Forums >Racing>Goal of sub 20 5k
30:15 27:48 26:52 22:48 22:33 21:07 20:33 those are my seven 5k races in order of date since I started running 2 years ago after a 20 year layoff. my analysis says I just need to keep running more races. I suppose losing 15 pounds wouldn't hurt though.
30:15
27:48
26:52
22:48
22:33
21:07
20:33
those are my seven 5k races in order of date since I started running 2 years ago after a 20 year layoff. my analysis says I just need to keep running more races. I suppose losing 15 pounds wouldn't hurt though.
That's a nice progression.
Current Goals: Run and stuff
Options,Account, Forums
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
That is a very nice progression. Wish I was progressing that way
If you did, your 5k time would be about 5 minutes.
All this analysis seems a little crazy to me. Few races? Mich, one time last year I looked how many 5k races you'd logged for the year and it was more than I'd run in my whole life. I've run 3 more 5k's this year and you've logged like 12. Some of those must be solo time trials, but still that's a whole lot more data gathering than I've ever done in 5k's. And yet I kind of feel like I've got this 5k thing pretty much figured out. Not that I've mastered it, by any stretch, but I'm pretty sure that the gap between my current 5k best (17:22) and my 5k goal (16:59) is not going to come from more detailed analysis of my half mile splits or a more granular pacing plan. It's going to come from better training, or maybe just one of those magical breakthroughs that we get from time to time. It's just racing.
All this analysis seems a little crazy to me. Few races? Mich, one time last year I looked how many 5k races you'd logged for the year and it was more than I'd run in my whole life. I've run 3 more 5k's this year and you've logged like 12. Some of those must be solo time trials, but still that's a whole lot more data gathering than I've ever done in 5k's.
And yet I kind of feel like I've got this 5k thing pretty much figured out. Not that I've mastered it, by any stretch, but I'm pretty sure that the gap between my current 5k best (17:22) and my 5k goal (16:59) is not going to come from more detailed analysis of my half mile splits or a more granular pacing plan. It's going to come from better training, or maybe just one of those magical breakthroughs that we get from time to time. It's just racing.
I have a very analytical mind. I want to look at the numbers so I can make sense of what is happening. My mind needs to know why I failed. I want numbers, numbers and more numbers. I keep looking for the hidden code that will tell me the perfect 5k pace. I know its crazy but I am a stats man through and through.
I have run 5 actual 5k races this year
20:55
20:39
20:06
20:46
20:19
I am still coughing today so the more I think about it the more I hope I was just sick Sunday for the race and that hurt my time. The average ruinner (here comes another stat) was 27 seconds faster between the last 2 races just as I was. I find it hard to believe I would only perform average compared to all the other runners. I know I outrained the vast majority of them between races.
The advise we get on here is very good. A guy at work told me yesterday to go out with the leaders for the 1st mile and run 5:20 (the fasest mile I have ever run is 5:48) He told me anyone can run a 5:20 mile with the training I have been doing. He was as serious as they come. I am sure a lot of your rookie 5k runners with no access to good advise try stuff just like that.
Prince of Fatness
I want numbers, numbers and more numbers.
Too much of anything is no good.
Not at it at all.
Mich, you just need to be patient and keep the miles up in the 30's & 40's and the sub 20 will come.
You are nearing the point you reached last year but don't forget you had 6 months of minimal mileage between these 2 blocks of training. Just keep at it and the bump in fitness will follow.
I feel a bit like you're feeling at the moment but I know if I keep my miles up for another month I will come out the other end much stronger.
Awesome progression. Judging from the trend, you will have sub20 in your next try
Michigan, it is very likely that you were not feeling and had an off day. Nevertheless, if you keep up your training, you will have sub 20 again really soon.
I wish I could run 5:20 a mile. I can't even run it all out for a mile. May be a little over half a mile at that pace if I run all out. I guess if I do that, I will be done after 3/4 of a mile.
The Limping Jogger
Yeah, that's not such a good idea... Did you remind him it was a 5k not a 3k?
For reference, I once ran a 20:12 5k with a 5:56 first mile. Not very smart as I was running maybe 10 miles per week. That was my 4th ever 5k race and the first over 20 mins. I looked at my log and found that my 1st mile splits were getting faster but my finish times slower... hmmm. I started at 6:21 mile 1 split in my first 5k for a 19:51 finish.
For you MichiganFlyer, as you like numbers, a 6:15 1st mile would seem to be the fastest you'd want. 6:20s the rest of the way. Focus on an increasing effort to avoid a slow down. If you feel tired, run faster - you probably won't by much but the effort will help maintain your pace. I'm pretty sure that you can pull this off.
"Only a few more laps to go and then the action will begin, unless this is the action, which it is."
the 20:33 PR I just did was 6:09 for the first mile. oops.
Don't do it again!
I concur. I also clocked in a 6:10 1st mile enrouted to a 19:59 finish a month ago. It was a hot day and needless to say, I faded pretty bad after clocking in a 12:40 time after 2 miles.
With a pair of really tired legs after running 180+ miles the last 2 weeks, last Sun, I clocked in a 6:25 at the 1st marker (probably a longer 1st mile than a month ago due to constructions and 2 additional U-turns for an extra 50m or so.) and clocked in a 12:50 at the 2 mile marker, I finished with a 19:58. Though my times were the same, I was on a very tiring pair of legs last Sun. Had I gone out so quick again, I would have faded really bad.
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to join in this forum since I am on a quest to break the 20:00 5K myself. I started running April 1, this year, but hadn't run since HS before that because I was tired of IT Band tendinitis (I'm 24 now). I've gotten myself Nike Frees, and two weeks ago, Vibram Five Fingers, and they seem to be helping. Anyway, I've slowly worked up from running ~5 mpw to ~9mpw before I ran my first race in the middle of July in 21:40. I was a bit disappointed but I guess I am about 10 poounds overweight and pretty out of shape. Now I am hoping to increase my mileage and have been pushing closer to 15mpw the last few weeks. So I'll keep everyone posted on any races, key workouts or whatever. BTW, I ran a 4:41 mile in HS running about 30mpw, but I never was much for long distance.
I've got a fever...
Hi Everyone, I wanted to join in this forum since I am on a quest to break the 20:00 5K myself. I started running April 1, this year, but hadn't run since HS before that because I was tired of IT Band tendinitis (I'm 24 now). I've gotten myself Nike Frees, and two weeks ago, Vibram Five Fingers, and they seem to be helping. Anyway, I've slowly worked up from running ~5 mpw to ~9mpw before I ran my first race in the middle of July in 21:40. I was a bit disappointed but I guess I am about 10 poounds overweight and pretty out of shape. Now I am hoping to increase my mileage and have been pushing closer to 15mpw the last few weeks. So I'll keep everyone posted on any races, key workouts or whatever. BTW, I ran a 4:41 mile in HS running about 30mpw, but I never was much for long distance.
Welcome aboard, Vappy. Make you log visible so we can see what you're up to.
http://www.runningahead.com/options/log
If you build up to a consistent 30mpw, you will have no trouble breaking 20, given your history. Just focusing on running really easy and building up the miles. More miles will have a much greater effect on your race times than fast miles.
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.
According to some stuff on the web, if you could get him a dead flat 5K in a straight line and incentivize him enough (which I think means raw meat, alive and running), a cheetah could break 5 minutes...