How can I break 18

What does your week look like in terms of runs and workouts?

Saturday is either race or 5x1K intervals. Tuesday is a rotation of workouts, being 20 minute tempo run or 10 x 1 minute on/off or 4 sets of 400x4 at 80" with 400 jogs. The rest is easy twice a day 10 and a 5. Long run Sunday of 16-20 miles but I haven't done it last four weeks, could this be why? I usually do it at 4:40/km pace.

If you're really doing all of that stuff, you should have no trouble breaking 18. I hear you on running 90 mpw and having trouble with that barrier - that's the level that I am at right now too. But I think all you need to do now is:

1. Be well rested in the week of the race.

2. Don't go out too fast - make your first km 3:35 or slower and go from there.

If you get both of these things right, you can do it. Unless you're training on the track and your race is very hilly.

Transition up that 8x200@30 speed gradually so that you aren't going ridiculously slower in 1k's and 5k's. Your mileage is implausibly high for this speed and 5k time. So, if you're for real, start doing faster 400s, 600s, 800s, etc. until you're doing much quicker 1k's, mile repeats, and tempo runs, and you should be able to run sub 16 with that speed and mileage.

RunningChinchilla wrote:

If you're really doing all of that stuff, you should have no trouble breaking 18. I hear you on running 90 mpw and having trouble with that barrier - that's the level that I am at right now too. But I think all you need to do now is:

1. Be well rested in the week of the race.

2. Don't go out too fast - make your first km 3:35 or slower and go from there.

If you get both of these things right, you can do it. Unless you're training on the track and your race is very hilly.

Thanks I usually go out in 3:35 and last 400m bolt it down under 3:00/km. I am rested but I only get like 2 hours sleep the night before and I feel like crap at 9am I don't feel like running fast and my easy pace is way slower, could this be it? When I do workouts I can push myself and enjoy it but in the morning I feel like it's a chore.

sundown wrote:

Transition up that 8x200@30 speed gradually so that you aren't going ridiculously slower in 1k's and 5k's. Your mileage is implausibly high for this speed and 5k time. So, if you're for real, start doing faster 400s, 600s, 800s, etc. until you're doing much quicker 1k's, mile repeats, and tempo runs, and you should be able to run sub 16 with that speed and mileage.

Thanks. I have only recently started doing shorter intervals I've never done 600s or 800s that could be the missing link. I thought I was too slow for mile repeats because it will take me over 5' to complete? sub16!? That'd be like winning the lottery to me. If I broke 17 even.

Shall I keep the mileage or drop it for the workouts?

4/10

Maybe try not running 90 mpw. Rest is no joke. You could be perpetually glycogen depleted. I used to run 80-110 and coming off of a 90mi week I'd go out and run 18-1830. Then as the season progressed the Friday before and Sunday after became 4 mile days. When I did that I'd run 16-1630.

In short build to few key races and rest the day before and skip the long run the day after. Instead do 30 minutes easy Friday, 5k + an extended cool down to get some miles, and Sunday 30 minutes easy.

Make sense?

Hey my dude, why are you doing 200 repeats of 8 meters? My advice is that you run a bit longer on each interval with maybe a few less repeats. If you do that you should have no prob breaking 18.

I highly doubt your easy pace is too slow. It's nearly impossible to do that. But I agree with the poster who said that you may just be glycogen depleted going into the races.

You can either run high mileage OR race at your best. There is a time of the season for each but you can't do them at the same time. If it is time to race now, then it is time to drop to 60-70.

Your doing to much for your ability level if your focusing on 5k. Just by lowering your mileage you will probably break 18.

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