Won a road race the other day, what could I run w/ better competition?

16:25

16:33 shape.

Thanks for your totally useful and very clever answer to my question.

Inexperienced Runner wrote:

Thanks for your totally useful and very clever answer to my question.

Off your mile you should be running 15:30 get the work in

I think you can knock 20 seconds off with a hard race. Try 5:22, 5:12, 5:09, :30. That would be 16:13.

You will have a better idea once you start running specific workouts. But based on the information given, your 4:36 mile speed and ridiculously comfortable 16:33, you should be looking to break 16 next time out with good pacing.

About 10 years ago as a college freshman I ran 4:05 (1500) and 16:00.2 5K (on the track) within 2 weeks of each other, I was a miler all throughout high school and my college coach trained me as a 5K runner for 2-3 months prior to those times. So that might give you an indication of what you could run in the near future as you transition from a miler to some 5K-specific training. (for what it's worth, I predict 15:50-16:00).

I do agree with the other guy who said 15:30 if you put in some work though, as last year I did more 5K/10K/half training and ran 15:40/4:41mile within 10 days. If you put in another 6-9 months of training you should be sub-15:30 by the spring at the very least.

TheGarbageDisposal wrote:

I do agree with the other guy who said 15:30 if you put in some work though, as last year I did more 5K/10K/half training and ran 15:40/4:41mile within 10 days. If you put in another 6-9 months of training you should be sub-15:30 by the spring at the very least.

I hope so! I've become very aware that my range is right in the 1500-5000 area (ran a 2:59 marathon when I was training pretty hard, pretty well -- won't be trying a race that long again, sheesh), and it's just not that much fun being a mediocre post collegiate 1500 runner. I don't think I could run much faster than 3:55, at best, so what's the point? I'd like to become better at the 5 so I can run 1500-5k on the track if I want to, but also jump in some 5k/10k road races and run successfully.

I'm definitely hoping to break 16 this year in my November road race, and if I decide to run a semi-full track season, I'll be hoping to be sub 15:30 (well under, if it goes superbly, but we'll see).

My only real downside so far is that I have a really hard time handling more than 65-70 mpw and staying healthy. But I feel like for a guy moving up, as long as I balance my training well, that can be enough to be fairly successful up to 5000.

Update.

26 days until my goal 5k race for the fall.

Today I raced a half marathon, which if you read my previous posts, is way way out of my comfort zone as a former mid-d guy running 65 mpw, but I had friends doing it and figured it would be a good workout if nothing else.

I ran 1:15:26 after going out in 6:07, 6:00 for the first two miles. 36:10 thru 10k.

I know a 1:15 really is pretty slow compared to a 4:22 mile, but I am actually quite happy with the run. My previous (and only) half marathon PR was over 1:20, in a race where I was actually injured. Anyway, just not a distance I'm very good at. At least it's a better "equivalent performance" than my 16:33 win, according to McMillan.

Still shooting for a nice sub 16 and win on Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed. Feeling good about it.

15:11

16:26

15:84

You could most likely break 16