Goal of sub 17 minute 5k (Read 8285 times)

Mishka-old log


    As a relative newbie, I find this very comforting. I have to believe the running gods will favor your effort Mishka, helping Mr Velich at Glass City must have made a serious deposit in your karma account. Best of luck, can't wait to read the report.
    Thanks BadDawg! Rick will be in the race tomorrow as well! 4 RAers, that I know of, including DrewEOB and PowerofQ.
    jEfFgObLuE


    I've got a fever...

      Good luck guys. Mishka, you are ready to rock. Be sure to drop the Mighty Hammer of Thor when you get in site of that 3-mile marker. Someone with your wheels should be able to do that last 0.1 mi in under 30 seconds.

      On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

      Mishka-old log


        So now I am wondering whether I should increase intensity and stay in the low 30s or get up to 40-45 or so miles/week. BUT I'm coming up close to my time constraints. Which do you think is more effective?
        I'm not sure if I can really answer that for your own approach. Most of my training this year has been between 20-35 miles with a lot of intensity for that volume. It's "worked" for me, I think because I still have a lot of my speed and because I never really let go of my endurance base. I've been doing something for it, either just maintaining it, or developing it further, since day one of my endurance athlete career. Also, I put "worked" in quotation marks because despite the fact that I'm running the fastest I have in 8 years, I'm still probably a minute off of 5k PR. I don't think 20-35 mpw will get me there. I'm hoping to build toward a consistent 45-50 mpw over the summer and take another serious stab at the 5k this fall, hopefully getting that PR. What do you mean by coming up close to your time constraints? Are you talking about your work/life/training schedule? If that's limiting you to 30 mpw, then that's your option. Do the 30 miles and add intensity. Generally, I do think that if you increase the intensity in your training, you squeeze some seconds out of your 5k time in a relatively short amount of time, but you'll plateau at something that's less than your ultimate best. I think that between now and Sept/Oct, you have time to get your miles up a bit (if your schedule allows), then do six or so weeks of targeted training, and be much better off than holding your miles in the low 30s and adding intensity.
        MrH


          Not speaking from personal experience, but a couple of people who do know what they're talking about Smile advise that the biggest single thing they did to improve their 5k time (given a decent base) was intervals, either 5x1000m or 3xmile repeats at 10 seconds slower than their 5k split.

          The process is the goal.

          Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.

          joescott


            Is it too late to say I'm in? Recovering from ACL re-construction so this may take several months, but I would love to do this.... Hit 17 and high change last summer, so I think it might be in reach.

            - Joe

            We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

              What do you mean by coming up close to your time constraints? Are you talking about your work/life/training schedule? If that's limiting you to 30 mpw, then that's your option. Do the 30 miles and add intensity. Generally, I do think that if you increase the intensity in your training, you squeeze some seconds out of your 5k time in a relatively short amount of time, but you'll plateau at something that's less than your ultimate best. I think that between now and Sept/Oct, you have time to get your miles up a bit (if your schedule allows), then do six or so weeks of targeted training, and be much better off than holding your miles in the low 30s and adding intensity.
              Mishka- thanks...I did mean it as coming up on my limits of work/life/training balance. I am thinking I have a couple months to see if I can squeeze out a bit more time to allow the mileage up into the 40s. It would be nice to have a base...just not sure 40s is enough. I am afraid of repeating my senior year of high school - 40 miles per week, training runs well under 7:00/mile, but races were stuck in the 17:20-17:50 range. I get the impression most of the posters have a great base and predisposition for higher mileage training and are trying to improve the speed aspect to get 5K PR's while I seem to come from the opposite direction, and it seems you are as well. My highest week was 74 miles and I thought I was doing nothing but getting ready to run, running, and recovering from runs.
                Week of 4/20: 46 miles including Boston Marathon in 2:54:53. Took Tue, Wed, Thu off to recover and just did short easy runs Fri, Sat, Sun. This week just building mileage back before thinking about any workouts next week. I will definitely race a 5k on Memorial day, and possibly one more before then with the goal of improving on my 17:38 from 4/7.

                Runners run

                  Nice run in Boston Mikey, Sub 3 in Boston is great. My week was a 52 miler, with the following key one's: Intervals, 7 x 1k's in 3:40 with 4 x 200's in 0:38 14.3 miler with the last 5.3 @ 6:28p I've got a half in 2 weeks so I'm focused on that, then I will switch to a few 5k specific sessions for a 1st attempt on the 6/1. I'll be aiming for a 17 something to give myself some kind of justification for being on this thread!
                  Mishka-old log


                    Week of 4/20: Sub-17 attempt #1...Crash and burn. I blame most of it on the weather and I really think it's justified. 20+ mph winds on the course made for something like this: mile 1: favorable crosswind/tailwind mile 2: headwind/unfavorable crosswind mile 3: tailwind/unfavorable crosswind Got out exactly as I needed to, given the conditions...5:21. Turned immediately into a headwind just before the mile marker. I fought it hard. Too hard. There was another headwind section in that mile and by the time I got to the 2 mile marker, I was cooked. Last 2 were 5:37/5:56. Last mile was ugly. 17:31 final time. I'm not sure what to think of it. The wind was ridiculous. On a better day, I may have had it, but I can't guarantee that. Another attempt in 2 weeks. ____________________________________________________ Key workouts: 1. Wednesday tune-up: 1600, 800, 2 x 400. 1600 at race pace (went 5:24) then faster efforts on the 800 and 400s. Lots of recovery. Didn't want to bury myself and wanted fast to feel good for a confidence builder. Great workout. 2. The race 3. 1/2 marathon on Sunday. Strong effort...kind of a long tempo. Felt good.


                    Another Passion

                      The wind most definitely was a factor. I can attest to that. You ran a great race in spite of it though, Mishka. Great race at the GCM as well. Again, weather conditions not favorable. Incidentally, I checked the wind speeds from the Toledo Express Airport for today, which is very similar to the conditions we had on Saturday, and it was reporting sustained wind out of the SW at 22 mph gusting to 35 mph. Ridiculous indeed!

                      Rick
                      "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa
                      "I wanna go fast." Ricky Bobby
                      runningforcassy.blogspot.com

                        Ran a 17:09 PR on 4/18 (excellent weather). This was off very little 5k specific workouts, which tells me my higher mileage is paying off. No 5k's on the schedule right now but a half marathon this saturday (Indy Mini). Nice run in Boston Mikey.
                        Mishka-old log


                          Perfect day. Found a race. Signed up last minute. 16:58.7. The ugly way (5:17/5:31/5:40). But I'll take any way. Now, how to chop off another minute by this fall?
                            Nice, Mishka!

                            Runners run


                            Another Passion

                              Great job, Mishka! Congratulations!

                              Rick
                              "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa
                              "I wanna go fast." Ricky Bobby
                              runningforcassy.blogspot.com

                                Damn Mishka! Nice kick.

                                Ricky

                                —our ability to perform up to our physiological potential in a race is determined by whether or not we truly psychologically believe that what we are attempting is realistic. Anton Krupicka