Am I In 18:30 5k Shape?

I posted previously wrote:

What does the rest of your week look like? Are you still getting in respectable milage and a long run? How do you feel after? Trashed or feeling like you have a bit left in the tank?

Based on my results it seems like you are on track. But the previous questions matter.

Week 1 Mileage: 43 w/2 quality sessions and a long run (11 miles)

Week 2 Mileage: 46 (forecasted) w/2 quality sessions and a long run on this coming Saturday (12 miles)

Last week's two workouts:

1. 12 x 400m w/200m recoveries (average time 1:27, 5:50 pace).

2. 5 x 1k w/2min recoveries (average 3:41, 5:55 pace or so).

This week's two workouts

1. 4 mile tempo workout @ 6:36 pace (somewhere between HM pace and Marathon pace)

2. 7 x 1000m w/2 min recoveries (average 3:41, 5:55 pace or so).

Honestly, I felt like I could have done an 8th rep. It was a challenging workout, but it never felt like a race-type effort. Next week I will probably try to reduce the recovery time between reps.

seattle dude wrote:

DevinChaulk wrote:

**Update**

Week 2:

Ran 7 x 1k w/2:00 recoveries today. Target: 3:42 (5:57 pace for 18:30 5k goal). Actual Splits: 3:42, 3:41, 3:41, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42, 3:42.

I'll start reducing the recovery time over the next few weeks. I'm encouraged. I hope this shows that I'm on the right track. Anybody care to weigh in on whether or not running 18:30 in six weeks is realistic or not, now that we have more information?

Wow. That's a good workout. I think it's definitely possible. Everyone is different. Some people could do it right now based on that work out. If you can do that on 1:30 rest you should be gold.

What is your 400m best? Believe it or not, it does help to know.

You should still do some pure speed (80-100m) work. It will make the pace seem that much easier.

I hand-timed a 400m a year or so ago for fun and ran 1:01. No specific training. I'm in much better shape now. I believe if I went out and did the same tomorrow that I could run sub-1 minute, even after today's session. I tend to be more of a speed type runner who is training for longer distances because I enjoy it.

fartlekker wrote:

seattle dude wrote:

You should still do some pure speed (80-100m) work. It will make the pace seem that much easier.

Wouldn't fartleks and surges cover this?

Also, not to cause a ruckus, but Ive found these workouts are much more predictive if you jog inbetween reps. But that's just me. Predictive and beneficial are different.

Thanks for weighing in! Today, I walked for about a minute and a half of the 2 minute recoveries, then jogged the last 30 seconds. Perhaps next week I will jog the 2 minute recoveries and see where I stand.

If you can do 3 x mile at 5:50 each then I'd say you had a shot at 18:30

400 reps aren't a good test - too short.

FYI, I'm already down to 162lbs today from 170lbs on January 1st (checked my log...I weigh myself every morning). It's a big drop in a short time, but portion control and bedtime snack control predictably results in weight loss for me. 5 more pounds or so are all I'm looking to lose over the next 5 or 6 weeks. Shouldn't be too difficult. I think that will go a long way in my race.

Happy running!

Sounds like you are on track to be derailed by an injury right before the race.

That workout is useless as a predictor

How can you do a time trial without straining. By definition it should be pretty much flat out otherwise its meaningless

Do more races then you will find out what shape you are in or look up the actual predictor sessions for mile/5km

DevinChaulk wrote:

**Update**

Week 2:

Ran 7 x 1k w/2:00 recoveries today. Target: 3:42 (5:57 pace for 18:30 5k goal). Actual Splits: 3:42, 3:41, 3:41, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42, 3:42.

I'll start reducing the recovery time over the next few weeks. I'm encouraged. I hope this shows that I'm on the right track. Anybody care to weigh in on whether or not running 18:30 in six weeks is realistic or not, now that we have more information?

You can definitely run faster than 18:30 based off this repeat, without a doubt.

I would even venture to say you're in sub-38 10k shape. If I were you, I would be shooting for 18:15 or a tad faster.

For your reference, I once did a similar workout as part of my 10k training.

10 x 1k w/ 400m jog recovery (roughly 2:00), split between 3:25-3:30, and I ran 34:10ish later on a fast course.

At some point you ought to start doing mile repeats 5 x 1mi, jog 400m in 3min. Calibrate your effort to finish the workout. You should not be able to do more after this. Typically the average of those miles will be the bottom end of your 5k race pace. Given your inexperience, endurance is your weak point, so blasting out 400s is not very useful. Replace that with say a 400-800-1200-1200-800-400 ladder instead.

I like this thread. Please keep us updated.

Good luck.

George213 wrote:

DevinChaulk wrote:

**Update**

Week 2:

Ran 7 x 1k w/2:00 recoveries today. Target: 3:42 (5:57 pace for 18:30 5k goal). Actual Splits: 3:42, 3:41, 3:41, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42, 3:42.

I'll start reducing the recovery time over the next few weeks. I'm encouraged. I hope this shows that I'm on the right track. Anybody care to weigh in on whether or not running 18:30 in six weeks is realistic or not, now that we have more information?

You can definitely run faster than 18:30 based off this repeat, without a doubt.

I would even venture to say you're in sub-38 10k shape. If I were you, I would be shooting for 18:15 or a tad faster.

For your reference, I once did a similar workout as part of my 10k training.

10 x 1k w/ 400m jog recovery (roughly 2:00), split between 3:25-3:30, and I ran 34:10ish later on a fast course.

I agree that that 1000m workout indicates better than 18:30 provided the recoveries were really 2 min and not 2 min plus retying shoes and getting a drink and a stretch in.

For reference, when I first broke 18 in 2014, I ran 6x1k w/ 200m jog rest in 3:51, 50, :50, :48, :47, :35. This was within a week of breaking 37 in the 10k. You ran them much faster than me, but I took shorter rest. A month later I ran 5x1k with 400 jog recovery all between 3:28 and 3:32. That Saturday I ran 17:50.

Like others have said, keep us posted.

Hallo.

I'll try to help you too. Sorry for my english :D

When I am able to accomplish 5 x 1000m with 2 min recovery, so I can run that speed 5k, but I am still ready after that session to do another 1-2 reps, that's definitely important.

Some people go from speed to endurance, another one's from endurance to these reps and first one's cannot do very well these reps, i mean 5-7 times by 1k and long-distance runners can do even 8-10, that's the point.

Same to 10k time, hardly I can do that session "10 x 1 with 2min recovery" faster than my goal pace, especially if we got adverse weather conditions and so on.

It's even smarter to do these sessions not all-out, no need to try to compete in the training workouts and to train in competition.

I'd say, you should follow your mileage, threshold running (about 15% of volume) and some strides. After that you can use 10k reps and maybe sometimes 5 k reps, but no need to run faster.

no chance changes

DevinChaulk wrote:

Just ran 5 x 1000m w/2 min recoveries. All 5 reps were done in 3:41 (3:42 is 5:57 pace, goal pace).

A good place to start. I have 7 weeks to bring that up to 7 reps while dropping recovery times.

If you really did that, you're already sub-19 IMO. My most recent PR is 19:03 and I could not do 5x1k at 3:41 on that short of rest in PR shape.

Update:

I ran 7 x 1000m with jog recoveries . The recovery times varied a little because I was running on an indoor track and I wanted my start and stop points to make sense. Averaged around 2:12 jog rest.

Target: 3:42 (5:57 pace for an 18:30 5k).

Actual Reps: 3:41, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42 (average 3:41)

The last 2 were pretty difficult, but I didn't feel totally trashed afterward. Could have done an 8th.

Planning to stick with 2 minute jog recoveries at least next week, and then I might reduce to 90 seconds the following week. Feeling good.

DevinChaulk wrote:

Update:

I ran 7 x 1000m with jog recoveries . The recovery times varied a little because I was running on an indoor track and I wanted my start and stop points to make sense. Averaged around 2:12 jog rest.

Target: 3:42 (5:57 pace for an 18:30 5k).

Actual Reps: 3:41, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42 (average 3:41)

The last 2 were pretty difficult, but I didn't feel totally trashed afterward. Could have done an 8th.

Planning to stick with 2 minute jog recoveries at least next week, and then I might reduce to 90 seconds the following week. Feeling good.

sounds like you are gonna nail your goal. you mentioned getting injured in the past. stick with what you're doing, stay focused on your goal and then shoot for faster times after this race. barring sickness or you going off the rails and doing mile repeats or something, I'd bet a chunk of change you'll nail 18:30.

A classic indicator is 5 x 1k with a minute jog in the middle of training. Looks like you are on pace for that 7-10 days out. 7 is insurance.

I am in the same boat. iwant to achive 18.29 min. I did 5x800m in 2:50 min with 90 sec jog rest. Is it possible for me?

thx and could luck to you, too

stay sharp!!!

sounder wrote:

I am in the same boat. iwant to achive 18.29 min. I did 5x800m in 2:50 min with 90 sec jog rest. Is it possible for me?

thx and could luck to you, too

stay sharp!!!

I don't have any insight for you, but hopefully someone with more experience can weigh in. For better or for worse, I'm using 1000m repeats as my race predictor. 7 x 1000m at goal pace, hopefully getting to the point where I'm doing 1:00 jog recoveries between reps. At least, that is what I have gleaned from the responses so far. When is your goal race?

sounder wrote:

I am in the same boat. iwant to achive 18.29 min. I did 5x800m in 2:50 min with 90 sec jog rest. Is it possible for me?

thx and could luck to you, too

stay sharp!!!

Context matters a lot. These questions are impossible to answer. That is why answers are all over the place. What you are doing the rest of the week and how hard you had to run matters a lot. If you're running 3-4 days a week, 30 mpw and you had to hammer to do this, then no, not even close. If youve got a ton of endurance, you are intelligently running 50 mpw, and this was an easy workout then maybe.

Do what the OP is doing. It's a traditional 5k build up.