27 years old, can I improve from 17:13 5k to sub-16 (or 15, eventually)?

whoops, forgot I had an actual account I could use

That’s fantastic. What did your key workouts look like?

I followed summer of Malmo through summer, focusing on one tempo of 3-5 miles per week and one speed oriented workout, something like 12-16 x 150m or 200m.

Getting into racing season, or what little that has meant this year, I began workouts like 5x1000m with 2 minutes rest, or 10x400m with 200m rest.

I also tried the Lydiard progression at one point.

Also - thanks!

Great thanks. What’s a lydiard Progression btw?

nowornever wrote:

My question is this:

Do you know of any late 20s runners who were able to make a comparable improvement in 5k?

I am going to go for it either way, working on progressing with smaller goals over years, but I am looking for a precedent. Have you seen or experienced something similar?

Thanks

As if late 20s was old or something.

First off.

SEcond off. How do we know? You asked like the most general question.

Just look at what you typed. Sit back and read it again.

What's your training? What's your current miles per week? What's your current lifting program? What are you running now? What did you run today? What are your PRs?

I don't get how you come on here and ask this broad spectrum question and expect an answer.

So here you go.

I'll answer it for you.

Yeah we heard of someone. They did really good. They set a PR.

There. There's your dumb answer to your dumb question.

SUPERIOR CROTCH JS wrote:

Of corse you can . you just need my DOOKIECAN system to train proper . 21x400 with individual rest down to 119 bpm. Mor work and more rest than that fakker JS from nederland. I internalized many kenyon runners to 10kM pb. One ran 24:27 this spring . MAJIK !

Good job coach.

skerr wrote:

I'm the OG poster (just made a registered account).

The promised update -

Ran a 17:03 5k today, with a moderate (5mph) headwind the whole way.

I wanted to get under 17, but it's going the right direction, at least (and a PR). And, it is in the middle of what will end up being a 100 mile week.

I figure, if I keep setting the right goals, I can be another one of the stories to inspire whatever future person wants to break their own expectations. Alright, back to work! (actually, just staying home or running)

Well done!

Do you have km splits?

Sure you can! I ran my best times @ 34, and started @ 22, never ran in high school or college. Nothing earth shattering (4:37 mile, 16:12 5K, 33:30 10K, 01: 13:33 Half), but I was only putting in mileage around 50, had time off in there for life and injuries.

My bread & butter was 16X200s with a 200 jog rest @ 1 mile pace (in season) for speed, 16-20X400 @ 2mile> 5K pace, 200 jog rest for endurance. Usually two workouts a week alt. with 8-10 X 1 min hill repeats hard for one or the other workouts depending if I felt I needed more speed focus or endurance.

Off season (winter) Fartlek once a week and keep the LR and pace in there every other. Needed the down time in the winter to recharge and refresh. I eased into the harder stuff in the Spring building pace and volume having mini peaks until Nov usually to hit goal races.

Long run was an easy 16, alt weeks with progression, fast finish type run.

You are smart upping the mileage, and you should get into the 15s fairly soon if you can keep the higher mileage up. I had just made a breakthrough but got injured and that was the end of my PRs. Just be patient, consistent, back off when you need to. Easier said than done, but it's just hard work and smart training you have to do. Good luck!

Lydiard progression was just my way of referring to the phases of Arthur Lydiard's training plan:

I - Base Building

II - Hill Training

III - Anaerobic Development

IV - Integration

V - Taper

VI - Peak

There are a bunch of variations on it, and a bunch of other important factors, but that's the general look of it.

Thanks! Splits were as follows:

3:19

3:29

3:25

3:26

3:24

Not sure of the splits for the more recent 16:53 though.

Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed reply. It looks like you were very aware of your own progression, which made your workouts effective, especially when coupled with the consistency.

I've already worked it down to 16:53, and I really do feel like I'm just getting faster and more efficient. My plan is to keep up 40 mpw until 2021, then take a short break and begin the next high mileage block.

Good news for anyone interested or still following along. I hit another 5k PR yesterday, running 16:21.5 on the track. It felt relaxed and conservative. I'm now in legitimate striking distance of sub-16.

Thanks all, once again, for the interesting perspectives here. The PR progression has been as follows:

4/12/2014 - 17:13 road 5k

4/25/2020 - 17:03 road 5k TT

11/21/2020 - 16:53 xc 5k

4/24/2021 - 16:21.5 track 5k

Absolutely! Don't let anyone tell you that you're "too old" or "too worn out" or "not talented" enough to reach your goals. I smashed all of my PRs from college after turning 30, including lowering my 5K from (an admittedly soft) 16:40s to 15:25. And that was after 10 years of racing and hard training through middle school, high school, and college followed by a few years away from competition. All it took was grinding out more miles, smarter & tougher workouts, and keeping the ball rolling year round instead of trying to peak 3 times a year. Never underestimate the power of persistence! Cheers, -Not A Golfer

nowornever wrote:

My question is this:

Do you know of any late 20s runners who were able to make a comparable improvement in 5k?

I am going to go for it either way, working on progressing with smaller goals over years, but I am looking for a precedent. Have you seen or experienced something similar?

Thanks

Well I guess I'm a year late - glad to see you're making progress though!

The progression is there.

I went 17:15 -> 15:40 in a year at 27, start believing and put in the work.

What an inspiration OP! I have faith that you'll smash sub-16 and you're definitely still young enough to go sub-15 one day!!

Not A Golfer wrote:

Well I guess I'm a year late - glad to see you're making progress though!

That encouragement is as valuable now as it would have been when I started, and I think it'll help others too. Thanks!

British Guy wrote:

What an inspiration OP! I have faith that you'll smash sub-16 and you're definitely still young enough to go sub-15 one day!!

Thanks - if I achieve sub-15, I might even retire!