How different is 10k run from a 5k in terms of training and acheiving PB targets?

Internetsherlock wrote:

I am not talking about the distance but rather the difficulty in achieving PB's. If i can run sub 15 for a 5k, does that mean i have the potential to run the 10k at sub 30ish ? Should i consider focusing my training more on 5k if i want to improve my 10k time?

Also How much harder do 10k runners train compared to 5k runners ?

Please provide me with your best outlook on this issue. Thanks a lot.

I have started taking up running a little seriously this year and man!! Ther's so much more to running than i ever imagined :-o

A 15.00 5k is worth roughly 31.00 for 10k, with the basic 'rule' being double your 5k time plus one minute to achieve your 10k potential.

This 'rule' for want of a better word, is best applicable to sub.elite runners and elite runners, and a cursory glance at elite runners' pb'.s show this to be pretty accurate, in most cases. For example, NCAA all Americans in distance typically have pb's around 14.00/29.00 or around those times.

5000m/10k runners usually half marathon train.

Half marathoners often do 10k races or run 10000m track, think tedese, kaorki, Kamorwor, and Caroline Kipkirui

5000/10000k runners usually run half marathons while running 5000/10000m track, and then move on to the marathon - think haile g., Tirunesh Dibaba, Vivian C. Almaz Ayana, Molly Huddle, Shalane, etc. If Im not mistaken, all in year, Molly was the 5000m/10000m american champion, and nyc half marathon winner.

So you half marathon training will allow you to cover a lot of ground and have a lot of range as a runner.

If i can run sub 15 for a 5k, does that mean i have the potential to run the 10k at sub 30ish?

for what it's worth, I collected some data on this because I was interested in this very question.

I collected data on 138 good athletes and measured the correlation of their 10k time with their 5k time. the mean 5000m time was 13:30.3 and the mean 10km time was 28:36.4. all performances were on the track.

they ran their 5000m at 94% vVo2max, (mean = 94.25, sd = 0.16), and their 10km at 89% vVO2max (mean = 88.99, sd = 2.46).

what this means is, using your example, a 15:00 5km equates to 31:40 for 10,000m.

whether you have the potential to do that is an unanswerable question.

cheers.