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

It took me just under 2 years. My first xc season I got down to 20 flat for 5k after a full summer and fall of training. The 6 or so months after that 20 flat was kinda spotty training wise but after that I was consistent. For spring track I was hammering all my workouts pretty often and got down to 5:26/11:30 for 1600/3200. I trained similarly the following summer and fall and got down to 17:50 for an xc 5k. After that season I made big change in training and focused a lot more on high mileage and getting strong from a lot of LT workouts, long runs, and hills and running about 70mpw most of the time . About 9 months of that training got me down from 17:50 to sub 16 fitness

It might be hard but I don't think it's impossible. It's pretty typical for a 20 minute 5K running to get there simply by running to get in shape. If one embarks upon a training regime where they do track workouts, plyometrics, speed drills and the like they can easily improve even if they have been a 20 minute miler for a while.

Age can definitely play a factor but even at 50 you can get down pretty close to 16 minutes with proper training. Trust me I've been beaten many times by runners in their 50s who break the tape in 16:0X

If you want to start doing track workouts like running 8x400 workouts, fartleks, weight lifting, plyometrics, hill runs, and other typical track workouts you can significantly improve your time.

When I ran cross country in high school it was not uncommon for runners to see 3-5 minute improvements over the course of a 3 month season simply by practicing and running races. My senior year we had a runner go from a 5:10 to 4:39 mile over the course of a single spring track season.

I came back to running at age 40 after a 20 year hiatus and got to a 19 minute 5K with no special changing just by running 4-5 days a week along with my normal activities of hiking and tennis. I didn't do anything special other than running 5 days a week and then doing a race every few weeks. I went from 31 minute 5K my first race to 19:20 within 7 months and stayed there for a few months. Then I started taking things more seriously and was able to further lower my time over the next 3 months by another 1:20 down to 18 minutes for 5K before lowering my PR to 17:05 3 months later, approximately 15 months after I started running for the first time in 20 years. At that point life happened and I welcomed my first child into the world but I'm pretty confident that it would have been possible to further lower my time continued training

It depends where you are starting. This is probably possible for most people who are not morbidly obese up to age 55/60. And there are certainly exceptions to that very general and vague rule.

The fastest way to do it is to be consistent. Being consistent is very hard.

If you have a background of running 50+ mpw, you can probably achieve this by running every day. But my suggestion is to take the same day off every 1-2 weeks. Whether that is Wednesday or Sunday (or obviously another day) for you doesn't matter. But it is very helpful to keep it as the same set day in order to (a) plan your training around this recovery day, and (b) keep yourself accountable and enjoy the off day, rather than toiling in your brain about whether you should or deserve to take a day off. If the recovery day is set in stone, you have less to worry about!

My other suggestion is to keep a detailed training log. It is so rewarding to be able to go back and look at where you started and where you are now. You must be consistent with this, too! Don't miss a day, and try not to end up filling multiple days in at once because you forgot.

The rest of training is obviously very imporant, but consistency is the most important key to success. Good luck!

runningislife3 wrote:

How long and with what type of training?

Do not worry about the length of time. Take as much time as you need.

Run, and run a lot.

GettingFasterDude wrote:

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.

BARF!

Would these (9-mile fast run, the 6x300s, etc.) work for any 5k improvement goal? Like from 21 down to 18, or is it specifically for those going from 19 to 16?

I think I realized the importance of easy days when doing the marathon training--it seems counterintuitive, but running even as slow as 8:30-8:40 for EZ runs really builds the base. The Japanese do this a lot.

I think American culture has made runners want to go hard every single run (exaggerating a bit).

About 4 minutes. Only training needed is working a timer

Depends on your land speed.

100, 200, 400 time trials, should help decide if it's actually doable. After that, lower your mile and 10k, try to get them lower than now obviously. Once mile is showing great progress then your closer. Also the 2 mile is a good PR goal for 5k. An 18 min 5k will be your short term goal, 1-2 years.

No time. In fact you'll save time. To the tune of 4 minutes.

jecht wrote:

Would these (9-mile fast run, the 6x300s, etc.) work for any 5k improvement goal? Like from 21 down to 18, or is it specifically for those going from 19 to 16?

If you run a 21 5K start with less miles. Definitely don't do a 9-mile run. That workout is for varsity athletes.

You can still do 6x300 or other repeats.

runningislife3 wrote:

How long and with what type of training?

6 months to never; it depends on age and current training load. If you are 14 running 10 miles per week; 2 years of dedicated running building up to 50 per week. If you are 60 running and everyday already, you are not getting much faster. If you are 25 and fit enough to handle the increased training required, start hammering and get it done in 6 months.

I don't know but you will have to be able to run about a 4:40-45 mile to do it. Train to run a mile that fast then go for the 5k.

For sure. Most of my easy running in our cool weather now (I'm in the Middle East) is done between 8:00-9:15min/mile pace, but I was even running 9:40-10:00 miles during the hot and humid summer. I run by feel and gauge my effort by nasal breathing and "virtual" conversations during the Covid era. This easy running allow me to push hard on the days which count. After my runs I review my pace and HR data, but I almost never look at them unless I'm running a specific workout/target. I still remember on this board commenting about how you can't run a sub 18 5K while "slogging" 9:30 min miles. Well...

Maxo wrote:

From almost couch to 5k.

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

Impressive progression.

IRON HORSE wrote:

I am 65 now and was running about 23 or 22 minutes 5k a few years ago...I am running at 19.20 5k now.

...this March, I got badly sick with Covid-19. I was out all spring and summer ...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.

Wow, this is impressive!

A 64 year old ran 16:48 last week. You must not train hard enough.

fastboy>> wrote:

A 64 year old ran 16:48 last week. You must not train hard enough.

Yeah, and age graded that is like running about a 13 flat back in the day. ;) Not too many people approach world class times- which this is for 64 yo.

It seems when we are talking guys and girls that did not run back in the day, they find they had a hidden talent and run really high times for their age. But for those of us who did run back then, it's hard to break age graded %s by much, mostly because of injuries as we age.

But there is always an Ed Whitlock or two that maintains their fitness and overcomes injuries. But if you were an 80% runner back in the day-after training hard and posting your best times, you won't suddenly become a 90% in the same event- without drugs.