Running a sub 17 minute 5k off of 25-30 miles a week

That's great, and I bet you probably get this, at least partially, but: Just accept the gift. Nevertheless, too little info about how you trained then, how you've trained recently, and what your physical maturation and life (stress, health) circumstances have been like since, & relative to, HS. I was an 18:30 guy who felt constantly burned out (because ... stupidity, primarily in never actually running an easy day) and ran a 39 10K 2 years later on 15-20 mpw with absolutely no structured training (yet again, because ... stupidity, in lots of ways). That still reveals little about what I could've/should've done. I'm OK with that. It's just the info I have.

Millennials: Ran sub-16 off of 30mpw in HS and later low-14s in college off of similar mileage. Never bragged about it because they knew those times were mediocre for those levels.

Gen Z: I RAN 16:58 on 30 MPW!! SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL! ALSO, WOMEN SHOULDN’T HAVE SO MANY RIGHTS!

Runners have changed a lot in the last 25 years, I tell ya.

Sorry, I didn't mean to be vague. I have a somewhat structured training schedule. Monday is usually an easy run 5-6 miles, Tuesday I do speed which consists of tempo runs, track workouts such as 8x400m repeats, 4x800 meter repeats, pyramid such as 1600 to 1200 to 800 to 400. On speed days I warm up for one mile, then I do a 2-3 mile cool down. Wednesdays I typically do another easy 5-6 mile run. Thursdays I take off. Fridays I usually do an easy 5-6 again. Then Saturday I do a long tempo where sometimes I'll warm up 2 miles then go hard for 4 and easy for 2 again. I've had times in my life where I was training for ultras where I followed this same program but ran a long run of 10-15 miles Friday followed by another one the next day on Friday of the same mileage 10-15 miles. But I have not done that type of mileage for a year. I only ran about 10 miles a week over the winter as well.

Not bragging at all. Just curious because I've read where so many people think it shouldn't be possible.

But those times are not mediocre for me by any means as I started out only being able to run 30 minute 5k's. And around where I live in PA those times are very competitive

Those times are very possible. I knew many girls in the early 2000s who ran those times off of that mileage. Where are you going to read these incorrect opinions?

I've been reading on here an various other websites

This is off-topic, but as a Gen-X (I think, but who really remembers?), I'll say:

-- my experience has been that Gen-Z men are mostly good about women's rights? Do idiots abound? Sure, it's humanity? But I haven't seen much in that area to suggest regression.

-- you're going to extol the virtues of Millennials? OK. There are some, but if you're going to launch into generation-comparison curmudgeonship (or curmudgeondom, or whatever):

I received multiple publications and "training" sessions over a decade for dealing with millennials in the workplace. In each of them was a note that millennials do not give respect automatically; they feel it has to be earned.

I'm thinking: OK. I mean, you give everybody a bit of human kindness and respect for their dignity; you withhold judgment about their abilities in a benign way, right? And then you increase the level of respect based on what appears to be earned, right?

Now, this may be a feature of a handful of daft writers, speakers, trainers, and HR people (imagine that!), but the reply was: "No, they just won't give any respect out of the gate."

Me: But that is, in effect, asking me to respect their position. So they are demanding a level of respect they're unwilling to give. I'm OK with a modicum of respect subject to more being earned, but I don't think it's useful for a newbie to come in and say, "Cater to me."

The others: Well, that's just how Millennials are, like it or not. If you want to build a team that includes them and fosters their abilities, get used to it.

You go, Millennials! Tell those Gen-Z fools how misguided they are!

I ran 14 mid off 30-35 miles a week 10 years ago. What you did is incredibly doable.

JFC, man. I can name that tune in one note.

Ha I'd like to see the proof of that

oh, I give respect whether it is earned or not. I would expect the same to be done for me.

I don’t think it’s disrespectful to point out that there is nothing impossible about the OP’s times.

I don’t get my information from “people I read on the internet” like the OP or “training pamphlets” like you. I open my eyes and ears to real people. In my job, I interact with 100s of 18-25 year olds every day. By and large they are very conservative, far-right minded types when it comes to issues of women’s rights, race superiority, and class inequality.

But my post had nothing to do with rights or anything. It was simply about running. You took it there for whatever reason. And don't act like you know me. You don't know a single thing about me. It wasn't disrespectful to point out it's not impressive, but what is disrespectful is bringing up comments about how I am when you don't even know me

Huh? I get my "information" from lots of sources. I look to SMEs for most things. I value my own personal experience. What I was saying about "training pamphlets" was that those particular people who offered them (about millennials) seemed to be suggesting a generational characteristic that both you and I consider misguided. Why on earth are you using that fact to come after me?

Simeon Birnbaum runs less than 45 miles a week and ran a 3:57 mile, and likely could go sub 14 in the 5k if he was pushed.

Imagine what he will do with 70 miles a week, provided he can stay healthy?

Stop dik eating

Gen X: We ran 35 miles a week and I ran a PR of 16:30 in 4” Champion mesh shorts. My 10k PR was 41:05 in Nike Windrunners.

So you ran 16:58?

That's all the information we need.

You don't need to qualify it by saying how much (or how little) you trained, because no one is stopping you from training more.

There is no "lazy man's" 5k world record.

Train more, and stop trying to seek attention.

Lots of text. In a nutshell:

Mon, Wed, Fri: easy run
Tue: VO2max workout
Sat: Tempo run

Everyone is different. I always struggled to fit in 3 workouts in a 7 day week (with a busy life). 2 workouts worked better for me. Tbh, that is a pretty solid workout plan for 5k.