Is bringing down a 22:30 minute 5k down to 19:5X in 5 months possible?

Take the pressure off yourself. Race a 5k and get a baseline. Then train hard for a month or so and aim to beat your baseline. Then get back to training and work just a little bit harder before your next race. Keep doing this, and you'll make steady improvements and feel happy about the positive momentum.

The aerobic improvements you are seeking take time, and it may take more than 5 months. Make sure you are doing a mix of long runs, tempo runs, and intervals to maximize your potential. Squatting/deadlifting heavy weights for low-ish reps will also help you develop power and strength to support your running. Ultimately though, there is no better training for a 5k than racing a 5k. You will improve your pacing, your mental toughness, and your 5k-specific conditioning the more you race them, provided you don't race so much you burn out.

KayJay wrote:

Okay. I was planning to do 10 x 400 (with 1 minute rest) in 1:35 on sunday so instead I should do 15-20 x 400 in under 1:50 (with maybe 45 seconds of rest)? The whole reason I do the 400s at mile pace instead of an additional tempo run is because I do not want to lose mile speed or fitness.

It sounds like you are doing most everything right. Staying consistent, healthy, and slow increasing your mileage will pay dividends in the long run. Add more easy miles as you feel you can handle them.

As for your speed workout, you need to increase number of reps and distance to close in on your 20 minute 5K goal.

I would try 15 x 400m @ 1:35 with 90s rest and gradually decrease the rest time by 5 sec on subsequent workouts until you get to 60s . Once you can do that workout, extend the distance 12 x 500m @ 2:00 with 75s rest and gradually decrease the rest to 60s in the same manner. Next is 10 x 600m @ 2:25, then 8 x 800m @ 3:12.

The speed workouts will help you get in shape for your 5K as well as, increase your speed in the mile.

This is absolutely fabulous advice. Thank you!

Update: I have been running more tempos and more mileage over the last few weeks and I have been hitting faster paces in my workouts. I even anaged to run my longest run ever (16.2 miles) and felt comfortable doing so, in the past I have always felt like bonking out at the 10-11 mile mark. I feel like I am making good progress and I am confident I will hit my goal

I did 8 half mile repeats today (with 90 seconds of rest between the first 6 and 60 seconds of rest between the last 2)

3:37 (7:14 min/mile pace)

3:25 (6:50 min/mile pace)

3:23 (6:46 min/mile pace)

3:23 (6:46 min/mile pace)

3:25 (6:50 min/mile pace)

3:26 (6:52 min/mile pace)

3:27 (6:54 min/mile pace)

3:14 (6:28 min/mile pace)

I did the same workout 27 days ago and got these times:

8 x half mile repeats (the course was a little over half a mile but only by about 15m or so so maybe deduct 6-7 sec per mile from the avg pace)

First 6 repeats (90 sec rest)

3:43 3:43 3:44 3:40 3:43 3:41 (7:25 pace avg)

Last 2 repeats (60 sec rest)

3:41 (7:22 pace) 3:24 (6:48 pace)

Good job, keep grinding! ;)

What's your weekly training looks like?

It's possible but it depends on more factors than just increasing mileage. My daughter did a similar improvement but she had more speed (64 second 400m speed on not that much speed work). According to Daniel's tables, you would need to be able to run about 5:50 for the mile and less than 72 seconds for the 400m. Was your 75 second 400m time all out? Had you done any 60-100m pure speed work? Based on your recent 800m repeat times, I would think you could run faster than the 3 minutes you mentioned. You would need to get your all out 800m down to about 2:36. Don't get overwhelmed by all this though. You might reach these times, but right now focus on your training.

To echo what another poster said, don't be too rigid about having to run under 20 minutes in 5 months. It's great to have that as a goal but be excited by any improvement. If you run sub 21 in 5 months that is still AWESOME improvement. If the sub 20 comes in 9 months, you can still be proud.

You are definitely willing to put in the work. I applaud that. That is another factor for success.

I agree with still keeping some mile pace workouts. However, instead of doing 400's at mile pace, try 200's.

The other thing: Easy days means EASY. Do not get caught up on keeping a certain pace right now (that will eventually come naturally as you get in better shape). Especially as you are increasing mileage. If you end up running 10 min pace at this point, so be it. You do NOT gain if you don't recover. There are plenty of elites who do some easy runs at 3 minutes per mile slower than 5k pace. Don't be afraid to take a day off sometimes if you are totally spent.

Watch your iron levels especially as you are raising mileage.

Here is what my last couple of weeks have looked like:

Monday: 50 minutes @ 9:30 ish pace + 6 x 150m strides @ 6 min mile pace with 30 sec rest between each stride

Tuesday: 20 minute tempo run @ 7:30 pace, 15 min walk break, 1 x 200m in 35s, 5 min walk break, 3 x 400m in 1:40 (hill sprint at the end) with 2:30 rest

Wednesday: 50 minutes @ 9:30

Thursday: 6 x 60m full sprints with 90 sec rest (16 mph average) followed by 45 minutes @ 9:30 pace

Friday: 10 x 400m @ 6:30 min/mile pace, 1 minute rest

Saturday: recovery day, 7 miles bike

Sunday: Long run 10 miles @ 9:00 pace

Monday: 45 minutes @ 9:30

Tuesday: 3.7 mile tempo run @ 7:17 min/mile pace

Wednesday: 55 minutes @ 9:30

Thursday: 6 x 60m + 45 min @ 9:30 + 4 x 150m strides at sub 6 pace

Friday: 1 mile warm up, 4 x 800m @ very hard pace with 3 min rest (3:08, 3:03: 3:07, 2:58), 1 mile cool down

Saturday: 4 miles very easy

Sunday: 16.2 miles @ 9:30 pace

I am not sure where my 400m fitness is at but seeing as I ran 35s for a random 200 after a tempo run (I might be a 1-2s or so faster fresh) and my 800m is likely around the 2:50 mark I would say confidently that I could hit 75s for a lap, unsure about 72s although I wouldn’t rule it out. Sub 70 would be very hard though, that might be out of the question being honest.

5 mile tempo run tonight (7:56/Mile pace) at HM goal pace or roughly current 10k pace + 10 sec per mile. This is the first time this training cycle that I’ve done a longer tempo (yes for me, 5 miles is long considering My tempos are usually around 25 minutes tops). Feeling a little bit tired and haven’t really been sleeping great so I’m going to take it pretty easy for the next couple of days then do a mile speed based workout on sunday, I’ve found a nice little flat 400m loop near my local park so I’m going to test what pace I can average for 10 with 60 sec rest. I feel like this is roughly the equivalent of a mile time trial in terms of gauging fitness but with added quality/volume. The closer to 6 the better.

Thank you to the poster who suggested watching my iron intake, it never occured to me that maybe that is why I’m feeling a little tired. I will be sure to adjust my diet accordingly, the problem is I’m not really a huge fan of red meat (not for ethical or health reasons, just taste really) so I’ll invest in some supplements.

How did the rest of this week go? Keep us updated. I'm sure some of us will keep giving you advice periodically.

Based on what you posted for your previous 2 weeks, it's no wonder you are feeling a little tired. You are increasing mileage, you just ran a 16 miler for the first time, and you are doing some serious quality work (perhaps too much at this point--those 4x800 almost all out sessions don't need to be done right now. )

It would not harm you to take it a little easier this next week after probably 3 hard weeks in a row. It's necessary to recover enough to make the adaptations

The good news, based on those weeks and some of the times, you are probably an easy week away from a 20:40 now. Everyone is different of course.