+ pace.)

                           

                          Runners who have decent natural or developed speed (like me--at the time, I was only 5 years from a 3:59 1500m, 2:32 1000m and a 75 second quarter did not feel fast) can usually run a decent 5k on fairly low miles and some quality interval work. Other sorts of runners who can't get that speed stuff going will need to do it from the aerobic side and will need 70+ mpw to begin to approach their PRs.

                           

                          So, to answer your question: I'm not sure the issue is getting the most quality during the week, but simply doing enough running to tap into a lifetime base and to develop natural speed. This balance will be really different for different sorts of runners and for runners with different backgrounds. Now that my college work has essentially very little bearing on my running, I couldn't get the same results with that sort of schedule.

                            Summary: More quality, less volume.

                             

                            That's not the summary of anything I've seen on this thread.

                             

                            Over the long term, the more volume you are running, the more quality work your training can "absorb."  In the short term you might drop volume and increase quality sessions as you get ready to race--this is called sharpening.   But it's not a recipe for any kind of long term success.

                            Runners run


                            Cool as a Cucumber

                              That's not the summary of anything I've seen on this thread.

                               

                              After rereading the thread, you're right, and I'm sorry for that poor comment of mine. It was probably a projection of my own uninformed thoughts.

                              The pavement fears me.

                              khardrunner


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