Predictions for my 5k tomorrow… Will update

2x4m on hills is impressive. So is running 10m in 57m where you alternated 5:25/5:55 miles. Your basic speed is nowhere near as good. 5k is probably the shortest event you can run well. But sure, you can go sub 16

If you don't go sub-16 based on what I'm reading, you are soft. So get out there and go sub 16.

Yes, I know my speed is not there. Excuse: my training has been geared towards the HM for the last couple of years (despite my somewhat low mileage). I did run 2:00.9 back in high school, but that was in '06. Current 5k PR is 16:09, so I'd like to run 15:5X. Thanks for the reply.

Well, dang. 16:07. 5:09 - 5:16 - 5:10 splits. The 2nd mile was 1.04 on my Garmin. I still got the win by 22 seconds, but really would've liked to shave another 8 seconds. Maybe next time.

Your workouts are better than your races

Do some stuff at 5 min pace. You should be able to break 26. Try 5 by 1k at 3:05 with 1 min rec or 6 by 800 in 227 to 230

You need to do 1200s, 1000s, or 800s faster than race pace.

Leopardly wrote:

Your workouts are better than your races

At the 5k distance, definitely. My next goal race is the Chicago Marathon where I am hoping to break 2:35:00. That 12x400m session was the only workout that I have done in the past couple of years at faster than 5:20 pace. I have previously done the alternator miles in 5:21/5:52 for 14. The hill workout was technically a race, but it was done as a 2 man relay. We both ran 2 legs and won by about 15 minutes. I considered it more of a workout.

I think that if I focused on the 5k a little, I could threaten 15:30. If that was my aim between now and July, would I still be able to put together a solid marathon by October? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

162430 wrote:

That 12x400m session was the only workout that I have done in the past couple of years at faster than 5:20 pace.

Actually this is not true. I did dabble with on/off 800s with the ons in 2:35 and the offs in 3:00 for 6-7 miles a few months back. I forgot about those. Workout suggestions, please...

'2x4 miles of hills 22:57/22:31, 2) HM tempo - a very controlled 1:16:47 on a slow, turn-filled course, '

BS

162430 wrote:

162430 wrote:

That 12x400m session was the only workout that I have done in the past couple of years at faster than 5:20 pace.

Actually this is not true. I did dabble with on/off 800s with the ons in 2:35 and the offs in 3:00 for 6-7 miles a few months back. I forgot about those. Workout suggestions, please...

The on/off workouts are good and all but you need other workouts for the 5k. The guy who said work at race pace is right. 5-6x1000 w 1m rest, 3-4x1600 with 90s rest etc are all great. you should also definitely do work at mile pace. 10x400 in 65-70 (i have no clue what your mile pace is) w 60-90s rest, etc

On the track, you would have broken 16 but what's missing from your training, which is great strength training for HM, is that VO2 max work at 5k pace, and faster stuff. Or, to put it another way, you didn't run any workouts at your goal 5k pace. So, 5xmile (200j)@5-5:10; 8x800 (200j)@2:30; 10x1k (200j) @3:05; 20x400 (100j)@70-72 should do it--throwing in at least one of these workouts per week. Contact with your speed will help at the longer distances too but no reason you cannot get down below 15:30.

ukathleticscoach wrote:

'2x4 miles of hills 22:57/22:31, 2) HM tempo - a very controlled 1:16:47 on a slow, turn-filled course, '

BS

Why would this be BS? My HM best is 1:13 low and I routinely break 1:14. Anyways, thank you for the tips. I do plan to focus on the 5k just to get under 16 and then go back to HM/Marathon training. To be clear - this race today was NOT a goal. A couple of the replies make it sound like this was something that I specifically trained for. Not the case. It was just my big hometown race and I coach at the local school. I figured that it would be a cool spot to get my first 15:5X; I did not train with the 5k in mind whatsoever.

ukathleticscoach wrote:

'2x4 miles of hills 22:57/22:31, 2) HM tempo - a very controlled 1:16:47 on a slow, turn-filled course, '

BS

To elaborate:

My partner and I finished the race together like we always do. 1:16:47 is nothing more than a tempo effort. We do it once a month because the race series gives free shoes to the age group winners. Why would I BS on a previously anonymous thread?!

Gsufan wrote:

Do some stuff at 5 min pace. You should be able to break 26. Try 5 by 1k at 3:05 with 1 min rec or 6 by 800 in 227 to 230

For the 1 min recovery: Is this a full (standing) rest or a jogging rest?

jjjjjjjj wrote:

On the track, you would have broken 16 but what's missing from your training, which is great strength training for HM, is that VO2 max work at 5k pace, and faster stuff. Or, to put it another way, you didn't run any workouts at your goal 5k pace. So, 5xmile (200j)@5-5:10; 8x800 (200j)@2:30; 10x1k (200j) @3:05; 20x400 (100j)@70-72 should do it--throwing in at least one of these workouts per week. Contact with your speed will help at the longer distances too but no reason you cannot get down below 15:30.

Good stuff. Thanks. I will try some of these training suggestions that I am seeing and report back after each 5k that I run. I am thinking that I will race 3-4 of them between now and mid-July when I switch back to longer stuff.

how can you break 1:14 but not 16:00? wtf? 1:13s is like sub 15:30 or at LEAST 15:45