Running potential

The short answer is yes, but this is dependent on the number of segments you can run at that pace, your rest between segments, your weekly mileage (or at least planned weekly mileage for the next few months) to understand aerobic capacity, and your target distance. Do you just want to run a mile at a 5:30 pace?

Any able bodied male can run 5:30.

My question is, is the 5:30 minute pace something that is attainable for me in the future?

For what distance? I guess that answer doesn't particularly matter without any info about you.

Theoretically if you can run a short distance at a pace, then with perfect training, recovery, and assuming no injuries, should a person be able to achieve that over some period of time?

For what distance? Rudisha can hold a really fast pace for about 1:40, but there is no amount of training perfections that will get him to hold that for 3:00. In other words, no, holding a pace for 2 minutes doesn't necessarily mean anything other than that is your two minute PR. Again you have given very little info about your training other than that you can run for 2 minutes a 5:30.

Sorry for not being clearer. I’m interested in my 5k pace and wondering if it would be conceivable for me to get it down to one around 16-17 minutes. I’m a 37 year old female, 5’10 145 lb. I currently run 3 times a week and lift other days. When I run it’s between 2 and 6 miles. I speed train 1 of those days.

Also I’m coming off two pregnancies and have been improving steadily since those.

ctiger06 wrote:

Sorry for not being clearer. I’m interested in my 5k pace and wondering if it would be conceivable for me to get it down to one around 16-17 minutes. I’m a 37 year old female, 5’10 145 lb. I currently run 3 times a week and lift other days. When I run it’s between 2 and 6 miles. I speed train 1 of those days.

No, that is not attainable. 16-17 minutes is borderline elite for a female. You're 37 and running about 12 miles a week.

You still did not answer. How much rest between 2 minute segments and how many can you do?

2 minutes on, 3 minutes off, 5 times. This is what I did in a recent workout.

That says you could run 6 minutes for a mile and sub 20 for 5k, right now.

I guess it was more of a theoretical question. Hoping to get down under 20 min for a 5k.

I find that very surprising because I cannot do either of those things right now.

Your method of measurement of your average pace for 2-minute segments is likely wrong and inaccurate.

16-17 would be insane. Unless you're some former olympian who ran in the 14s in ur 20s and is reciving elite coaching running anywhere near 16 would be unprecedented. Somewhere in the 18 highs might be possible if you really pick up your training and do more consistant training with some bigger workouts. But also take what I say with a grain of salt, I'm just some high school dip with a massive ego because of my 5k pr

I agree. 7 minute mile would be easy otherwise.

ctiger06 wrote:

I find that very surprising because I cannot do either of those things right now.

You're nearly doing a 5x600 with what I assume is a standing 3 minute rest on a track or a fairly flat stretch of road. On ~12 mpw, I don't think you could get a close estimate for a 5k because there's not enough of a base. But like others have said, you should be well under a 7 minute mile unless your timing is incorrect for this workout.

If you paced yourself out with a 3:10 800m split on a mile TT, where do you think you'd hit a wall? You'd be slowing your 5:30/mile pace by ~50 seconds and you'd have to complete 3 reps in a row, but you'd get to stop short on the last rep by 150m.

I'd say maybe try a few 800m reps if you don't want to do a mile TT at that pace. It might give you a better indicator of a gap between the 2 minute repeats and what you can push for 800m.