Forums >Running 101>5K race track workout
I've a PR of 18:05 minutes for the 5K. I'd love to run sub 17 minutes, anyone with a success story that can share some track workouts ideas. Thank you very much
Are we there, yet?
It's not just track workouts that will get you there, you need a good aerobic base from running long to develop your endurance. I saw my biggest improvement when I increased my weekly mileage from 40 to 55 mpw and increased my long runs to 10 miles or more. There was no change in my track workouts other than the natural increase in pace from the additional endurance. My basic track workout was still 10-12 x 400m with 200-400m recovery depending on whether I was running them at mile race pace or 5K race pace. Varying from that was mostly for variety, not because it was a "better" or more effective workout.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Take a look at my training log - it starts in September of 2010 and I ended up going sub 17 by December 2011. There's approximately a dozen caveats there, so your mileage may vary. First, I was starting with a base of around 30 miles a week and started college in September 2010. I had NOT been training consistently or with people before then, so that time span is with a team and professional coaching. If you haven't had that before, it's worth seeing if that's an option - I found it extremely helpful.
What wcrunner2 said is also 110% true! Increasing your aerobic base will enhance your endurance, making the pace easier for longer.
As for specific workouts, aim for about 4000-5000 meters of repeats in total aiming for a bit faster than 5K pace. I personally lean toward 800s since they are easy and tend to be convenient, but again, your mileage may vary.
I have read about and sort of like mile repeats. I plan to do them tonight.
Everything I read says 3x1 miles around 5k pace or a little faster. They vary in recovery time. Anywhere from as long as the repeat took (7:20 in my case) down to 3 minutes.
What do you all think would be the right recovery time for mile repeats at 5k pace? I do this workout about monthly, with other tempo or track workouts once a week, two weekly easy runs, and a long run of ten miles. I run about 25 miles per week.
Born: 1973
Marathon PR: 3:44 (2000)
5k PR: 22:02 (2022)
1 mile PR: 6:09 (2022)
Goals:
5k - 21:42
Mile - 5:59
400m - 1:10
I have read about and sort of like mile repeats. I plan to do them tonight. Everything I read says 3x1 miles around 5k pace or a little faster. They vary in recovery time. Anywhere from as long as the repeat took (7:20 in my case) down to 3 minutes. What do you all think would be the right recovery time for mile repeats at 5k pace? I do this workout about monthly, with other tempo or track workouts once a week, two weekly easy runs, and a long run of ten miles. I run about 25 miles per week.
I'd reduce the distance to 1K at most with a 400m recovery. A mile at 5K pace is much too long at your pace. 3 x 1 mile would be more an LT workout where they would be run at closer to 10K pace with a 200-400m easy run recovery.
SMART Approach
Threshold and critical velocity workouts are key for you and your miles. A bump in miles per week will help too. Train at your current fitness vs where you want to be is not smart training IMO. Plan your paces around your current level of fitness. CV Pace is so crucial for improving your stamina vs pounding out gaol 5K paced workouts.
https://www.championshipproductions.com/files/xc-02010/Stiles-Critical-Velocity-Article.pdf
Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery
Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training
Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique
www.smartapproachtraining.com
That's an interesting article, thanks
I would find CV pace so slow and not challenging as described so somehow the calculation is off for me. I'm estimating of course based on their chart but for me it should be around 90% of recent 5k which is 7:30, so 8:15. Repeats! I already do a 30 minute tempo run at 8 every other week that i consider easy. So i don't think a few 1000-2000m repeats at that pace is going to stimulate any fitness gains for me at all.
Last night I did 3x1 mile under 5k pace (7-7:15) with 3:30 recovery, it was close to "exhilarating" as the article described and not "thrashing". Heart rate peaked at 157 end of the third repeat and rapidly normalized. Should possibly have done them slower like 7:45 which is 10k pace but there is no way repeats at 8:15-8:20 pace gets me substantial fitness gains when I already do a long temp run below that pace that feels easy.
Thanks, I do a 5*600 workout with 90 second recovery and that's done at 90% of 800m pace, but it sounds like you're suggesting something much slower?
One thing to consider is that there is an optimum pace to elicit the desired training effect. Running faster than that, while it may boost your confidence, is really a waste of energy and increases recovery time.
That's an interesting article, thanks I would find CV pace so slow and not challenging as described so somehow the calculation is off for me. I'm estimating of course based on their chart but for me it should be around 90% of recent 5k which is 7:30, so 8:15. Repeats! I already do a 30 minute tempo run at 8 every other week that i consider easy. So i don't think a few 1000-2000m repeats at that pace is going to stimulate any fitness gains for me at all. Last night I did 3x1 mile under 5k pace (7-7:15) with 3:30 recovery, it was close to "exhilarating" as the article described and not "thrashing". Heart rate peaked at 157 end of the third repeat and rapidly normalized. Should possibly have done them slower like 7:45 which is 10k pace but there is no way repeats at 8:15-8:20 pace gets me substantial fitness gains when I already do a long temp run below that pace that feels easy.
CV pace is 30-35 minute race pace. So when running them, consciously think if you could hold this pace for 30 minutes. The key is to have the right paces and you work off of what you could run a 5K race that day and not what you did weeks ago taking into account heat, wind, how you feel etc. Train, don't strain. Just working HARDER is usually not the answer. Smarter works better. I
If you feel you are in 7:30 5K pace that day then CV pace in the calculator is 7:35-7:45 pace for you. If 5K race pace is 7:00 min pace then CV is 7:10 ish. You can say it feels too easy. All I can tell you is it's not too easy for benefits. The key is doing an effective 2 mile or 5K time trial and plug into this calculator. https://runfastcoach.com/calc2/index.php My athletes thrive with it. I started with an athlete 8 weeks ago and all I did was slow her down from hammering 200s and 400s and started CV workouts and she PRed in a 5K 8 weeks later by doing less faster stuff and more stamina work and more importantly her aches and pains went away. Always think about long term growth vs "how can I get faster in x amount of weeks".
I can try that, but 710 is not 90% of 7, it's more like 98%.
CV pace is 90% of Vo2 Max and not 90% of 5K pace....calculator can figure paces for you. It just works!!
https://fitaspire.com/critical-velocity-best-interval-running-workout/
This is all so confusing. My long runs start at 830 and end around 910 to maintain a consistent heart rate of 132-137. If I start at the long run pace the chart predicts, my heart rate starts in the 120s til I'm more than halfway done. Conversely the tempo run pace is listed as 830-845 but again that's already my long run pace for the first 5 miles of a 10 mile run, which means it's not different than a long run. In fact one long run I did in the cold rain I maintained 830 pace the whole time and my heart rate started below 135 the entire distance. So I've been doing tempo runs at 8 and again they feel really easy .
One possible explanation is although my last 5k was at 737, it was really terribly paced and for example if I had had a pacer I definitely would have run faster. I suspect I am completely capable of running 720-730 so that would dial down the paces listed .
Based on this article I'm going to try the following workout tonight for my weekly hard workout, based on a 5k pace of 7:20
1 mile w/u
4*1000m at CV pace = 7:27-7:37 with 75 sec recovery
2*200m at 400m pace
1 mile c/d
If using my last 5k time the paces would be closer to 7:45-8 so I can back down if they feel too hard.
an amazing likeness
I feel you're seeking precision in an endeavor / sport / activity which is subject to variability in your physical state, mental state, and the environment of the world in which you're swimming...
...try just running. Sometimes hard, mostly easy and judging how you feel by how you feel rather than instruments.
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