Is a sub 18min 5k really possible for me ?

It's definitely possible. It's definitely not guaranteed. Just go out and try.

Thanks cyhawk, chance is all I need.

It's absolutely possible. You already have the speed. Now you just need the aerobic capacity. You need to be running 35+ easy miles a week. 7:30+ (easy) pace. Just run much more long easy miles to up your stamina of already fast pace. For comparison I run a 1:05 400 Meter but a 18:20 5k

Just jog a lot.

Thanks, I haven't been running lately since there are annoying amounts of snow near me and my treadmill isn't functioning. But, I will try to get out and get my mileage in. Is there anything else I could do ? Is easy mileage all I need ?

If you're concerned about you body type being an inhibitor, I'm 5'11" and 144 lbs. and run a 16:33 5K, so sub-18 is definitely possible. Bring in the miles, consistent weeks with a long run, faster aerobic and longer anaerobic workouts. 40 mpw should be enough, maybe 45.

Also, don't even start about too much snow and cold. I shoveled 6 inches of snow off of my school's track last week so I could do a tempo. I came back from my run on Christmas with ice covering my eyebrows and eyelashes so I could hardly see. I ran in two sub-0 days last week. Man up. It's a big key for xc, just being tough.

JustADream wrote:

Thanks, I haven't been running lately since there are annoying amounts of snow near me and my treadmill isn't functioning. But, I will try to get out and get my mileage in. Is there anything else I could do ? Is easy mileage all I need ?

Easy mileage is not all you'll need, but consistent mileage is what you're lacking. You have more than enough basic speed (under 60 for 400m). Your speed is fast enough to run any sort of 5k time down to 15 minutes or faster. You need to train like a distance runner. Build up your mileage to 30, 40, 50 miles a week. Whatever you can do. 40 is plenty enough to break 18 for 5k. Once you're running consistent mileage, then bring in the sessions gradually. Intervals, hill repeats, tempo runs etc.

Aerobic wrote:

It's absolutely possible. You already have the speed. Now you just need the aerobic capacity.

All good answers but this is the most clear, direct, correct one right here.

I've run in the mid-16s and can't break 29 for 200. I have no speed. It doesn't help that I'm almost 50, but I doubt I ever really did have much speed, even when I was a teenager. I didn't run then, so I'll never know.

Like the above poster suggested, all you need to do is build up your aerobic capacity with a lot of mostly easy miles. And if you ever get to my 5k pace and are neck-and-neck with me with 100-200m to go, I'll know you have the kick that I don't. :)

Haha, It's not that I was really sick too. I'm guessing you live the north too obviously what state ?

I live in the glove, Michigan.

I really appreciate that, but getting to those kinds of pace is the hard part haha. As many as of you are giving the advice to run easy mileage, what about speed? I know I'm not like slow. But, Running low 5 minute miles or around that feels like a sprint the whole time. How is running slower going to make me a faster distance runner ? Sorry for the immensity of questions, I'm just curious to see how it would help and why I should run these easy miles.

Thanks for the compliments, and you say 40 is plenty to break 18 has sparked the thought that is it possible for me to do better? I think aiming for 1 7:30 is possibly a bit greedy, but that's around what you need for states in michigan at least in 2017. Thanks for the info btw.

Just out of curiosity do you know your cadence ? Mine is generally around 163spm cause I'm on the taller side. It's great to find someone the same height, please do share you stride length and cadence if you know. I just want to see from another view. Thanks for Info btw.

JustADream wrote:

How is running slower going to make me a faster distance runner ? Sorry for the immensity of questions, I'm just curious to see how it would help and why I should run these easy miles.

I'll explain it to you. :)

An easy way to explain it is "increased aerobic capacity, capillilarization, running economy, etc...." but here's a simplified, but really good way to look at it:

When you run lots and lots of easy miles, your easy pace slowly but surely improves, along with your ability to run that pace for longer. But let's just concentrate on your easy pace getting faster and faster. Now, when you want to do a tempo workout or an interval session, or even a 5k race, the pace you are going to run is VERY related to your easy pace. If you can only manage 8:30 miles as an honest easy pace, you will fail at something like 5 x 1000m @ 3:15. You just don't have the ability. You are locked into being able to only handle a pace that your easy pace (the pace in which you can supply enough oxygen to your body to make it easy) will allow you to handle. And the reason (to put it really simply, and look at it from a different perspective) is that the huge chasm between 8:30 pace and 3:15/km pace means that you will start getting into trouble wayyyy earlier than you should, and will be unable to finish the workout. In other words, you will move from an aerobic, easy pace to a very non-easy, "needing way too much oxygen" pace and won't be able to cope. The difference between the easy pace and the hard pace is too large.

Now, if you run a boatload of miles and that honest easy pace starts getting faster and faster (it takes time and patience), it means you are slowly but surely needing less oxygen to achieve faster results. You are building up the ability to "withstand" the faster paces, because you are narrowing the gap. If you improve and can do easy runs at 7:00 pace, when you step on the track to do that 5x1000m @ 3:15, you'll notice something: It takes a lot longer for you to start feeling uncomfortable. The pace is physically and aerobically "closer" to your easy pace. Your body responds by saying "I can take this and supply you more oxygen than before, and you will feel in control for a lot longer." This is vitally important, and it is what I mean when I say your easy pace is very tied in with your eventual hard pace. You are giving yourself a LOT more room to play with when it's time to speed up. The engine is now bigger.

You do need to do intervals and stuff to complete the puzzle, as they work different systems. But I can tell you without a doubt, that you are already locked into a level you will be able to do those intervals in at any time, and it is based on your aerobic capacity, i.e.; how fast your easy pace is (if we keep looking at it that way). A guy who has run for years and is very talented has reached the point where his easy pace is say, 6:15-6:30 miles. Now he does his intervals and races as sub-5 pace. Do you think he got that way from doing intervals? Hard running? No! You can do hard running all day long for years - you will never get there. You need to do lots and lots of easy running to ALLOW you to do those sub-5 intervals. It unlocks the door because it is the only way to give you the engine you need to handle it (provide the oxygen needed).

lollerama wrote:

It unlocks the door because it is the only way to give you the engine you need to handle it (provide the oxygen needed).

... and before anyone jumps on me and says, "but what about LT runs, tempos, all that stuff?" Yes, those things are important. I am simplifying it here by explaining that building up an enormous engine by running lots of miles will always ENABLE you to perform those workouts better when it comes time to do them. It's all linked, but it starts with the engine. Lots of miles.

Thanks for the breakdown that was very easy to understand, I'll be sure to run longer and slower than what I do.

No one has ever run sub 18 without drugs

We have very similar dimensions- I'm a freshman who is 5'11 and 130lbs. Last season I ran a 16:58 plus 4 sub-18 5ks off of 4 months of cross country training and after doing track for 3 years during middle school (not much training). What I learned during that time is although training is very important for performance, it is more about doing the things that you don't think you can do. What do I mean by this? Well, in order to build mental strength and fortitude you have to show yourself you're capable of much more than you think. Don't think about the numbers and "burning out too early" and the often talked about topics on this thread and just run for the fun of it and show yourself that you're capable. I did a session of 2x1 mile w/ 800 rest + 4x200m and the way my coach structured this was he asked us what paces we thought we could hit that day and said we needed to run 5 seconds faster and to be brave. I ended up setting a PR twice in both miles (5:11, 5:08) which I didn't think I could have done in all honesty. Followed up the 200s with 32, 30, 29, 26 and set a PR with the last 2 reps. Many would argue this isn't appropriate training for a 5k but I disagree; it's all about feeling confident with your fitness and knowing that you can run (a certain time, like sub-18) because of another great workout.

You're very fit. 12, 25, and 56 are great numbers and should still overlay into the 5k regardless of your training for it. Now it's all about hitting your miles, running easy days easy, and getting the most out of your workouts.