Is it possible to go from an 18 minute 5k to a 33-low 10k in 2-3 years?

Yes but 2 months isn't enough for a base phase.

Short answer, no.

I've known guys who've done it but they started with no background in running not already 60 mpw.

That said you're young and could mature into a sub 33 guy. I'd join the XC team at a junior college and go from there.

Of course it's possible. Go to the college coach and ask if he will give you a training plan that you can do on your own similar to what his team does. A couple years of that and a couple races every month will give you a good chance to run the times you want.

The Donger wrote:

Short answer, no.

I've known guys who've done it but they started with no background in running not already 60 mpw.

That said you're young and could mature into a sub 33 guy. I'd join the XC team at a junior college and go from there.

That sort of comment is why I dropped out of running in my teens only to find 30 years later that I have a modicum of talent.

I did it. The 2 biggest factors were consistent higher mileage 70+ and also running with people who are faster than you. Every time I mention it here it gets criticized, but running with people who will initially drop you on runs and will eventually pull you to a higher level was my secret to success. I went from running 36's and 18's to a 32:10 10K.

Hey, thanks everyone! I love your handle there Randy Oldman, by the way.

I was wondering Zatopek3210, Was the goal while running with fast people to stay with them as long as possible in training, or just observe them?

Call me crazy - but I'd bet you could do it in less time. Under age 20? Running 18 currently? Honestly, if you don't get it done, then I'd ask for my money back

If you're gunning for 10k: mileage, no injury, join a club, and theres no reason you can't run 33

My yearly progression, starting a few years younger than you:

16 years old: 18:40 5k, no summer training

17 years old: 17:15, 40-45 mpw summer training

18 years old: 16:30, 50-60 mpw summer training

19.5 years old: 32:30 track 10k, 85-100 mpw over the winter.

So 18:40 to sub-33 in 3.5 years. Maybe I could have run 33:00 that fall; I was already doing 80-105 mpw at that point though.

People who make big improvements like what you're talking about usually have 3 qualities:

1) they benefit a lot from higher mileage

2) they are able to stay healthy at high mileage

3) they are better at long-distances (slow-twitch type runner)

Some people are slow initially because they've never trained before, but they improve rapidly when they start doing any kind of training, even 30-40 mpw. Friend of mine went 19:00, 16:10, 15:00, 14:35 between junior year of HS and sophomore year of college. He was a bit chubby and never ran in the summer, then found out he actually had some good running talent.

It is with a bit of talent and a HUGE amount of work.

Allow me to reiterate: HUGE amount of work. You need to transform your body. Running will have to be the focus of your existence for the next 3 years (Second only perhaps to school). Work up to running 12x a week, find a mileage that works for you and doesn't burn you out, whether it be running 90 mpw or 120. Don't get injured. Eat well, eat well, eat well. Surround yourself with healthy people who also want to run fast.

Good Luck.

Ambition wrote:

Hey There,

After a 2-month base phase (60 mpw) I ran an 18:0x 5k. I am a 19 y/o guy, and ran 2:14 and 4:58 in Highschool, and promptly stopped running training until the afore-mentioned base-phase. (Lots of xc-skiing/gym though).

My Question: Does anyone here have experience dropping huge amounts of time off PBs? Is a 33-minute 10k (About the time to walk-on to the xc team) within the realm of possibility while I'm in college? (2-3 years).

If so, any pointers for how to achieve this would be appreciated.

Cheers!

I ran times very close to yours in HS. After a summer of training 40-50 miles/week, I ran mid 27 for 5 miles XC. A year later, I ran low 26; the summer before was 60-70 miles/week in singles (plus a full-time job doing outdoor labor).

So it was possible for me. There is only one way to find out whether it's possible for you. As for pointers -- keep running 60 miles/week, or more if you can manage it.

And race. If you can weasel your way into some XC meets, that would be best. If the coach at your school knows that you want to walk on and is the right sort of person, he might let you run unattached in some local meets. If there are all-comers track meets, run in them. Road races, if you've no alternative. But do what you can to get into races where you can compete.

I went from a 44 minute 10km at 19 years old (after 6 months of running), to a 33:22 10km a couple of months ago at 24 years old.

While that is 5 years, and significantly longer than 2-3, I think if you were smarter than I was I think you could achieve it much faster.

I wasted a lot of time trail running and doing ultras in my very early 20s, getting injured and being a useless bum. Once I started being consistent (a 12 month stretch with no days off) the times came waaay down. This was achieved by being smart (easy days very easy) and only running hard 1-2 times a week. It also meant cutting way back whenever I felt some niggles getting out of hand.

I kept mileage modest at 115-120km (70ish miles) a week, and never went much further than that. Atleast one sort of tempo session a week but usually two. For example, Tuesday might be some Daniels style cruise intervals while Friday was either a classic 20min tempo or a 15km progression. I never really did any classic intervals like 400-800m repeats.

Go hard.

My goal was to stay with them as long as possible. I got dropped on our long runs every week for a long time but eventually got to the point where I could stay with them longer and longer. It is definitely good for you, at least once a week, to run with people much better than you.

zatopek3210 wrote:

I did it. The 2 biggest factors were consistent higher mileage 70+ and also running with people who are faster than you. Every time I mention it here it gets criticized, but running with people who will initially drop you on runs and will eventually pull you to a higher level was my secret to success. I went from running 36's and 18's to a 32:10 10K.

How long did that progression take?

You already have several examples, here's another.

I started running 18 and ran 4:49 a mile that first year. At the end of summer ran low 18 for my first 5K and 23:40 for 4 miles, of about 40 miles a week. Bumped up miles for XC to 60-70 (ran mid 27s for 8K) and continued over the winter. Ran track and did sub 4:40 mile, sub 10 for 2 mile and low 16 for 5K. Ran 70 mpw over the summer and did some quality training and ran 32:50 for 10K, just 12 or 13 months after that debut 5K.

If you have a good coach, getting from 18:0X to low 33 in 2 years is very doable. Right now it looks like you don't have a good coach.

Start with Summer of Malmo and start looking for a good coach and/or try to get your college coach to give you a plan.

Summer of Malmo:

http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/rtp3.htm

may 2015 (lady, 41 age old) 10k in 60.10

august 2015 (only 3 months) 10k in 44.02 (65km/week)

and show go on :) she want 34 in august 2016 (at 42)

I started running aged 23. Ran 18:34 aged 25, running 50-60mpw.

Focused on marathons for 2 years, touching 100mpw.

2 years later I had 15:34 / 32:04 (80mpw)

Marginal returns after that - I broke 15 aged 30 (still 80mpw), but not by much. Work and parental responsibilities, plus the occasion injury then slowed me down. These days I run 60mpw and after a good spell will run in the mid 15s.

i did 2 months training and ran around 40 mins for 10k. i slowly started training and running most days and got down to 36 mins within 6 months 34.30 within 12 and 33 dead within 18.

with a small amount of ability and consistent training you should be able to do it no problem. i ran 50mpw max as id get injured with more miles. people saying do 80-100 mpw i think is too much. at your age that kind of mileage isnt needed to run 33