Sub-20 Goal for 5k (2012) (Read 5412 times)


Walk-Jogger

    Doh!

    It's pretty obvious, but I hadn't really thought about that, to be honest. You kinda took the wind out of my sails with that one. 

     

    Actually, I'm thinking about it one step at a time.

    I have to be able to hold a 4:00/km pace for 5 km before I can hope to do it for 10 km. 

    I'm not positive that age 45 is the best time of life to be setting such goals, but, hey.

     

    For what it's worth, I started running again at age 52, after about 15 years of little to no running, doing some cycling and shedding 40 lbs of fat first to get myself started. It then took me two years of running to get my 5k time under 20 minutes the first time. And another 14 months to get it under 19:00 for the first time, and then shortly after that to get my 10k time under 40 minutes.

     

    This included taking several months off from running each year. 

    Retired &  Loving It

      Count me in as well.  Best effort last year was 20:17 before knee issues sidelined me for a spell.  No 5K races planned as of yet. Next major event will be a half, followed by a full Marathon in the spring.  Good Luck to the others here in their effort to do the same.

       

       

      I did run 19:35 at Acton Fair 5K.  I felt the course was a little short, so I was somewhat leery of giving myself full credit back at the end of August.

      (Official Time 19:33  http://www.coolrunning.com/results/12/me/Aug25_5KActo_set1.shtml  8/25/2012 - 5th Overall.)

       

      I also ran 9.45 mi in 1:04:36.13 (6:51 pace) @ Mill City Relay (Leg 4) which by most calculators is in the same range, so considering it good enough to post now.

      What was I chasing again?


      Mmmmm...beer

        One more shot tomorrow night.

         

        Had a very light week this past week, took a few rest days, only ran 27 miles all week.  Went out for 2.5 miles tonight just to loosen up, first mile was nice and easy to warm up, ended up being 7:27/mile, very surprised by that, considering how easy it felt.  Threw in some 6:10-6:20/mile strides, overall average pace was 7:05/mile.  Great run, feel good about the race tomorrow.  Gonna start up front (like I should have last time) and give it my best shot.

        -Dave

        My running blog

        Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!


        Mmmmm...beer

          I have seriously got to work on my pacing.  Got a great start this time, but went out waaaaaay too fast.  Was running 5:40 around the first half mile mark, pulled back and still ran 6:05 for the first mile, then just kept slowing from there.  Finished with a 20:30 and got another AG win, which I'm very happy with.  Gonna try again in a couple of weeks.  If I can keep my first mile under control, I think I can get that sub-20.

          -Dave

          My running blog

          Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!


          No more marathons

            I have seriously got to work on my pacing.  Got a great start this time, but went out waaaaaay too fast.  Was running 5:40 around the first half mile mark, pulled back and still ran 6:05 for the first mile, then just kept slowing from there.  Finished with a 20:30 and got another AG win, which I'm very happy with.  Gonna try again in a couple of weeks.  If I can keep my first mile under control, I think I can get that sub-20.

            Yep, it's all about pacing.  A good rule of thumb is that for every second below your expected race pace that you hit in the first half of the race, you will give back two in the second half.  So that 6:05, compared to your goal pace of 6:26 would have cost you about 21 seconds, maybe more giving the pace for the first half.  Also, did you warm up enough before the start?  A good warmup can help you keep that early kick under control.  Good luck in 2013 - I'd say you are right there - just need to run an even paced full 5K.

            Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

            Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

            He's a leaker!


            Mmmmm...beer

              Yep, it's all about pacing.  A good rule of thumb is that for every second below your expected race pace that you hit in the first half of the race, you will give back two in the second half.  So that 6:05, compared to your goal pace of 6:26 would have cost you about 21 seconds, maybe more giving the pace for the first half.  Also, did you warm up enough before the start?  A good warmup can help you keep that early kick under control.  Good luck in 2013 - I'd say you are right there - just need to run an even paced full 5K.

               

              I can definitely believe that rule of thumb, a fast start just kills you in the second half.  I warmed up for two miles with a couple of strides, same as my last race.  Gonna try again in a couple of weeks.  Gotta keep reminding myself that it's all a learning process, and this was only my fourth 5k.

              -Dave

              My running blog

              Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

              lagwagon


                A good rule of thumb is that for every second below your expected race pace that you hit in the first half of the race, you will give back two in the second half.

                 

                This sounds right for longer races, but I'm not sure it pertains to shorter ones like the 5k.

                 

                There was a recent article in Running Times which looked at the fastest runners at various distances, and whether they typically ran positive or negative splits in competitive races.  The author's conclusion was that a slightly positive split was typical in the 5k and in some ways preferable.

                 

                Bottom line, I wouldn't sweat a fast start, as long as its not dramatically faster.  I think the article cited running 3-6% faster for the first mile.  You dont want to outrun our aerobic ability and end up in oxygen debt, but positioning yourself with runners that will push you is not necessarily a bad thing in the 5k.

                 

                MTA:  here's the article on Pacing Like a Pro by Jeff Gaudette.


                No more marathons

                   

                  This sounds right for longer races, but I'm not sure it pertains to shorter ones like the 5k.

                   

                  There was a recent article in Running Times which looked at the fastest runners at various distances, and whether they typically ran positive or negative splits in competitive races.  The author's conclusion was that a slightly positive split was typical in the 5k and in some ways preferable.

                   

                  Bottom line, I wouldn't sweat a fast start, as long as its not dramatically faster.  I think the article cited running 3-6% faster for the first mile.  You dont want to outrun our aerobic ability and end up in oxygen debt, but positioning yourself with runners that will push you is not necessarily a bad thing in the 5k.

                   

                  MTA:  here's the article on Pacing Like a Pro by Jeff Gaudette

                   

                  I can only speak from experience - and I've run 5 sub 17 5Ks (all a long, long time ago) and in each of them the three miles were within 2 or 3 seconds of each other.  Any time I had a first mile in the 5:20 to 5:25 range my overall time would go over 17.  One important caveat is that all of those were also run in Florida where the max elevation gain would have been a few feet.

                  With regards to the study you reference,  that was for the fastest runners – those people don’t play with the same laws of physics that most of the RA forumites are bound by. Big grin

                  Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                  Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                  He's a leaker!

                  Gunnie26.2


                  #dowork

                    Don't see a sub20 2013 thread so I'll post this here. I ran a 5k this past weekend at last minute and ran a 20:15. I thought it was a long shot for a sub20, but gives me hope later this year I will get there. previous PR was 20:46 so I made some good progress and happy with result.

                    PR's - 5K - 20:15 (2013) | 10K - 45:14 (2011)  | 13.1 - 1:34:40 (2013)  | 26.2 - 3:40:40 (2014)

                     

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