18:51 to sub-17?

Put on 10 lbs

My only advice would be to try to minimize junk miles. If I were your coach I would prefer that you run a single 8 mile run over two 4 mile runs 90% of the time.

From my experience, you should be able to run sub 17 this year, I went from 19:11 (Frosh) to 17:09 (Soph) on less than 50 miles a week (generally 40-45).

OK, thanks for the advice. Also wow, that's some crazy progression from your frosh to soph year!

Do SOM, that’s what I plan on doing.

As others have said, prioritize some longer singles. You need to build strength/stamina with your running and also build some physical strength. The jump you're trying to make is not as much about physical ability as about physical maturity. Invest time in building strength across your whole body as you up the mileage this summer. That combination will equip you to reap big gains from your fall workouts.

Summer of Malmo is probably a step beyond someone at this level. Maybe next summer, once you're body is used to 60mpw+, is strong and you've run your "on-the-brink" times 4:40/10:10/16:50 or faster.

I agree with the other posters: longer singles and gain some weight.

This is my opinion: you’re better off focusing on the 40-50 miles per week in singles with focus on developing your threshold and long run over the summer. Maxing out at 35 miles means you were probably averaging 25-30 miles a week. Doubling your weekly mileage is going to take its toll and most likely end up in injury. Focus on the next realistic goals:

1. Consistent weekly mileage in the 40’s

2. Develop your threshold and long run paces through tempo runs and long runs in the 20-25% weekly mileage range

3. Going sub 18, then focus on sub 17:30.

4. Strides every day. Don’t have to kill yourself. But turning your legs over at 800-mile pace for 15-20 seconds a couple times a day will pay dividends in the long run.

Not saying you can’t do it, but your current time is pretty slow for someone putting in 35 mpw. To put it into context, I was a middling cross runner with a low 16 5k PR on 80 mpw. These days I’m 20lbs heavier and run the same mileage as you (35 mpw), but can run low 18 for 5k.

To do it, I think you’re looking at a 2-3 year plan with mileage above 60 mpw. Maybe you get to low 18 shape this year.

let’s coach wrote:

Not saying you can’t do it, but your current time is pretty slow for someone putting in 35 mpw. To put it into context, I was a middling cross runner with a low 16 5k PR on 80 mpw. These days I’m 20lbs heavier and run the same mileage as you (35 mpw), but can run low 18 for 5k.

To do it, I think you’re looking at a 2-3 year plan with mileage above 60 mpw. Maybe you get to low 18 shape this year.

Did you maybe mean you were slow, instead of him? Whereas I think 18:50 with 35 mpw is a good starting point with plenty of room for improvement, your 80 mpw is quite a huge volume for someone 'just' running 16+. Remember, he can more than double his mileage and still runs less volume than you did. And of course you cannot compare someone running 35 mpw now and probably even less last year with someone running 35 mpw and a multiple year long high mileage basis, either. So your performance today is not better than his, too, if not worse.

35 mpw is enough, i've run 16:06 on 35-40 mpw

While it may have been enough for you, I know for a fact that 35mpw is definitely not enough for me to even go sub-17, let alone low 16s

Josh: wrote:

35 mpw is enough, i've run 16:06 on 35-40 mpw

That’s a little thing called “talent” right there. Why not double your mileage and go sub 15?