best way to get fast for a 5k

[markB]

I'm reg'd for a 5k 8 weeks from sunday. At present I'm not fast at all, but I'd like to change that. One training plan I found was Hal Higdon's 5k intermediate plan (http://www.halhigdon.com/5K%20Training/5-Kinter.htm), but I really don't know whether it's gonna be any good for me.

I guess I'm looking for some advice from others who've had dramatic success (the kind i'm looking for) with a 5k plan. I have a pretty good base - not that that matters much for a 5k? - but I lack speed. So: what will help me become fast?

[rundmc]

I have a pretty good base - not that that matters much for a 5k?

A 5k is 95% aerobic, so a good base is important, but so are fast workouts.

It's hard to be too specific without knowing your fastest 5k, current level of fitness, and so on. There's no one-size-fits-all solution.

If you run 5k in over 25 minutes, the 400s are a good workout. Otherwise, they're a little too short to be useful. You need repeats that take about 2-6 minutes, 3-4 minutes is a good balance. That means you should probably be doing 800s. A great workout is 6 x 800 with a 400-metre jog in between at 5k pace. Replacing the 400s with 800s will produce a greater benefit to VO2 max.

The tempos on Saturday in that schedule are good, you'd definitely want to keep those in the schedule. You need good speed and good speed endurance to run a fast 5k.

There are never any magic workouts. Regularly doing a tempo of 20-30 minutes and a set of 800s once a week will take a you a long way, however.

[markB]

i just came in from a 5k trial at what i figure would be close to race pace - coming in at 23:20 My dream goal is to crack 20:00, but I'll be happy finishing around 22:00.

thanks for the advice. I'll probably focus on 800s and tempos and do that workout you suggested. again, thanks.

[rundmc]

You can run a bit faster than 23:20 in a race. A more accurate time trial is to run about 3-4k as hard as you can. That's the pace you can hold for 5k. I think 22 minutes sounds about right.

Getting under 20 isn't that hard. The key is to be consistent in training and to always keep adding either volume or intensity if you want to see progress. Give it a year or two, you should get there.

[Jwolf]

A great workout is 6 x 800 with a 400-metre jog in between at 5k pace. Replacing the 400s with 800s will produce a greater benefit to VO2 max.

There are never any magic workouts. Regularly doing a tempo of 20-30 minutes and a set of 800s once a week will take a you a long way, however.

Hi Mark,
I just wanted to say that I had success with my first 5K race back in March. I wasn't following a specific 5K training plan since it wasn't my goal race, but I did the workouts that rundmc describes (6x800's and tempo runs). I had never done any track workouts before, was only a few weeks into them, and came in at 23:30 in the 5K. I did a 10K a few weeks later at the same pace (after some more training), so I'm hoping to get around 22:00 for the 5K in my next training period.

One more thing, though: Having a good base IS important for 5K training, because it allows your body to properly react to the hard training and lowers the risk of injury. I was doing the weekly 800's workouts and the weekly tempo runs when my total mileage was about 70K/week so that the hard training was a relatively small percentage of my total mileage (a la Daniels calculators: http://www.runbayou.com/jackd.htm ). I notice the Higdon schedule has much lower mileage than that, so perhaps that's why he has 400's instead of 800's. I do agree that 800's will do you better for improving your 5K time, but you don't want to overdo the speedwork on a low mileage program.

[Dstew]

The French track team has a work out that worked well for me in 5 K races - to get me under 20 minutes.

Run 1 K intervals at your "race pace" or sub 4 minute kilometers. A track is the perfect place for that so do your 1 K, walk and rest 400 meters, repeat five times.

[casual-runner]

I have studied two threads about sub 20 minute 5K:
http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/Forum ... 2938.shtml
http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/Forum ... 4241.shtml

There is a lot of information about different methods used to achieve such goal. Try to read it - those treads are written by runners trying to get sub 20 or running sub 20 minutes. Here is sample of extracted information from there:
"...
35 mile weeks be made up with the following:

10 mile long run with the last 3 to 4 miles @ 7:30 pace (the other miles between 9 and 10 minute pace). (Sunday)

4 mile tempo run @ 7:10 to 7:15 pace. (Tuesday)

build up to 6 X 1K @ 4:15 with 1:00 recovery followed by 3 to 4 minutes easy then 4 X 200 @ 40 seconds with full recovery. (Thursday)

the remaining miles easy (~9:00 minute pace)
.....
....

Don't run faster than your current fitness level! When your race times improve, run a bit faster in training. But, you don't have to if it makes your body rebel. Consistent training is most important of all training principles!
....
....
My workouts before best 5k in past year (19:35) were:

5 x 1600 start at 6:57, work down to 6:45
3 x 1600 @ 6:33
5 x 1000 @ 4:02
5 x 1000 @ 4:06

All while being coached by Tinman. He says:

'It is an illusion to runners that running at or faster than race pace is needed to improve in races. A total illusion!'

It took a leap of faith, but he is absolutely right
..."

Good Luck