My Journey to Sub 16 5K, Including My Training Logs. Need all the help I can get

Today I ran 3x1600m w/70 sec standing rest. This should be a good 5K predictor.

5:33

5:37

5:39

I ran alone and to be honest it felt like 10K pace. I ran very controlled and comfortable. That's 16:49 with 2:20 rest. I know I can run faster with other runners.

George Ilie wrote:

Sub16_5k wrote:

....

Ok, but first, have you tried this with anyone else before? Did it work for them? I'm willing to do it, but I want to know that your method works, before I begin, and I won't question it beyond that.

Yes, it is tested on 3 people, with 100% positive results.

This year so far was tested on 5 cycles (6-7 weeks each cycle).

The most successful was to break 20:00, as someone else said (joking probably), for a 37 years old guy....in 4 months, getting down to 18:00.

But is not just the performance, is the experience. As someone said after finishing a cycle, "...I really enjoy running".

So should we start?

100% success rate ROFL.

Iliac wrote:

George Ilie wrote:

Yes, it is tested on 3 people, with 100% positive results...

100% success rate ROFL.

100% success rate, when the training plan is followed at least 95% of the time.

High performance is easy. The difficult part is to make your training a discipline.

All runners who practiced running in HS are facing this challenge when they are on their own. Most of them quit at this point, without even trying something.

At least we tried and hopefully the OP will find his path.

I'd love to do a thread like this documenting my progress. I am injured at the moment but would love to start one in the new year.

Would anyone be interested in a similar thread to this one, maybe with targets of sub 15:30, sub 3:50 1500m, sub 1:50 800m?

For the record my PBs are 16:10, 3:57, 1:52

Sub16_5k wrote:

Posting this part by part...

I ran 17:35.

A few seconds worse than two years ago on the exact same course! The course was out and back on road with a small hill ran twice. I went out in 5:16, and I swear it felt way faster. Picked up the pace on the 2nd mile, and even threw in a surge. Felt like I was going even faster than my first. I crossed mile 2 in 5:33...

I just gave up after that. I chugged in at 6:00 on my last mile and came 2nd overall. Again, felt like I was going way faster. Winner ran 16:19, a time I know I should've easily been capable of running. Screw that. Legs were sore coming into the race. Basically to summarize, I went out in 5:16, and faded horribly. Like every freaking race.

Thanks for sharing your race report, even if it wasn't a success.

I second coach George's advice to join a training group.

And you should focus on your consistency.

Another tip I want to give you: you seem to always race 5K's, why don't you try a mile or a 10K or even a half marathon race? A mile will make the 5K pace feel easy and a 10K race will make a 5K feel short.

Good luck!

I am also searching for sub 16. Will post some meaningful numbers and my plan/previous days if I actually remember my password. sub_16 hang in there buddy.

Test

Test

Test

Test test test

The more the merrier buddy. Reading your workouts/races helps motivate me.

OP, don't get too discouraged. Unfortunately running is difficult, which is why it is so rewarding. Stay consistent and you'll get there!

I've taken a couple weeks to back off of hard workouts and try to build some base (lose some weight) and start doing squats/lunges/hip flexor drills more diligently to be able to hit it hard again come January.

Forget it. I apologize for the spam. I'll just use this name.

Age is 18

Height is 6'1

Weight is 154 lbs

400 = 57

800 = 2:12

1600 = 5:11

5000 (road) = 18:41

This week (Sat- Fri)

1- 12.5 long

2- 5.67 fartlek (cut it short)

3- 4.15 easy

4- 4 wu/cd, 3.5 tempo

5- 7.25 normal

6- 4 wu/cd, 12 x 200 at 32 avg (full rest). For turnover.

7- double 5/3 or 8.15 easy

Plyos once, lifting twice, core once, strides x 3

You fade heavily after the first mile. I would advise that you do workouts like 4-5x2k@5k pace or 3x2M@10k pace. They will keep your body from quitting at the mile mark. Harder 4-6M tempos should also help.

Tonight I did 10x500m w/85 sec rest

1:33

1:32

1:33

1:33

1:34

1:34

1:34

1:35

1:35

1:30

Total 15:33 (3:07 min/km)

I did this workout three months ago in 15:57. I'm happy about my progression.

Sub16 –

I have been thinking about your posts. I was once in your shoes. Do I keep running? Racing? Neither?

I will say this – I am an old man and not in my prime any longer but I would put a target on your back during a 5k right now. I ran 17:45 a few weeks ago. I hunt down guys like you in the last mile. I stand at the start watching the “young bucks” dart off the line. I can barely see your type at the mile mark, but I start barking at your heels shortly after the 2 mile mark. Halfway through the third mile I can see you coming back to me quickly and I am timing it (and I am good at timing “it”) because even though I don’t have a kick anymore, I have stamina. When we pass the 3 mile mark and we can see the finish in sight, the crowd sees me putting down two footsteps to your one. All of a sudden I have a “kick” and I did not think I did – the adrenaline and love of running and competition is propelling me to the finish line, a new comeback PR, and I leave the race feeling excited and ready for the next challenge. Maybe sub 17:30 next time? Sub 17 in 6-9 months? We’ll see!! I’m having fun.

Meanwhile you are sucking wind and upset about your time because you set your goals too high for your current fitness. Momentum is powerful in both directions.

Regarding running and life:

I wake up to run and go to work shortly after you have (recently) been going to bed. There is no break in the work, my loving (and supportive) wife, my young kids, etc. My peacefulness comes at 5am when it is time to run. I have been in college. You have more time than I – I promise. You have more flexibility. Those days are behind me. You are more talented than I. I don’t think I could run a 6x800m workout at 3k/5k goal race pace in the middle of an exhausting week if I had to do it. I had to stop timing my training runs because it was depressing; however, I enjoy racing and I bring a spark on race day that I do not have during training. I used to run insane workouts but could not put together a solid race. I was mentally and physically toast. You should complete training that refreshes and reinvigorates you.

I don’t want you to look back in life and think “back when I was in college I could have really lit it up.”

It is not too late to get things back on track.

Now for helpful points (again, from a washed up has-been)

1) Figure out if you want to run, or not. Either is ok

2) Figure out if you want to put the time and commitment into race. It is ok if you want to run and not race.

3) If you want to race, you need to do the following

a. Accept your current fitness, no matter what that may be. It is currently 17:35 unless you prove otherwise

b. Train like a 17:35 5k runner.

i. 3 x 40 min easy runs each week, strides of 5 x 100m at 2 mile effort at the end of two of these. Catch your breath fully.

ii. One 70 min run, but 30-45 min of it at your current marathon effort, no faster

iii. Another 70 min run, but 20 - 30 minutes of it should include broken into 4-7 reps at your current 10k effort; last rep faster if you feel great but don’t push it.

1. Finish ii and iii with 5 x 200m at mile effort on a track – 800m effort on the last rep is ok if feeling great

iv. One long run of 75-100 min, not hard, but start slow and work the pace down in the last 2-3 miles.

1. No faster than marathon pace with 30 min left and no faster than half marathon pace with 10 min left in the run

Do this for 4 weeks and see how you feel. If you lack motivation, take extended time off. If you enjoy the training but don’t want to race, keep doing the training for 8-12 weeks. Race when you decide you feel strong, if ever.

Best

Dude, you sound like a huge douche from your post.

times too wrote:

Dude, you sound like a huge douche from your post.

To be fair the first part was an almost insufferable humble brag. However, after muddling through that, he did impart reasonable advice.

Without doing an in-depth reading of your recent training. My suggestion is that you may be training similar to most people trying to break 5 minutes in a mile. Many athletes look to break 5, and they try to train and race by the 75-second split. The issue is that they learn nothing but how to run 75's when they are fresh, kinda tired, and tired. But the reps are shorter than the race and they are trying to piece it together to say Look I can run 5 minutes! The issue is that the body doesn't live or die by that pace, it goes faster at points and slower at points. It seems like your body thinks that the limit of its ability is ~5:09 pace. I think you might want to dip down to 3k-mile training at one point in the week and have threshold at your current 5k pace. Increasing both distance for 3k-mile work and time for threshold. Just a thought

times too wrote:

Dude, you sound like a huge douche from your post.

Times two for you, times too

dude are you sure you've never killed anyone? This is disturbing.