How long would it take to go from a 20 minute 5k to 16 minutes?

run 6-7 days a week. do 5 mile tempos and 4x1600m sometimes. give it 2-3 years.

if you're already doing that the answers never

It depends on if you're Gerry Lindgren or david45.

Here are some 5K workouts that I like:

~5 miles graduating to BLEEDING pace followed by a 10 minute rest and then... ~6x300 100 walk rest rippin' the track! You will float because for whatever reason, repeats are happier after a continuous run. (This is my favorite workout).

This one is GUTSY and I have thankfully only done it a couple times over the cross season: 9 mile FAST run. Sustain a pace the whole way practice kicking the last half mile. Your opponents will be downright EMBARRASSED come race day!

5x1200 400 jog is a nice one.

Coach made us do 8x400. I LOVE that workout! It's great to push your teammates on that one :)

Fast-slow runs on the roads are a blast, especially with friends. You take turns with your friends to pick up the pace. Don't get hit by a car!

I needed to go on a rant. I love running!

good post

If you are already trained, it can't be done. If you did it off of the couch, it will take 6 months. If you are 50 years old, it can't be done. If you are 13, it will take 2 years.

It took me 3 and a half years, but I think it would’ve taken 2-2.5 had I not torn my hamstring in the middle of all of that.

I went from inconsistent 25-30 mile weeks to consistent 50-60 mile weeks, grew from 5’9-6’1 and went from 175 lbs to 165.

3-5 mile pace runs at 20-40 seconds a mile slower than race pace were very helpful for me.

Mile repeats at goal race pace were good for getting a feel of the pace too. A large problem I had was running the first 800 way too fast and once I realized it I shaved about 30 seconds off of my PR within a couple weeks.

I’d also look into Georgetown 400s as well, they work very well for me.

Talent beats training wrote:

If you are already trained, it can't be done. If you did it off of the couch, it will take 6 months. If you are 50 years old, it can't be done. If you are 13, it will take 2 years.

I agree with this (more or less). If you've been running for a good while and are trying hard, and you're running a 20-minute 5k, you'll never get to sub-16.

Personally, I was never very good, and never horrendously bad. I ran my first 5k road race (age 16) in 19:50 after maybe a month or so of running. I ended up (barely) breaking 16 for 5k on the track the first time about 4 years later. Never got much faster. So in my case, about 4 years of running about 40-80mpw most weeks (probably averaging about 60mpw overall) with the usual speed workouts, long runs, etc.

Just reinforcing that without proper context, no one can give you a reasonable timeline. I was at a 21:21 5K back in March 2019 after 6 years of running as a 28 male, and I've run a solo 5000 m TT less than two months ago in 17:51 at age 29. The big difference happened after starting regular group track session and building a proper aerobic base by truly running easy on easy days.

From almost couch to 5k.

In 15.09.18 I ran 20= and almost exactl, 2 years later I'm a t 16:42.

Hoping to break 16:40 next year.

This came with losing around 15 pounds and almost never skipping a day with 3 serious workouts a week.

The weeks looks pretty standard Lydiard inspired (with a pinches of Daniels).

Mon - Recovery Jog 30'-40'

Tue - Interval Training - 4-5*1000/400 @ 5k Race Pace (+ occasionally 5*200/200)

Or 10*1000/2' @ 10k Race Pace

Wed - 60' Easy Running (can turn into a harder aeorbic running if you've gots the legs)

Thu - Speed & Anaerobic Training - 10*200/200 @ Mile or 1500m Race Pace

Fri - 30' Easy Running (Pre-Race Running Drills + 3-5*100) + CD

Sat - ParkRun (I used those time trials every other week to measure any progress)

Sun - 90'-120' Long Run @ Easy Pace with the second half again going for a harder effor if I feel like it.

Hope this helps.

You can see more here ->

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

Cheers,

Maks

James Dickhead wrote:

Talent beats training wrote:

If you are already trained, it can't be done. If you did it off of the couch, it will take 6 months. If you are 50 years old, it can't be done. If you are 13, it will take 2 years.

I agree with this (more or less). If you've been running for a good while and are trying hard, and you're running a 20-minute 5k, you'll never get to sub-16.

And I disagree for the same reason you agree. Trying hard gets you nowhere.

Saying "talent" just means you claim not to know what makes someone fast. And how people run fast is known. Most of it is a skill, just like hitting a baseball. You still might not get skilled enough to run sub 16, but you'll never know one way or the other if you focus on training effort instead.

OP should consider this: will going sub 16 be 20% harder than sub 20, if and when it happens? Of course not, it will be the same effort. And sub 20 will then be an easy steady state run. Instead of focusing on hard efforts, focus on going faster with submaximal efforts.

It takes about four minutes.

I stopped running at the age of 16 because I was more interested in football (soccer) and boxing. I was pretty average running wise but I put that down to a lack of specific training and not just a lack of talent. I fell away from sport altogether by the age of 20 and never done anything until the age of 30. I’m a scaffolder so my job is very active and I also went to the gym now and again to do weights and stuff but very little running.

Decided to start running again last year and my first 5k I ran it in 20.19. After a year of training and only about a month missed due to injuries I ran 15.46 in a solo time trial. I’m now about 16 months back running and had very few races due to covid so I’m looking forward to testing myself in proper races and feel I’m round about 15.20 shape just now.

That is a really good progression.

Talent beats training wrote:

If you are already trained, it can't be done. If you did it off of the couch, it will take 6 months. If you are 50 years old, it can't be done. If you are 13, it will take 2 years.

This is wrong. You can train wrong for many years and not improve much. Most people train in the 10-15 mpw range year after year (3 runs/week) at same easy/moderate pace and wonder why they never get faster than 20-25 min.

Look at the local running clubs. Yes, the top members of them are usually at least somewhat competitive, but the large bulk shows up for ~3 runs a week and does nothing running-related outside of that. Put them on a classic Tinman training plan that progresses them to 7x/week with hard workouts and long runs and voila - 2 years later they all run sub 16/17. Magic, isn't it?

LateRunnerPhil wrote:

Look at the local running clubs. Yes, the top members of them are usually at least somewhat competitive, but the large bulk shows up for ~3 runs a week and does nothing running-related outside of that. Put them on a classic Tinman training plan that progresses them to 7x/week with hard workouts and long runs and voila - 2 years later they all run sub 16/17. Magic, isn't it?

Maybe replace Tinman with any other coach and results will be better. And there is no way that you can train anyone to run sub 17.

This is highly dependent on how you ended up at the 20-minute 5k and age.

a. If you trained (at least did some tempo runs) and ran over 20 miles per week for at least 10 weeks, then I am guessing that it would take 2.5-4 years to get down to a 16:00 5k time. (Running fast or a lot as part of a sport that you participated in could count as the "training" that I mentioned.)

b. If you ended up running a 20-minute 5k after getting a little out-of-shape (maybe only playing in adult rec. leagues where the post-college guys have slowed down since their prime), then you could get from 20 to 16 in 1.5-2.5 years.

If you don't get there in 4 years, then you will never get there. If you are currently around 35 years old and you're just starting to get into running then you will also be battling age which may prevent you from getting there since you will be pushing 40 by the time you hope to reach your goal. There are exceptions to every rule, but exceptions to the rule are very rare.

Depends on age and background

runningislife3 wrote:

How long and with what type of training?

No one can tell you the answer to this question. The only way you'll find the answer is to train your a*s off and start lacing it up at races. 1,000 people would say, "It's impossible to go sub 3 hrs in the marathon in your 70's" before you find a single person that thinks it's likely.

But it's been done!

In fact, every single "you can't do it" post should be exactly what you read to motivate you before you head out the door to prove the naysayers wrong.

Unsuccessful people look to those that say, "You can't do it," for advice.

Successful people make a habit of proving people that say, "You can't do it," wrong.

It's up to choose which of those people you're going to be.

I will agree with LateRunner Phil. I am 65 now and was running about 23 or 22 minutes 5k a few years ago. I do not remember exactly. I got Tinman to train me and to give me advice. I have improved a minute a year. I am running at 19.20 5k now. I wanted to break into 18 minutes territory this year but this March, I got badly sick with Covid-19. I was out all spring and summer trying to recuperate because it affected my respiratory system. I could not even run a mile. I feel completely recovered now and started training again. About a month ago I got 19.20 again, which was my last year's PR. I was running by myself in a virtual race. Most weeks I run 7 days a week. I am now to about 50-53 miles a week. Occasionally, I will go to the gym to do strength training. I should do it more often. Most of the time I will go to the gym if I missed a workout. I use Juan Carlos Santana Functional Training exercises. (Recommended by Tinman). It involves some weight lifting as well, but minimal. I think I will have to wait until next year to break into 18 minutes territory because the year is ending and it is getting very cold outside. One thing, I do not know what are my limits yet. But I know when I break into 18 minutes territory for the 5k I will want to break into 17 minutes at 66 years old.