Forums >Racing>Goal of sub 17 minute 5k
OK - this copied across from another forum where I just posted it on the kind advice of MrPHinNJ. This, my musings (hopefully with some suggestions from others!) on achieving a sub-17 minute 5k. I have a good general level of running fitness (I have been running "seriously" for about 5 years), but have generally only averaged 20-30k per week. I'm aiming for a sub-17 minute 5k in July 2010. Rather than following complex training programmes, I'm trying a "fire and ice" approach. In other words, I'm running one 5k race at the weekend as hard as I can, and then trying to fit in as many long slow runs as I can (typically about 2 hours+ at 05:30 - 06:00 km pace). This has upped my weekly mileage for last two weeks from 30k, to 70k. The last four weeks of 5k runs have been 19:11, 18:48, 18:52 and 18:37. So it's coming down, but I only have about 8 weeks to go. Next weekend I'm doing the Edinburgh Marathon (plan to run at less than 85% MHR throughout, so I don't do too much damage...) Thoughts, anybody?
OK - this copied across from another forum where I just posted it on the kind advice of MrPHinNJ.
This, my musings (hopefully with some suggestions from others!) on achieving a sub-17 minute 5k. I have a good general level of running fitness (I have been running "seriously" for about 5 years), but have generally only averaged 20-30k per week. I'm aiming for a sub-17 minute 5k in July 2010.
Rather than following complex training programmes, I'm trying a "fire and ice" approach. In other words, I'm running one 5k race at the weekend as hard as I can, and then trying to fit in as many long slow runs as I can (typically about 2 hours+ at 05:30 - 06:00 km pace). This has upped my weekly mileage for last two weeks from 30k, to 70k.
The last four weeks of 5k runs have been 19:11, 18:48, 18:52 and 18:37. So it's coming down, but I only have about 8 weeks to go.
Next weekend I'm doing the Edinburgh Marathon (plan to run at less than 85% MHR throughout, so I don't do too much damage...)
Thoughts, anybody?
Went out today and ran 34km, so that's 107km for the past six days. Day off tomorrow (Friday), then the next 5k Race. Overdoing it? Or under 18:37? Time will tell!
I think racing a 5k every week and running lots of easy miles the rest of the week can work. There's lots of people who've had success with that.
As for me I got brutally sick and I'm just now trying to get back to normal mileage before resuming hard workouts. This thing knocked me on my ass and I've lost nearly 3 weeks. I think my spring sub 17 plans are out the window but maybe later in the summer. I'm already signed up for a 5k on memorial day weekend and assuming I get a few decent weeks of training before then, I'll at least know where I stand.
It's always something with this stupid 5k quest, though.
Runners run
Glad you think it might work - sorry your training got wiped for a while...
So I'm looked at your mileage, and it's very impressive. And I'm looking at your PB 2:49:19 marathon, and I'm thinking about by PB marathon of 3:18:11 last year, and I'm, now wondering if this 17:00 5k really is "too out there". I'm not sure if the 5k tomorrow will be wiped by the 34k run yesterday, but I really don't know. Uncharted territory!
The Thunder
1 Hip and 2 Hamstring reconstructions later…
I am pulling for you Thunder ... I dont want to see a 17:01 ...
I will not be ready until end of August if then.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
I am pulling for you Thunder ... I dont want to see a 17:01 ... I will not be ready until end of August if then.
Yeah...17:01 would be bad. But if that's the way it goes...I'll take it. I have two other races this summer that I feel will be good shots at it. Plus, I really didn't expect to be within range this early in the summer. So this is sort of like an extra bonus shot.
Yeah...17:01 would be bad.
Not as bad as 17:00.0. Trust me.
(But I am also pulling for you. And I also likely will not be ready until end of August, if then.)
Running on the track will be nice. You can hit those splits every 1/4 if you want. I suggest though that you latch on to someone and go for a ride. Watch splits for the first couple laps to make sure you aren't going too fast then start racing. Check in every once in a while (maybe at 4, 8, 10...) but really focus on the racing part.
Good luck!
Goals for 2013: sub 18 5K; stay healthy
@PJM43: While you may see some success from the "fire and ice" program you are following, that is mostly due to the increase in milage. You will see success, yes, but not as much as you would if you followed a more traditional approach. You NEED dedicated Tempo runs, you NEED intervals, you NEED repetitions, and you NEED long runs in order to achieve the most you can. Its not complicated at all; you can cut and paste the 5k 24 week training guide from Daniel's Running Formula and have a solid amount of success. It will help you in the long run.
@Diamond J: Sounds like you talked yourself out of the race there. Don't let the weather or anything else get you down. Sack it up and get after it; you will find you can do perfectly fine in almost all conditions, its you talking yourself out of it that really gets you down. No excuses. Sack it up. Get after it. Then again, you did PR, but perhaps you could have PR'ed more. Yes.
Sub 17 has been a goal of mine for several years, and I had posted on this thread a bit last fall, but just didn't get enough races in to get there at that time. The last certified 5k I ran was last September, and I clocked a 17:02. I spent the winter and early Spring training for a marathon, so have just gotten back to the shorter stuff in the past few weeks.
I took my first real shot at a sub 17 since last September this weekend, and I'm happy to say I snuck in in 16:58. It was a nice local 5k that I've run several times, but none of the better local runners were there, so I ended up running alone most of the way, actually winning by 50 seconds. First mile was 5:23 and felt decent, second mile was 5:33 and I was starting to tire. Held it together well enough over the last mile to still be in position for the sub 17, and had just enough left to get through the line in time. Final 1.1 was in 6:03 (5:30 pace).
Next up I'm shooting for a 16:40. It will probably take a little while to get there, but I feel like I should be able to do it with more specific 5k/10k training.
Running Boston in memory of my son. Want to help?
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