What 5k shape am I in?

On an XC course I'd say mid to low 17's maybe 17:15-25 depending on how tough the course. If you're running it on the track maybe a tad under 17. Your 400's have a lot of rest on them so theyre not super helpful but if you ran the 1k's comfortable then a 16:55 or so would be within reach.

FutureOldHead wrote:

On an XC course I'd say mid to low 17's maybe 17:15-25 depending on how tough the course. If you're running it on the track maybe a tad under 17. Your 400's have a lot of rest on them so theyre not super helpful but if you ran the 1k's comfortable then a 16:55 or so would be within reach.

I think this is a touch too fast. Not sure of your PRs OP so I could be off but I'm not so sure you're sub-18 on a track. I think those 400s & k's look more like 18:30-18:45 range on a track. Adjust to 19:00-19:30 range on an XC course.

The 4 x 1k is just a shade over 18:00 pace. I'd want to see at least one or two more to more accurately predict. If you were super comfortable and not racing the workout then maybe you work it down a little lower than my guess. I would just keep grinding & focus on consistency. You're going to improve just by showing up.

Just run it, the easiest distance to do. Track or road and go for it

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I am in 17 low shape at all. 5k or is 18:44 off mostly base work before I started doing track work again and my 10k is 38:37 from last year.

The 4x 1k I was making an effort not to go too hard and I just placed off someone else and was surprised at how comfortable I felt at that pace tbh. I think I am in pb shape just not sure if going for sub 18 is a bit ambitious.

It is just a club time trial on the roads so I can go out at a bit slower than 18 pace and try to negative split and see what happens.

FutureOldHead wrote:

On an XC course I'd say mid to low 17's maybe 17:15-25 depending on how tough the course. If you're running it on the track maybe a tad under 17. Your 400's have a lot of rest on them so theyre not super helpful but if you ran the 1k's comfortable then a 16:55 or so would be within reach.

I don’t think so.

I’d say 5:35-5:40 pace

17:45

If you are a relatively fresh runner, you might break 18, even by quite a bit, if you have a great day, because such runners are often not experienced enough to get the best out of themselves in an interval workout. E.g. I ran 17:10 when I had done 5 x 1km with 400m jog rest in no better than 3:30 or so when I was very new to interval training. Whereas I have run the same workout averaging 3:18 or quicker and not broken 17.

If you are reasonably experienced, I doubt you'd break 18, but low 18:xx should be possible.

certainly not wrote:

I ran 17:10 when I had done 5 x 1km with 400m jog rest in no better than 3:30 or so when I was very new to interval training. Whereas I have run the same workout averaging 3:18 or quicker and not broken 17.

Maybe you ran workouts too close to your race and weren't recovered.

Maybe the course you ran on was too far from similarity to the surface and terrain you ran the 5k.

Maybe you are not a good at racing to fitness.

hr measurement wrote:

certainly not wrote:

I ran 17:10 when I had done 5 x 1km with 400m jog rest in no better than 3:30 or so when I was very new to interval training. Whereas I have run the same workout averaging 3:18 or quicker and not broken 17.

Maybe you ran workouts too close to your race and weren't recovered.

Maybe the course you ran on was too far from similarity to the surface and terrain you ran the 5k.

Maybe you are not a good at racing to fitness.

EDIT: Maybe the course you ran on was too far from similarity to the surface and terrain you ran the 5x1km.