I'm hobby jogger that runs 5x times a week 5K at 25 minutes. I want go to 20 minutes.
Should I switch one of these days to 20x250metresx1 minute each (= 5K in 20 minutes)? Or is it to much/little repetitions? Is 1 day a week enough?
(as a hobby jogger I'm not going for any more complicated week plan)
It sounds like you need to start googling this question if this is where you are starting.
Ok so here is the deal... I’m not a pro runner by any means. I have a 16:27 H.S. pr haha. But I think I do know enough to help you out.
My personal opinion is that speed work is NOT needed until you are breaking about 18:00-18:30. You can get in sub 20 shape pretty quickly by doing long easy runs (for you this would be 5-8 miles) and tempo runs (go for 2-5 miles at a pace that hurts but doesn’t kill you)
Doing 250s won’t be very beneficial for you, depending on intensity that’s more in the
400-1600 training zone.
If you really do have an itch to scratch for speed work I’d hit the classics for my XC Team:
3-5 Mile repeats at goal 5k pace with a rest time equivalent to the mile time.
6-10 800s at slightly faster than race pace (think about 2:55 - 3:05 for you)
Or 400-800-1200-1600 ladders at faster than 5k race pace.
Running up and down a big ole hill works too.
I wish you the best of luck! My first time breaking 20 was very satisfying and one of my proudest races to date :)
How to break 20 minutes in the 5k:
Step one:
Run at least 60 minutes per day.
Once a week do some kind of tempo run or progression run or steady state run
Once a week do a fartlek run
Every 2-3 days do some strides
Step two:
Once you do step one for about 8-12 weeks add two workouts a week. One workout consisting of shorter reps and the other consisting of longer reps. Short reps: 10 x 300, 15 x 200, or 8 x 400. Long reps: 6 x 600, 5 x 800, 5 x 1k, 4 x 1200 or 3 x 1600. Rest, jog the amount you covered during the rep.
I think [after careful re-consideration]... that the only time 'speed work' [400/800/1000 repeats] is necessary is when you're right on the border and just want to baaarely get over the hump [eg your current PR is around 20:10 -- 20:30]
but as was said earlier, its just a matter of increasing basic aerobic fitness and lactate tolerance
just a simple combination of easy runs and tempo runs will get you there imho, unless youre somehow structurally limited to 20:01 or something then yea its probably time to try and squeak the anaerobic stuff a bit as well as you need every little thing to get over the hump if youve just been stalled for years at 20:12 [such as myself, lol]
Thank you very much guys!!! This was exactly kind of information I needed.