Explain to me Why I cannot run 1k in 3 minutes flat

Let's look at the math.

Sub-3 minutes is 179.99 seconds. 1000m W.R. is 2:11.96 or 131.96 seconds. 179.99 / 131.96 = 1.363973931.

1000m is most strongly correlated with 800m & 1500m.

2:59.99 1000m = 2:17.6386094 800m for males.

2:59.99 1000m = 4:40.9786298 1500m for males.

Not everyone will race 2:17 800m &/or 4:40 1500m.

You need the equivalent of about 2:45 marathon, 17 min 5km to do 2:17 800m or 3m 1km

Thank you. These are very good answers. But too me, since I am a little bit ignorant, it seems strange that a person like me, that is quite fit and, for sure, not fat, cannot sustain such an effort for just 1K. I mean, I run 5 days per week. All year long. For decades. It seems strange that I could not improve. Of course, now I am getting older, so I guess it is much harder achieve that goal. Even though I run my last marathon with the same time I run my first in 2005 when I was 39. I mean, I am puzzled.

Because to go that much faster than all of your slow other times requires some giddy up that you either don't have or have never trained for.

Because you can't keep up that pace for that distance. Same reason why I'm not a sub 4 miler or a olympic marathon runner.

at 54 you are terribly behind the 8 ball when trying to run this fast. Running 5 days per week will not be enough. You need very specific training to run a 3 minutes for 1k.

You need to be able to run 18 seconds for 100m x10. You will need to be able to handle the following sessions to do this:

10-12x200 in 33-35 with 30 seconds recovery

8-10x 400 in 70-72 with 1 min recovery

2x10min threshold at 3:30 with 1 min recovery

Good luck!

“Because you can’t keep up that pace for that distance”. Thank you. I think it contains a sad but true reality. Even though you love running … not necessarily you have the capabilities of succeeding.

coahc wrote:

at 54 you are terribly behind the 8 ball when trying to run this fast. Running 5 days per week will not be enough. You need very specific training to run a 3 minutes for 1k.

You need to be able to run 18 seconds for 100m x10. You will need to be able to handle the following sessions to do this:

10-12x200 in 33-35 with 30 seconds recovery

8-10x 400 in 70-72 with 1 min recovery

2x10min threshold at 3:30 with 1 min recovery

Good luck!

The OP is not capable of those sessions.

Try doing speed workouts at that pace (3:00 1k).

something like 4x400 @ 70-72 seconds with either 1minutes rest or 100m jog in between. See how that goes!

ICannotUNDERstand wrote:

This is a serious question. I cannot understand why some people are so fast and others, like me, so slow.

I am 54 years old. I am 5,7 tall and weight 141 Lbs.

I started running when I was 8. Always liked running. Never did much mileage, but, on average, I run 45 miles per week. I run quite a few marathons, the last one, when I was 53, in 3h and 34 minutes. My best 5k was in 21’13”. But even when I was in my twenties, I could never run 1 kilometer faster than 3’30”. Why? I mean, I understand that to be a Kipchoge or Bekele you need talent, genetics, high mileage training, etc. But at least 1 kilometer in 3 minutes flat, after traying hard all my life. Come on! Is there any physiological reason behind it?

Did you train to race 800m and 1500m in your twenties? Running a 3 minute k is closer to doing well at these distances than 5k or the marathon. You could be a 3 hour marathoner and still not be capable of running one k in 3 minutes. Think about how fast it is. Can you run 200 in 36 seconds comfortably? If not you have no chance of breaking 3 minutes for a k.

stating the obvious... wrote:

coahc wrote:

at 54 you are terribly behind the 8 ball when trying to run this fast. Running 5 days per week will not be enough. You need very specific training to run a 3 minutes for 1k.

You need to be able to run 18 seconds for 100m x10. You will need to be able to handle the following sessions to do this:

10-12x200 in 33-35 with 30 seconds recovery

8-10x 400 in 70-72 with 1 min recovery

2x10min threshold at 3:30 with 1 min recovery

Good luck!

The OP is not capable of those sessions.

I can break 3 and I can't either. I doubt I could when I could run closer to 2;40.

It's slow twitch vs fast twitch

.625 miles in 3 minutes is a 4:48 mile assuming no slowing

Likely you would be at a 5:05 or so..

So your 5k would be about 17:20

At a 21:13 5k, your expected 1000m is about 3:40..which is a 20:59 5k

So you are performing as expected for slow twitch..which isn't bad

We can't all be fast twitch

And 6:51 per mile, on average is not slow

You David's dad?

You are too old. It's that simple.

ICannotUNDERstand wrote:

Thank you. These are very good answers. But too me, since I am a little bit ignorant, it seems strange that a person like me, that is quite fit and, for sure, not fat, cannot sustain such an effort for just 1K. I mean, I run 5 days per week. All year long. For decades. It seems strange that I could not improve. Of course, now I am getting older, so I guess it is much harder achieve that goal. Even though I run my last marathon with the same time I run my first in 2005 when I was 39. I mean, I am puzzled.

Genetics.

Just because you trained a lot doesn't mean you'll be a decent runner. Same for any sport.

Physiologically speaking could be any number of things. I would go with a lower than needed baseline Vo2max paired with a low response to training.

Alan

Probably your muscles are not strong enough, and you don't have the cardiovascular capacity.

Stoppit Smith wrote:

It's slow twitch vs fast twitch

No it isn't. Guys like Al Sal are as ST as they come and yet they run 4:00 miles. The OP has run 3:30 1k and 21:13. 5k He was better (but not by much) at the shorter distance. Problem is he sucks at running on an absolute scale

Correct. OP is faster than 75% of population but doesn't like it. We are all born with different talent level. Some people are capable of 2:20 1000 and some are capable of 4:20.

Bring in the fire of Mike Tyson and go for that sub 3 minute 1 k