Can not break 18 in 5000 m

10:26 3k doesn't seem overly promising for a sub-18. I would expect 18:20-18:30 so think you did slightly better than expected at 18:18. do more reps at threshold pace or longer tempo runs (20:00 at comfortably hard pace) in training and you'll improve your fitness level soon to break 18:00, very close.

I did the following workouts a week before the when I finally ran under 18 (17:46 to be exact).

3 x 1 mile (5:38, 5:44, 5:46) with 90 second standing rests.

7x800 (2:43, 2:50, 2:47, 2:51, 2:46, 2:48, 2:47) with 400 meter jogs.

Was running about 50 miles per week, with 12 mile long runs.

Thanks very much..

I asked the question because two years ago I did 17'55" with a 3K in 10'31" the week before...

So I was not sure if it was the 3k in 10'31" which has been run slower than my possibilities.

Another workout I did 5 days before the race (so 6 days ago) was: 12x400 in 1'25"30 (average time) with 200m jog recovery in 57"48 (average time). Too slow to break 18'00"?

Thanks!!

I’d think a 10:26 would line up with breaking 18:00. Similar conditions?

The fact that you said you were tired at 3k in 10:49 says maybe it was just a bad day. Train consistently and you will get there.

that workout is right at 18:00 capability i guess... the bigger question is how much work are you doing at threshold pace? if you're coming through 3k right on 18:00 pace and then fading the last 2k, you need to improve your endurance. you kept the rest short enough on the 400m workout but the intervals should be 1k at 3:45-3:50 or mile at 6:10 with :60 rest. If you spend more time training at those lengths/paces with short rest, you'll hit the 3k at 10:50 and be ready to attack, not feel like your day is over.

MANY THANKS TO ALL!!

As regard as thershold pace:

I started in May to run every week:

Tuesday: 10-12 km @ 3'58"-4'02" /km (i.e. 6'22" /mi)

Friday: 3x6' @ 3'55"/mm (i.e. 6'18"/mi) rec 2' @ 3'55/km (i.e 7'46"/mi) + 6x3' @ 3'45"/km (i.e. 6'02"/mi) rec 2' @ 3'55/km (i.e 7'46"/mi).

Saturday 21 km @ 5'/km (i.e. 8'/mi)

off of my conversion calculations, your 3k converts exactly to an 18:19 5k so you ran pretty much exactly how fit you were. I think to break 18 you have to be right around 10:45 in a 2 mile or something like 10 flat in the 3k although these are both just estimations. Keep training, keep stacking workouts and mileage SAFELY and you could see a big drop in time soon.

Depends on the calculator you use:

Jack Daniel's one predicts 18'05...running world calculator predicts 17'57"

mcmillan says 18:20

need 10:14 to get to 18

With a full taper [last tought workout 10 days out] , a nice group of athletes of similar level, and good weather conditions, you may get it, if you are prepared to dig deep after 3k.

This happened to me. 10:27 without a taper, then 17:4

Don't be afraid!

Thanks for the encouragement!!

I just ran under 17:45 last weekend going through 3k in 10:53. There is no way I could have run 10:14.

Yesterday I run 10x600 200m recovery with the following result:

average 600m 2'09"25 (3'35"41/km ==> 5000m projection 17'57")

average 200m 55.69 secs (4'38"/km - 7'28"/mi)

hoping someone could comment these data

Thanks, Walter

Try some progression runs where you do something like 6:00, 5:50, 5:45 in the middle of an 8 mile run. Add a few of those into your training block and you'll be good to go!

Do not worry about ratio of 3000m P.B. to 5000m P.B. Three-thousand metres to 10000m are raced at very similar paces. Three-thousand metres w.r. pace per mile, 3:56.xx, 5000m pace per mile, 4:02.xx or 4:03.xx and 10000m pace per mile, 4:13.xx. If I give myself a 7 or 8 month 5K & 10K racing season, let's say I race six 5Ks & six 10Ks, my two or three fastest 10Ks will be at a faster pace per mile than my slowest two or thee 5K races, pace per mile. You may be able to pass 3000m 3 or 4 seconds slower than your 3000m PB while setting your 5K PB.