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

Sub16_5K · 2016-10-05T01:48:41-04:00

Folks, what I have here is my ENTIRE base training log from Late March to Last week of this year (2016). https://imgur.com/a/1Q5lR For reference's sake: I'm a male, 21 years old, community college junior. My max HR is 200. I'll warn you, it's a very long read, and you'll find a lot of interesting things and patterns with pace/HR but for those who don't have a lot of time to read ALL my commentary; Yes, I've had a late bedtime problem. It has eaten away at my training, which is why some days you see 4 runs instead of 6. My training has been inconsistent throughout this year although my fitness improved a lot regardless. My late bedtime is still an issue though. If you read through, you'll see how it's affected my training and HR. Heck, It's 2:45 AM and I stayed up right now to type all this out because I have no time today, between work and classes. Normally though I COULD go to bed around 9-10 but I just can't get my butt to bed early. For those who read my training log, I want to get into more 5K type training (HADD would call this "Phase 2A") Where I do speed sessions. For example, this week: Mon - Off Tue - 45 Min Work Day (Complete) Wed - Off (Went to bed late, not sure if I should run today) Thu - 60 Min Easy Fri - 15 x 300m @5K pace with 200mj between reps Sat - 60 Min Easy Sun - 90 Min Long Run And build up, to where my workday becomes more of a tempo (40 Min, 35 Min, 30 min, ultimately 20 Min) and My Friday speed builds to 12 x 400, 8 x 600, 6 x 800. and 4-5 x 1000 each week, over the next 8 weeks. I have a 5K race at the end of November (my local Turkey trot) where the weather will be nice and I want to PR there, peak, and break 16 if possible. A lot of my training has been experimental, hence why I do things in certain ways in my training. I want to show first hand how improvements actually happen, in time, by pace and HR. A lot of my training this year is based off HADD's philosophies, Malmo and Jack Daniel's, kind of like a hybrid of them. I'll go more into detail about that later, since I seriously need to go to bed right now, I have class in the morning. Thank you for reading this. I will need all the help I can get to make it under 16. Please share your thoughts about...all this, it is highly appreciated. (no you don't have to read everything either, I know it's a lot of info) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Background info about me, for those who are interested/have the time: If anyone here may have known me, I have tried HADD's training in 2014 and actually had success with it. Life got in the way and despite several training cycles in 2015 I was inconsistent, didn't race or PR. This year, I have decided to make it my goal to do whatever it takes to finally break 16 in the 5K. A goal that has eluded me since High School 10th grade, when I took up running seriously. This isn't exactly my whole journey, since technically it started 5 years ago. I'm a junior at a community college with no XC or track team hoping to run for a larger college next year. This is more like the last leg of my Sub 16 5K journey. I am currently 21 years old, turned 21 two weeks ago. I live in Southwest Florida. I always had a life long passion for running but didn't take it seriously until I was a sophomore in HS, in 2011. (16 years old). From there, I was hooked and I ran seriously. However, I had several obstacles that set me back. First off, iron anemia, which I didn't know I had. It kept me from running well 11th grade and then coming into XC 11th grade, an injury. My 2012 Junior XC season was ruined. My track season in 2013 (11th grade) was much better, until on the district track meet, I had my iPhone stolen and my names got messed up in the system so I couldn't race after waiting all day. My season was over. It was summer of 2013 when I discovered HADD's training (Look up the "HADD are you serious"? thread) I trained by heart rate and found it really helped, but I wasn't improving. Last straw was when I took a few days off and came back only to run MUCH worse than before. Turns out I had low iron, but with supplements, had immediate improvements, and took a minute off my 5K. However, I had another obstacle I had to face; an issue I had since 8th grade. SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia). I was diagnosed around July 2013, since I continued having episodes during practice. I was put on beta blockers, (Atenolol, 25 mg, once daily) rendering my HR training completely useless. I couldn't train by HR anymore, but nonetheless, I went on to have a great senior year XC 2013 season as the #2 guy on my team. Unfortunately though, I can't say the same about track 2014. An injury took me out, came back in time for county meet, ran like utter crap as I was out of shape for a few meets, but had a huge breakthrough in districts. Didn't make it further. I had a successful catheter ablation 2 weeks later, (May 2014) and I was cured of my SVT. I was also off beta blockers so I could start HR training. The next two years, I learned so much about my body and heart rates, as well as several weird but interesting things as well. I was horribly out of shape in May 2014 but by October, I was able to PR in the 5K. 2015 was inconsistent. Life got in the way. This year however, not so much. My PR's: 200m - 28.0 (February 2015) 400m - 59.6 (November 2013 with trainers) 1600m - 4:53 (April 2014 Districts, on beta blockers) 3200m - 11:06 (April Districts, beat it later that year in 5K race) 5K - 16:43 (October 2014) Half Marathon: 1:25:20 (January 2015) For anyone interested, My best 1600/5K PR each year, over the years: 2010: 7:30/26:41 (I ran some but I didn't take it seriously) 2011: 5:30/19:11 (This is the year I first become a dedicated runner!) 2012: 5:12/18:24 2013: 4:57/16:50 (on beta blockers) 2014: 4:53/16:43 2015: N/A/17:30 2016: N/A/17:38 (haven't run a timed all-out mile April 2014) Fun fact: My fastest P.E. Mile in 8th grade was "blazing" 8:30... More info to come later!

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9 years ago 12/14/2016 2:32pm EST

re: Amateur Hour45978

Amateur Hour45978 wrote:
dude are you sure you've never killed anyone? This is disturbing.

Funny

I was driving to work this morning and thinking about the OP's struggle. I decided I would post because I want him to toughen up. Life will not become easier or more accommodating to running as he ages. Running would not miss him if he quit tomorrow. He may one day miss the sport but by then it could be too late to accomplish his goal. Who knows??

Running and racing performance is incredibly simple. You run hard, you run easy to recover so you can then run hard again. Never go to the well unless it is a race. Never run the same course, time, or intensity two days in a row. Run as much as you can but don't run so much that you find yourself worn down. Do training you enjoy but always keep modulating time/distance and effort. Run all at all pace at all times of the year. Race when you feel ready and always plan ahead in your running.

If you are not improving you are doing one of these things wrong. If you are improving then keep doing what works!! Very, very simple stuff.

Running a sub16 takes physical and mental toughness. In my own way, I let the OP know that he has the wrong set of goals and that he can (and will) be successful if he so chooses.

If he decides not to run or take this advice then that is fine too.

9 years ago 12/14/2016 2:41pm EST

re: 1hbj

1hbj wrote:
Amateur Hour45978 wrote:
dude are you sure you've never killed anyone? This is disturbing.
Funny
I was driving to work this morning and thinking about the OP's struggle. I decided I would post because I want him to toughen up. Life will not become easier or more accommodating to running as he ages. Running would not miss him if he quit tomorrow. He may one day miss the sport but by then it could be too late to accomplish his goal. Who knows??
Running and racing performance is incredibly simple. You run hard, you run easy to recover so you can then run hard again. Never go to the well unless it is a race. Never run the same course, time, or intensity two days in a row. Run as much as you can but don't run so much that you find yourself worn down. Do training you enjoy but always keep modulating time/distance and effort. Run all at all pace at all times of the year. Race when you feel ready and always plan ahead in your running.
If you are not improving you are doing one of these things wrong. If you are improving then keep doing what works!! Very, very simple stuff.
Running a sub16 takes physical and mental toughness. In my own way, I let the OP know that he has the wrong set of goals and that he can (and will) be successful if he so chooses.
If he decides not to run or take this advice then that is fine too.

I agree with everything you posted in this message.

I also agree with the poster that said you're a douche for trying to brag about how badass you are the 2nd half of the race, how much harder you work in life, how little time you have, and how bereft of talent you are compared to us mortals.

9 years ago 12/15/2016 12:45am EST

re: thread lurker

It may sound harsh what 1hbj wrote, but life doesn't forgive anyone.

After high school people have more freedom, but this has a price: nobody will force you to do something and if you don't force yourself to do what you want, you will remain with empty hands.

That's the adult life.

9 years ago 12/15/2016 6:50am EST

re: George Ilie

He's not a douche for being harsh, but for feeling outrageously self-important.

It would have been completely fine to come in and say you'll never have more freedom than in college and that the OP needs to decide what he wants to do and then suck it up and apply himself diligently.

9 years ago 12/15/2016 9:42am EST

re: thread lurker

Who cares if he seems douche-esque or not. It's good advice. I'm all for a world rich in good advice, some of which makes you not like the advisor so much. And there's something fair, about good advice coming with a fee. Often the fee is listening to the advisor go on and on about themselves. Imo that's usually a fair price. What's your goal - to be coddled, or to actually do something?Anyone having an issue with that sort of post, needs to take its advice and toughen up as well.

thread lurker wrote:
He's not a douche for being harsh, but for feeling outrageously self-important.
It would have been completely fine to come in and say you'll never have more freedom than in college and that the OP needs to decide what he wants to do and then suck it up and apply himself diligently.

9 years ago 12/15/2016 9:55am EST

re: these guys ...

How many times do I have to reiterate it's not about being coddled?

If you're some tool bragging about how you can close your 17:40 5k in a blazing 5:28 mile and whining about how untalented you are and how hard your life is, I'm going to call you out on it, and it's not because your message is "harsh", it's because you're a blowhard. Or do I need to coddle him?

9 years ago 12/15/2016 10:51am EST

re: thread lurker

thread lurker wrote:
How many times do I have to reiterate it's not about being coddled?
If you're some tool bragging about how you can close your 17:40 5k in a blazing 5:28 mile and whining about how untalented you are and how hard your life is, I'm going to call you out on it, and it's not because your message is "harsh", it's because you're a blowhard. Or do I need to coddle him?

What part of my posts asked any of you to care about me and my personal journey in running?

I donâ€™t expect you or anyone else to give a rip about me.

I was telling you about me (as an example) and how a slower, older, washed-up runner (like me) would approach competition (the whole point of training to race) if I were to line up against Sub16. Then I gave him solid advice.

The whole point of my posts was to show that someone like myself, who is much slower than his glory days, still has the fire and drive to run/race/compete. Sub16 seems to be losing that fire.

I am not bragging about myself but I am showing him a glimpse of what a different perspective/set of goals can change everything. If you set the bar lower you will walk away from the race satisfied. Your personal satisfaction is all that matters. No one cares about your times. No one cares about my times, or if I woke up to run, if I quit running altogether. This is a sport about you and your personal journey.

Sub16 seems like a great guy with goals, but those goals come with a price. The price is motivation and ambition. He seems to be willing to put in the work and he appears talented enough to reach his goal. However, a sub 16 min 5k should not be his goal. His goal should be to enter a 5k without a watch and run the first mile of the race in 5:40 â€“ feeling like he is at 90% effort. His goal should then be to aim for a 2-mile time under 11:15. His next goal should be to catch as many people in the last mile of the race as possible.

Baby steps. Sub 16 is not the goal. I have outlined the goal above.

Sub16 â€“ when you leave a 5k race and have executed this strategy, and then you drive home thinking â€œI bet I can go faster next timeâ€, then you know you have something going for you. My training outline will allow you to feel that way.

9 years ago 12/15/2016 11:12am EST

re: 1hbj

1hbj wrote:
I am not bragging about myself

1hbj wrote:
I hunt down guys like you in the last mile.

1hbj wrote:
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

1hbj wrote:
I wake up to run and go to work shortly after you have (recently) been going to bed.

1hbj wrote:
You are more talented than I.

I don't know what part of the country you grew up in, but it seems we will have to agree to disagree. If you expect to not get called out on saying things like this then you are on the wrong website.

9 years ago 12/15/2016 11:25am EST

re: thread lurker

thread lurker wrote:
1hbj wrote:
I am not bragging about myself
1hbj wrote:
I hunt down guys like you in the last mile.
1hbj wrote:
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
1hbj wrote:
I wake up to run and go to work shortly after you have (recently) been going to bed.
1hbj wrote:
You are more talented than I.
I don't know what part of the country you grew up in, but it seems we will have to agree to disagree. If you expect to not get called out on saying things like this then you are on the wrong website.

Fine, agree to disagree. Thanks for keeping the status quo of the millennial's version of LRC, Sheriff. Have you contributed a single thing to this discussion?

9 years ago 12/15/2016 1:00pm EST

re: thread lurker

Fair enough ... you were clear earlier about not being anti-harsh, but about being anti-blowhard. You're still overreacting and going straw man, since the guy didn't describe his life and circumstances as anything other than typical. That was his point.But even if he is a blowhard, my point is: so? That's just the fee for free good advice. Calling him out on it accomplishes ... what exactly?Once I heard some guy (probably Noam Chomsky) being asked who some of his heroes are. He said he doesn't really do heroes, because everytime someone has a good idea and then people make him a hero, someone else finds something wrong with him, and then the idea gets discredited along with the guy, even though the idea didn't do anything wrong. So screw heroes, we just need good ideas. This might be a very well-known quote, but it was new to me, and I thought it was pretty great.tl;dr You were making an ad hominem attack, and those are unproductive and useless. Verbal vandalism.

thread lurker wrote:
How many times do I have to reiterate it's not about being coddled?
If you're some tool bragging about how you can close your 17:40 5k in a blazing 5:28 mile and whining about how untalented you are and how hard your life is, I'm going to call you out on it, and it's not because your message is "harsh", it's because you're a blowhard. Or do I need to coddle him?

9 years ago 12/15/2016 5:06pm EST

re: these guys ...

Back to, you know, the topic at hand.

Won't be able to get on a track for a bit because of weather so just doing fartleks and tempos when I can get a clean road or a quality treadmill session. Not a lot of luck so far but mileage is good. Not going to sweat the fact that I'm running lower quality for a few weeks.

9 years ago 12/16/2016 3:02pm EST

re: times too

I'm doing intervals on treadmill, Today, 5x3min @3:14 min/km w/3 min jg rest. After 10x500m workout I got DOMS so my calfs were a bit stiff today.

9 years ago 12/16/2016 3:14pm EST

re: times too

Kid was sick today so I had to babysit all day. No time to run my 8-miler except late tonight but I have a 20-miler scheduled for 5am tomorrow. Run tonight and tomorrow or just bag it and run a little extra tomorrow or Sunday?

9 years ago 12/16/2016 3:34pm EST

re: Journeying too

Journeying too wrote:
Kid was sick today so I had to babysit all day. No time to run my 8-miler except late tonight but I have a 20-miler scheduled for 5am tomorrow. Run tonight and tomorrow or just bag it and run a little extra tomorrow or Sunday?

Just run a little faster for the last half of your 20 tomorrow.

9 years ago 12/16/2016 6:20pm EST

re: Journeying too

Journeying too wrote:
Kid was sick today so I had to babysit all day. No time to run my 8-miler except late tonight but I have a 20-miler scheduled for 5am tomorrow. Run tonight and tomorrow or just bag it and run a little extra tomorrow or Sunday?

It is not babysitting if it is your own kid. I think that's called being a dad. I don't care but your wife certainly will when she hears you say it. Just trying to help you, bro.

Good luck on the 20 miler. I would do 2 x 10 miles (AM / PM) before running a 20 mile long run if training was for a sub 16 min 5k

Are you training for a longer race simultaneously?

9 years ago 12/21/2016 1:35pm EST

re: daddy daddy too

Started to ease back into workouts this week. Still geared towards the longer stuff for awhile.

Did an hour of 4 min hard/2 min easy averaging about 6 flat pace. Probably low 5:4x average on the hard portions.

9 years ago 12/21/2016 4:14pm EST

re: times too

what a delightful conversation. I too am trying to get back to low 16min 5k pace. a few years ago I was a 16:40 5k runner doing around 45 miles a week. How much more mileage per week do you think would be enough to pursue a low 16ish time?

9 years ago 01/01/2017 11:41am EST

re: Sweden in autumn

If anyone wants to follow my training for sub 16 min 5K, I just registered on Strava

https://www.strava.com/athletes/19084140

I wish you all the best for the coming year!

To 2017 I'd like to say...

Dear 2017,

please don't be a b*tch

have some mercy.

9 years ago 01/01/2017 1:24pm EST

re: Sweden in winter...is cold

Good luck and happy new year, Jasko!

9 years ago 01/04/2017 3:03pm EST

re: George Ilie

Won't be making a run at sub 16 until after Boston, so these workouts will probably look out of place on this thread for the next 3.5 months.

Yesterday I did 3 mile warmup, 3 x 5k w/ 3:30 rest between, 1 mile cooldown.

Ran about 18:15, 18:00, 17:40.

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