Sub 14:30 5k Training?

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They are probably doing the same thing you are doing except faster. Honestly that's the truth.

Seriously you are going to get about 100 different responses. But I'll give you my 2 cents:

85-95 mpw

1 long run of 18 miles

2 doubles 5 and 10-12

2 workouts - 1) fartlek or tempo, 2) 1k -2k repeats

1 very easy day

1 sort of easy day

one of my favorites 8X1000 with 1 min rest.

There's no generic formula. I know some guys in college who could do it off 60 miles per week and others who couldn't do it if they ran 20 hard miles a day. I only ran a 14:35 on the road well past my seasonal peak (I think I was capable of 14:18-14:22ish on the track at peak form), but for me, it was @ 100 miles per week (+/- 5 miles) each and every week, with two hard workouts and a long run of 20 miles. Mostly doubles, except for Sunday. Recovery runs were anywhere from 6:20-7:00 per mile pace.

14:08

Monday - 8-10 mi run w/ long warm up routine and flexibility

Tuesday - repeat workout - 800-1600 at race pace or thereabout

Wednesday - 10-12 mile steady run - 5:45-6 min pace

Thursday - 8-10 mi easy run 6:15-6:30 at slowest

Friday - Fartlek (hard) usually about 11-13 miles total

Saturday - 7-8 mi easy

Sunday - 14-17 mi long run at 6 min pace

No doubles?

not usually. Sometimes on Mondays and Thursdays - much more emphasis on quality vs. quantity. Miles per week is kind of arbitrary - just do runs that are aerobic and take from 1 to 2 hours, it was plenty for me.

Mon--recovery run 6-9 miles, 200s or 300s at mile pace(no more than a mile worth)

Tues--10-12 miles

Wed--warmup, drills/strides, repeat workout--1st week at 10k-5k pace, next week at 3k pace, 3rd week at mile pace(in this week the strides on monday are at 800m pace, only 800m worth), cooldown

Thurs--am run/pm run

Fri--10-12 miles

Sat--warmup, tempo run/threshold run, 4-5x50m acc's, cooldown

Sun--Long run(14-18 miles)--over rolling hills

this is a good basic formula to follow

JAN-FEB

M: 2 mile warm-up, 10 miles at 5:30 pace, 2 mile cool down

T: 4 at 7:30 pace AM, 10 at 6:30 pace PM

W: 2 mile warm-up, 7 x 1-mile in 5:10 with a half mile in 3:10 as recovery, 2 mile cool down

Th: 4 at 7:30 pace AM, 10 at 6:30 pace PM

F: 4 at 7:30 pace AM, 7 at 6:30 pace, 8 x 200m hill at 3k-5k pace (jog down recovery), 1 mile cool down

Sa: 18 mile long run (7:00 down to 5:45 pace)

Su: 6 at 7:30 pace

MARCH-APRIL

M: 2 mile warm-up, 3 x 2 miles at 5:05 pace with 400 jog recoveries, 6 x 200 in 31-32 with 200 jogs, 2 mile cool down

T: 4/10 double

W: March: 2 mile warm-up, 8-10 x 1000 going from 3:10 down to 2:52 (drop 2-3 seconds each) with 200 jog rest, 2 mile cool down

April: 2 mile warm-up, 2 x 1-mile in 4:36-4:40, 2 x 1000 in 2:48-2:50, 2 x 400 in 62, 60 all with 400 jogs, 2 mile cool down.

Th: 4/10 double

F: 6-8 miles at 7:30 and strides if racing, or 4/10 double if not

Sa: Race or 18 mile long run (7:00 down to 5:45 pace)

Su: 10 miles if raced, 6 miles if long run

MAY

M: 2 mile warm-up, 5 x 1-mile at 5:05 with 200-400 jogs, 6 x 200 in 30-31 with 200 jogs, 2 mile cool down

T: 4/10 double again (last 2 weeks before peak: just make it 4/6 double)

W: 2 mile warm-up, 2 x 1-mile at 4:36-4:40, 2 x 800 at 2:10, 2 x 400 at 61, 59 all with 400 jogs, 2 mile cool down

Th: 4/10 double (4/6 if in the last 2 weeks)

F: 6 easy, or double again

Sa: Race or 15 mile long run

Su: 8 miles if raced, 6 miles if long run

Anyone else?

bump

Monday:

70-80 minutes 6:45 pace

Tuesday:

am 28-35 minutes easy 7:00-7:15

pm tempo: 5-6 miles at 5:20-5:05 pace

Wednesday:

35-45 minutes at 6:55-7:00 pace

Thursday:

am 28-35 minutes easy 7:00-7:15

pm 70-80 minutes 6:45 pace

Friday:

3 x 1600 (4:35-4:30) 2 x 400 (69's) or

2 x 2mi @ 9:20-9:25

Saturday:

35-45 minutes at 6:50-55 pace

Sunday:

2:00:00 at 6:00-6:30 pace

4 WEEKS OUT

Mon- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 miles steady

Tue- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 miles hard

Wed- AM: 5 miles steady, PM: Track Workout, 3 x 1500m in 4:14, 4:17, 4:16 (4' Rest)

Thu- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 10 miles steady

Fri- Track Workout, 3 mile tempo in 14:41 (4:56, 4:53, 4:52)

Sat- 12 miles at 6:04 pace + 6 x :30 strides

Sun- 9 miles easy

Total- 83 Miles

3 WEEKS OUT

Mon- 5 miles steady, PM: Track Workout, 2400-1600-1200-800 in 6:58-4:35-3:23-2:12 (3-2-1.5-1 lap rest)

Tue- 10 miles steady

Wed- 10 miles steady

Thu- AM: 5 miles steady, PM: Track Workout, 3 x 2000m in 5:48-5:48-5:47 (10' Rest)

Fri- 8 miles easy

Sat- 7 miles steady

Sun- AM: 2 miles easy, PM: 3000m win in 8:28.47 (68, 2:16, 3:24, 4:32, 5:39, 6:48, 7:56) ~ previous PR, 8:32.11

Total- 75 miles

PENULTIMATE WEEK

Mon- 10 miles easy

Tue- AM: 5 mlies easy, PM: 15 miles hard

Wed- 10 mile fartlek

Thu- Track Workout, 5 x 800m in 2:09, 2:11, 2:10, 2:09, 2:10 (5' Rest)

Fri- 9 miles hard

Sat- 12 miles with last 8M in 42:50

Sun- 8 miles steady

Total- 78 Miles

WEEK OF RACE

Mon- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 10 miles steady

Tue- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: Track Workout, 2400m in 6:54 (10' Rest), 6 x 400m in 67-66-66-66-66-62 with 1' Rests

Wed- 10 miles easy

Thu- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 10 miles steady

Fri- 7 miles steady

Sat- 5000m in 14:28 (4:34, 9:10, 13:54)

Sun- Rest

Total- 69 Miles

WEEK AFTER RACE

Mon- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 12 miles easy

Tue- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: Track Workout, 3 x 1600m in 4:26, 4:29, 4:27 (12' Rest)

Wed- 10 miles easy

Thu- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 miles steady

Fri- AM: 5 miles steady, PM: 8 mile fartlek

Sat- 12 miles at 6:05 pace

Sun- 7 miles steady

Total- 87 Miles

3000M PR WEEK

Mon- 8 miles hard

Tue- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 miles easy

Wed- Track Workout, 1600-1200-800-400m in 4:23-3:15-2:06-1:01 (12', 10' Rest)

Thu- 8 miles easy

Fri- 3 miles easy

Sat- 3000m in 8:26 (65, 4:26)

PRE-CONFERENCE WEEK

Mon- AM: 5 miles steady, PM: 12 miles steady

Tue- Track Workout, 5 x 1000m in 2:44, 2:45, 2:46, 2:48, 2:46 (6' Rest)

Wed- 8 miles easy

Thu- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 mile fartlek

Fri- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: Track Workout, 12 x 400m in 66, 67, 66, 71, 67, 66, 70, 68, 68, 68, 69, 67 (1' Jog)

Sat- 11 miles steady

Sun- 9 miles steady

Total- 78 Miles

CONFERENCE WEEK

Mon- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: Track Workout, 8 x 300m in 47, 46, 45, 45, 45, 45, 44, 44 (100m Walk)

Tue- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 miles steady

Wed- Track Workout, 2 x 300 + 4 x 200 in :44-:44, :27-:28, :28-:28 (200m Walk)

Thu- AM: 5 miles easy, PM: 8 miles steady

Fri- 5 miles easy

Sat- AM: 3000m in 8:31 (66, 2:14, 3:24, 4:35, 5:43, 6:49, 7:56), 4th place, PM: Mile on DMR in 4:19, 3rd place

Sun- 5000m in 14:46 (4:44, 9:28, 14:12), 2nd place

Total- 60 Miles

some of yoru workouts are more impressive then your races?

i have run under 14:30.

like some have stated above there is no magic way, but hard work would be one of them. putting in the miles i.e. 70-90 miles a week with various workouts of tempos, F.L.'s, easy long days, being smart about what you eat, sleep, etc. coaching on this matter has a lot to do with it. get your research from either a reliable source such as a good coach and if you do not have that then read up on books by good runners. asking here can be a start, but you do not know where the good advice is and the bad advice is...

live it, love it...

~Patrick

5k pr 14:01

my staple week during the track season.(pretty much what i would do from the first meet of the season until a taper (so about 2 months)

monday: 45-60minutes or cross train

tuesday: 3 x 1200 at around 5k pace for 800meters, kick the last 400meters.

1:1 work to rest ratio. OR some kind of tempo wkout like 2 x 15 minutes at lt pace with 5 min rest inbetween.

wednesday: 45-60 minutes or cross train

thursday: 6x 300 at around 1500 meter pace with 100meter(60sec)jog rest. Or a wkout like 4 x 400 at 60 with 400 jog.

friday: 30-45 minutes or cross train.

saturday: race either 1500 or 5000meters or something like 600m-400m-300m-200m-100m x 4 at 5k pace, with 100 jog inbetween everything. I guess this was just a pace/race sim./tempo type wkout.

sunday: off

Anyone else?

This is what I do for 5k training. It seems to work for my teammates as well. First you tie you shoe laces backwards with one hand. Then you wear your shorts inside out. Then you put on your fanny pack filled with gu and those little water bottles. Next grab your Ipod, Garmin, polar, and cool shades and head out the door. Now walk for a good 15 to 20 minutes so you are warmed up. Then walk jog for 35minutes. Now sprint as hard as possible for 3.2 miles. Then walk jog 35 then walk for 15 to 20. This gets you about 9 miles aday. Sprinting the 3.2 give you tthat extra bit of endurance needed to finish a 5k strong. Do this training for about 12 years and on the 13th you will see you times come. This works for all distances, just substitute the distance and add .1 more. So for a mile guy do 1.1 miles. For a marathon guy do 26.3 miles. Trust me this will get you there you just have to beleive in it. I have coach many people to this strategy.

I can recommend the book "Run With the Best" by Tony Benson. AS many people have stated it isn't the exact workouts that matter or whether you run 4:35 for your mile repeats or 4:40. It isn't whether you run 10 miles on Tuesday at 5:45 pace or 12 miles at 6:30 ... it is the overall strategy you use.

This book is very sound on laying out the FRAMEWORK for 14:30 5k runners specifically. Benson knows what he is talking about:

http://www.benson.com.au/tony_benson.html

I found the book to be spot-on years and years after finding the same type of things to work well by trial and error.