5k prediction (based on 5x1000m intervals)

I would be very surprised based on these workout if you couldn’t crack 18. Your weekly mileage is obviously very low so if it was just the track stuff I would be dubious but the cruise intervals out me over the edge. Go get it!

6x1k with 90s jog is great predictor for 5k. Since you did 1 less interval and your weakly milage is kinda low i think you can run around 17:50. Maybe start with 3:36/k (18min 5k pace) and try to speed up during second half. Goodluck

I think you're there based on that workout. I ran around 18 flat (17:56 according to GPS) with a 5 by K at 3:31 avg, off of 400 jog (3 min). You ran a comparable pace (though on track), but with 1/2 the rest.

Good luck! Let us know how it went!

Wrt your other workouts, we also ran very comparable times there, though you ran slightly faster or on less recovery on average. I did the following,

4 X 1200 in 4:14 avg / 400m jog (~3min)

6 X 800 in 2:47 avg / 200m jog (~2min)

12 x 400 in 1:20 avg / 200m jog (1:40)

Easy pace is also dead on. I was running more weekly mileage though (~60 miles), with a longer long run.

You should crack 18:00.

I ran 17:30 off of 3:40 k’s a while back. Shed the extra weight and run more miles.

17:35

Well, first off, how hard are these efforts? Talk about the effort. Can you describe it to me?

Are you producing lactate in the middle or near the end or at all? When you are ready to run your next interval are champing at the bit or have a little dread....?

26 miles/42kms is quite low. Some people can get away with low volume but certainly not optimum or common.

Based on the repetitions that you are running, if you can't get much below 18, then you are either:

underdone with the aerobic base (very likely anyway) or

overdone on the quality and peaked yourself unknowingly

But your weight is of interest.

Your weight seems quite high, but you should know if that is just the way you are built. I know a guy who looks like he shouldn't be able to run sub-25-minutes, just a beast, looks odd finishing in 16:30, but he is an outlier, 9 of the other in the top 10 of the finish of the race are like 130-140 pounds at 5'7" equivalent sort of speak and he is like you = 174 at 5'7". (actual is like about 5'9" and 180-185.

Were you like that in High school? Low miles, high vol of quality, heavyset dude?

Also, I wouldn't take someone else's experience and their indicated interval times and apply it to yourself. Absolutely meaningless fodder.

You need aerobic conditioning to draw on to take advantage of your V02max-fancy-looking workouts. Workouts like what you posted are typically just the tip of the iceberg or as the great Arthur Lydiard would say, "icing on the cake".

Everyone talks about the icing.....there is a whole foundation of cake under there (aerobic base).

Looks like you have the leg speed based on those 400s etc, and your a bit of a powerhouse build wise. What may cause you problems is your endurance, which is fairly unknown so the final 3k/2k might be a struggle. If I had to put money on a time I'd say low 18s, maybe 18.10-18.20. How tough are you mentally? Could even just come down to how much pain you can tolerate, half the battle is mental. Let us know how you get on, good luck.

Yes, but he may get to 17:45 on the right course and if not peaked already, but you may be right, especially if the extra 25-35 pounds is from eating.

I don't think his 400m "leg speed" matters one iota though.

I think his anaerobic capacity results in good 400m speed. It's a cardiovascular thing not a muscle recruitment thing TBH.

Your call on the final couple of kms is probably accurate.

RunningMan1989 wrote:

Intervals were - 3:33, 3:32, 3:31, 3:31, 3:27 (3:31 av) 90 second jog recovery (about 200-250m) done on track. So a very slow, but active recovery.

Trying to go sub 18 next weekend. ...Think I can go sub 18 next Saturday?

Sub 18 on the track; a certified road course can be 20-30 seconds slower than the track.

Workouts are tough but I would be able to another rep of them if I had too but want to finish feeling completely wiped out. I am usually ready to go but the next one, but certainly not champing at the bit. Not much lactate produced during the workouts. legs havnt felt heavy for a long time. The Tempos are reasonably comfortable but I think I was feeling it a bit on the third rep of my 3x 12min - again, no heavy legs.

I don't have much fat. Like I said I do weights and pull ups twice a week (like a 50min workout routine). I also have a pull ups goal of being able to 20 in one set, can do about 14 or 15 currently. I drink some protein as well. I certainly am not buff though and look lighter than I am but I like having a bit of muscle on as I am not a pro runner.

My legs are quite muscular with big calves so I think a lot of my weight is in my legs as opposed to upper body.

At school I ran 800 and was not big at all - similar height and around 145 pounds, I used to be very skinny up top but always had bigger legs. Used to do high quality and low mileage. In hindsight, I think I would have been better suited to 1500m but I was lazy when it came to long runs. I enjoy the workouts.

After I have a go at this 5k (might do two weekends in a row, esp if I am just over 18min on first attempt) I am going to take a couple weeks to rest, then rebuild an aerobic base over a few months.

Reasonably tough - used to run 800 but yea we will see. The course has a couple small hills but they didn't slow me down too much when I got 19:30 (my goal then was to break 20min). Will update after my run for sure.

Yep - endurance is the big question mark for me. The last 1500m will be absolute torture.

[quote]RunningMan1989 wrote:

"Workouts are tough but I would be able to another rep of them if I had too but want to finish feeling completely wiped out."

I mean I don't want to finish feeling completely wiped out. I also think I could have gone under 3:30 for all those reps if I really pushed it.

Interesting. Well the good news is that there is little to no lactate happening in those interval sessions. And that you could do more, but choose not to. Good decision. You sound like a slightly unique case.

I think well-paced you should juuuuust crack into the 17s. But if I have to spend money, your aerobic conditioning suggests 18:10-18:20......

You know yourself better than anyone. Pacing the first half will be critical.....

Lets us know how it goes.

Just did the 5k - 18:14. Probably went out too hard - km splits were: 3:29, 3:35, 3:41, 3:43, 3:44. I followed a guy who ended up getting 17:30 for a bit too long.

The hills really killed me this time. I truly think I'd have gone under 18 on a flat course or on a track. Might give it a crack on track later next week and then rest up for a couple of weeks as I have some minor niggles and want to rebuild a base. Any ideas on what kind of runs I should do between now and my track attempt on say Thursday/Friday?