60-70 mins @ 10% slower than MP is a solid run. So for you, 35 seconds slower 7:15-7:20/mile is hard enough that you need to concentrate, but it will not wipe you out.
Daniels has 10 miles at MP as part of his 5/10k plan, but it replaces the long run every third or fourth week. It probably has quite a large aerobic benefit and the 5k is still largely an aerobic event.
This is what I wanted to chime in to say. Now if we want to pick nits with what the OP asked, is it a "good 5k workout", fine, it's not technically. But is it a good foundational aerobic workout that will provide benefits to specific 5k training? Then yes, it clearly is. Either way I think we all know it's not something we'd use to replace race-specific 5k work. But longer hard-ish efforts (let's call that MP) to build aerobic capacity will provide benefits regardless of distance.
Daniels has 10 miles at MP as part of his 5/10k plan, but it replaces the long run every third or fourth week. It probably has quite a large aerobic benefit and the 5k is still largely an aerobic event.
This is what I wanted to chime in to say. Now if we want to pick nits with what the OP asked, is it a "good 5k workout", fine, it's not technically. But is it a good foundational aerobic workout that will provide benefits to specific 5k training? Then yes, it clearly is. Either way I think we all know it's not something we'd use to replace race-specific 5k work. But longer hard-ish efforts (let's call that MP) to build aerobic capacity will provide benefits regardless of distance.
Agreed. 1 hour at MP is what we call old fashioned Lydiard base runs, and is a fantastic tool for an athlete who is at the point in training that they need more than just easy running to develop aerobically.
This is what I wanted to chime in to say. Now if we want to pick nits with what the OP asked, is it a "good 5k workout", fine, it's not technically. But is it a good foundational aerobic workout that will provide benefits to specific 5k training? Then yes, it clearly is. Either way I think we all know it's not something we'd use to replace race-specific 5k work. But longer hard-ish efforts (let's call that MP) to build aerobic capacity will provide benefits regardless of distance.
Agreed. 1 hour at MP is what we call old fashioned Lydiard base runs, and is a fantastic tool for an athlete who is at the point in training that they need more than just easy running to develop aerobically.
Yes, and you don't have to go right in at 60 minutes. Starting at 40-45 minutes would likely be fine for most reasonably trained runners, as long as they're honest with themselves about pacing.