I started running 16 months ago. I'm 36 :) am I being ridiculous in aiming for a sub 17 5k by the beginning of winter this year?
My progression:
Dec 2012 - couldn't run a mile.
Feb 2013 - 24min 5k
Mid. 2013 - sub 20 5k
April 2014 - 18:35
June 2014 - 17:55
I train 5 days/week - 35-40 miles total. 2 interval sessions , 1 long run (10 miles) and 2 tempo runs ( usually 10k for these ). No injuries so far ;)
P.S. I wish I could turn back the clock and have started running 10 or 20 years ago :(
You are being ridiculous aiming for a sub 17 by the end of the fall but not for the reasons that most likely will pop into your mind.
You are being ridiculous because at 36 you will make more progress (especially in the summer heat) if you train like a 18:30 5k runner, when you have run 17:55, than you will if you try to train like a 17:20 5k runner.
20 years ago you might have gotten away with it but not anymore.
Thanks! The only thing in my favour is that I live in Scotland - summer is nearly never hot :)
Do you have *any* easy miles?
Umm,
2 miles before and after my tempo runs
1 mile before and after my intervals
And my 10 mile long run is at moderate (not easy) pace.
Slow down Sparky! That is a lot of hard running.
I had a similar progression. 18:35 - 17:55 was MUCH easier than 17:55 to 16:5x. It took about a year (but I was focusing on longer races part of the time).
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