Why do I keep underperforming in the 5k?

14:20 is a great time. Maybe you're just not ready yet but consistency is key.

8:08 is 14:10 not 14:00. So if you are going through 2 miles in sub 14 pace, your are running too fast and it isn't surprising you blow up. Go out at 14:10 pace and kick instead of 14:00 and die...

EPO should do the trick

Yeah this is a tough one. You have the mile speed for sub-14:00 but your 3k says 14:10. XC times can be hard to evaluate but beating guys who have gone under 14 shows that you're a tough competitor. Track is different though. 5k is obviously shorter than 8k & 10k. I would expect college guys to be able to run faster at 5k than their relative 8k/10k times without years of building the strength to hold it together in the longer races. It sounds like you need to touch more on some of that 3k/5k specific work to try to get those times more in line with your mile. It sounds like you have good strength (think about giving the 10k a crack in outdoors). Maybe get out on 14:10 pace instead of 14:00-flat (or faster) in your next race. I find that the early laps matter in the 5k. You see people go out sub-65 for the 1st 400 when it should be 67s all the way. You're getting to 2 miles on pace but it matters how you got there -- is it 67s all the way or is it 63/65/67/67/68/68/70/70? I would say try to get there with all 67s or back off slightly to 14:10 pace. You'll get to sub-14:00.

The other times suggest you have the fitness and ability to dip under 14. Seems like it could be a matter of getting your race tactics right or just not being in the right race.

Getting into races with a lot of guys with similar PRs is never going to be great for reaching your full potential. Too much jockeying and micro accelerations will sap energy and keep you from running efficiently. Your best bet is to get into a fast section where the leader strings out the field. You need to smoothly draft off a competitor with a similar goal, avoid getting boxed, and avoid spending too much time running out in lane 2. If you can avoid going out too fast like others suggested, you may also find that its easier to navigate the field later in the race.

4:03 is tantalizingly close to sub 4. Don't you want to be part of that select group of several hundred?

Sub4 is actually a good goal. You're young with good speed. Focus on that first as it will help you be faster in all longer distances.

You're only 20. Just need a few more years to build up stamina. You're mile time indicates sub14, but 14:10 would be in line with 8:08 3k. So the 14:20 isn't that bad...

Be excited for your potential, have patience and it'll come.

You are surprisingly consistent across distances. We're all best at one event or another, and you appear to be best at the mile now, either because of your natural talents or because of your training. Your 3K is only slightly worse than your mile (by Purdy standards) and your 5K, as you would expect for a miler, is slightly disproportionately worse than that. Hard to say whether your XC times are better or worse. If you are actually faster at 10K, consider yourself in company with Galen Rupp, who somehow was always worse at 5K than at longer or shorter distances throughout his career.

5k is a hard race to practice pace for. Too long of reps and the workout goes too lactic. Too short of reps and you don’t get into that rhythm. My suggestion is a lot of 400s at 5k pace. Like 20 x 400m @ 5k with a minute jog rest. You’ll get into that rhythm but at the same time get a good threshold workout.

Gawdddd, this was an interesting thread! Can we keep this Coach JS crap off of this one!?!?

This👆

OP, sub 4 in the mile is something everyone can relate to. Sub 14 in the 5k, not so much.