Can I go sub 18?

I’m sub 18. Ask me anything.

Hello fellow runner,

To have a better idea could you provide us with more information. How was your track season? Some examples of workouts with paces, race results? Yes, in general building a bigger aerobic base over the summer should help you lower your 5k time. Maybe not by a full minute, but it's possible. Careful not to over do it, and a 19min 5k for a freshman is pretty impressive! You have a lot of highschool running ahead of you, be careful not to sacrifice the long term for the short term (aka running a 17:55 this season then battling injuries the rest of highschool rather than running a 16:55 as a senior). I can check some workouts that I completed previous to going 17:51 and post them.

- RunnerSam

RunnerSam wrote:

Hello fellow runner,

To have a better idea could you provide us with more information. How was your track season? Some examples of workouts with paces, race results? Yes, in general building a bigger aerobic base over the summer should help you lower your 5k time. Maybe not by a full minute, but it's possible. Careful not to over do it, and a 19min 5k for a freshman is pretty impressive! You have a lot of highschool running ahead of you, be careful not to sacrifice the long term for the short term (aka running a 17:55 this season then battling injuries the rest of highschool rather than running a 16:55 as a senior). I can check some workouts that I completed previous to going 17:51 and post them.

- RunnerSam

My track season did not go the best because I hurt myself in a soccer game, the 19:00 was before the soccer injury. (also the 19:00 was in a road race because I didn't do cross country) My week usually consisted of: 3 easy 4 mile runs, 2 track or hill workouts, 1 long run or race day. My best time for the mile was 5:38. I don't really have a record of my workout paces sorry, but I would really appreciate to see the workouts you ran to do a 17:51. Also I understand sub 18 may be a big goal, and I have 3 years left to get it, so I would even be happy with a sub 19 or any improvement at all. Thank you so much!

I looked back in my log and realized that the workouts I did would not be good indicators for you (too much of a MPW difference, poor race conditions, male vs female). When I am back from work I will get example workouts from my girlfriend's training log for the first time she broke 18, will be more useful for you. Will post them in roughly 5-6 hours, until then maybe someone else will provide some guidance.

- RunnerSam

I am a male so ill try my best to help. During my freshman year of HS i was running around 30 miles a week and i ran a 17:02 so i feel like the same could be done for you. if you want to run fast then i also suggest getting mentally stronger. A lot of people always ask what mileage they need to run in order to run a certain time but what they fail to realize is that their mentality is a big factor. During my freshman year (my first year of XC) i was the 2nd best runner on the team and i always wanted to beat my teammate. I would grind every day and try to stick with him on every workout but i would always fade back towards the end. the next day of practise i would do the same thing all over again. i was stubborn and i wanted to beat my teammate so bad that my first 5k of the year, 18:47, was dropped down to a 17:02. Mileage is great but without a strong mentality it doesn't amount to anything. Run that high mileage but also learn to have a winners mentality.

Ask your coach. High schooler's on a message board don't tend to give the best advice on training.

Also, NXN will take much faster than 17:5x.

My coach from track left our school and the cross country coach has no idea what she is doing, so I cant really ask her. Also in my region some 18:00 min 5k times qualified for NXN.

thanks!

How did you get mentally stronger? Fellow hs runner here. Is it a matter of toughening up, working harder than competition, something else?

A few (not great) real examples of workouts previous to going under 18min in the 5k for the first time. Female junior in college.

23 weeks averaging 50 MPW for the track season. Some workouts are below, then race results (this is outdoor track)

12x400 @ 3k w/ 3min rec ave 81s

2k 2x1200 @ tempo (6:10, 4:45s) 2x4x400 in 80s w/1min rec (3min b/w sets)

2mi tempo in 13min 8x200 in 36s w/ 200jog rec

3x1200 in 4:36s w/ 1min rec

5ks 18:06 (late march)17:50(late april) 17:49 (early may)

Keep in mind that she built up to this mileage incollege and had better speed (5:10) in HS. This does not mean if you can hit these workouts you can go under 18, its just another data point to help guide you.

- RunnerSam

sub18hopess wrote:

I am about to be a sophmore girl in HS, and I want to break 18 in the xc 5k and qualify for NXN. I didn't run cross country freshman year, but in track I was doing 20-25 mpw, and I ran 19:00 flat. If i bump up to 35-45 mpw this summer can I go su 18. I also will get good sleep, eat well, lift, hydrate etc.

No one can say whether or not you will go sub 18 on x mpw this summer. Given your age, it's possible that you could stay at 20-25 mph and break 18 in the fall thanks to several months of consistent training.

Good sleep, eat well, lift, hydrate etc are all good, but of none of it matters if you don't get and run most every day. So get out and run 30-45 minutes every day for the next six weeks.

Thank you so much!

no shot give up running

Why should she give up? 19:00 min for a 5k is really good!

I have never gone sub 18 before.

That's because I'm fat and loving it!

No need to go nuts with training. You'll improve if you keep running consistently. Your aerobic capacity increases over time (years).

Staple 5k workouts are repeat 1000m (or 1200m or 800m) somewhere between your current 5k pace and your goal pace,

Getting mentally tougher means you need to learn to hang on when it gets really uncomfortable. Do occasional workouts with faster runners and hang on for dear life.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll improve if you keep at it.

Ain't no sub 18 coming off 5:38 pr in the mile. Need to be able to run 5:10-ish to break 18.