Critical Decision, need advice!

Maybe you are not ready for the 5k yet. A lot of young runners are doing the 5k too early before they have decent times over short distances.

A lot of people here won't agree with me, but they are fixated on the idea that a distance runner should start with the 5k, which is really the wrong approach if you havenen't developed speed endurance over 400/800/1500 etc

It is impossible to predict how far you can go without knowing what you are already doing. My guess is you never played with high mileage, so you def have some progress left. Maybe sub 19 within 6 months of hard training.

What is the point of high mileage without basic speed endurance first? That's just stupid.

First we need to know what he has done for training over the last 4 months.

Of course we believe DISTANCE runners should start with the 5k, eventually a DISTANCE runner's best event will be the marathon. They are so bad at the 400m that they will quit running rather than race it regularly.

The people who need to do what train smart is talking about are people whose best event will eventually be the 5k. There are more of these people than there are DISTANCE runners in the world.

Hmmm, I wonder how someone gets speed endurance if not through higher mileage....Would love to hear this.

train smart wrote:

What is the point of high mileage without basic speed endurance first? That's just stupid.

get used to it. wrote:

Hmmm, I wonder how someone gets speed endurance if not through higher mileage....Would love to hear this.

train smart wrote:

What is the point of high mileage without basic speed endurance first? That's just stupid.

Young runners don't need high mileage to run a fast 800 do they?

Or do you think you have a better plan?.....Would love to hear this.

lsDug)v92847T5*& wrote:

First we need to know what he has done for training over the last 4 months.

Of course we believe DISTANCE runners should start with the 5k, eventually a DISTANCE runner's best event will be the marathon. They are so bad at the 400m that they will quit running rather than race it regularly.

The people who need to do what train smart is talking about are people whose best event will eventually be the 5k. There are more of these people than there are DISTANCE runners in the world.

No, not true, every distance runner who wants to run fast must be able to do a fast 800, that's basic speed endurance for developing distance runners.

You guys are fixated on mileage. Young runners have to learn to run fast first.

You just have never seen or at least recognized a DISTANCE runner. I know someone who without any training can run a better mile or 5k on the equivalence charts than their 100, 200, or 400. When you watch them run, they look very coordinated but they just have a speed limit. They are truly slow twitch and will never run even an 800 as good as their 5k. Think Tom Tellez being stuck with Salazar.

Well of course, you're stating the obvious. But the top marathon runners can all run sub 1.50 for 800 before they get serious about the distance races.

Well of course, you're stating the obvious. But the top marathon runners can all run sub 1.50 for 800 before they get serious about the distance races.

Thanks for the answers!

To answer the question about regimen, I've been doing ~30 mile weeks with three easy runs, two workouts, and a 5k race. My coaches do 800 m - 1 mile repeats (3 or 4) as workouts.

I think my weakness is speedy endurance running over pure speed, in track I'm much better at 400's and 800's relative to my 5k. What training method would work best to offset this weakness?

train smart wrote:

Well of course, you're stating the obvious. But the top marathon runners can all run sub 1.50 for 800 before they get serious about the distance races.

I seriously hope you are trolling...