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What is a very good 5k time?

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  • 02-11-2010 1:45am
    #1
    RobBaxter
    Registered Users Posts: 265 ✭✭


    Hi everyone,

    What is a very good 5k time??


«1

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    #2
    myflipflops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭myflipflops


    It depends on gender and age (obviously) plus what your aim and training plan.

    For me 15 minutes is the cut off for a good male club runner but maybe 17 minutes for a more casual road runner.


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    #3
    theboyblunder
    Registered Users Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭theboyblunder


    myflipflops wrote: »

    but maybe 17 minutes for a more casual road runner.

    ahh balls..:D


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    #4
    menoscemo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    RobBaxter wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    What is a very good 5k time??

    This is completely subjective. International standard? Club standard? Casual runner standard?
    Last year I broke 22 minutes for 5k and i though at the time it was a very good time for me. This year i broke 20 minutes, again I thought it was a good time for me, but next year i won't be happy if I don't improve again. So how good a time is depends on the individual, and his/her training, age, experience etc...


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    #5
    RobBaxter
    Registered Users Posts: 265 ✭✭RobBaxter


    menoscemo wrote: »
    This is completely subjective. International standard? Club standard? Casual runner standard?
    Last year I broke 22 minutes for 5k and i though at the time it was a very good time for me. This year i broke 20 minutes, again I thought it was a good time for me, but next year i won't be happy if I don't improve again. So how good a time is depends on the individual, and his/her training, age, experience etc...

    I'm 22, want to get very fit. Just starting triathlons. Got to get a good running time. I was doing 10ks but they take so long and I wasn't really improving that quickly, so I think it's more important to get a good 5k time before I actually start running my 10ks.

    Its currently at 22mins but I want to get it down as low as I can and I'm just wondering what is achievable.

    I suppose 17 or 18 mins is a good target?

    Thanks for replies


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    #6
    kennyb3
    Registered Users Posts: 6,724 ✭✭✭kennyb3


    First of all i'd suggest building a base - pleny of easy and steady miles. Running is a of a very repititive nature if you dont let your body adapt and get use to it you ll just end up getting injured.

    Based on your 5k time of 22 compared to your 10k (on the tri thread) of 48 mins you need to work on your endurance. Build up your mileage and weekly long run by 10% per week. every 4 weeks have a step back week.

    Once you ve done this buy some suitable books and find a suitable program. Something like jack daniels book or P & D for advanced road runners. These will give you an idea of what you should be doing. As i said dont rush and dont strain. Consider joining a club too. Read the various logs and threads too.

    See this as a long term project, because if you do too much too soon you ll be right back where you started, there are no short cuts in endurance sports.


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    #7
    tphelan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32 ✭tphelan


    RobBaxter wrote: »
    I'm 22, want to get very fit. Just starting triathlons. Got to get a good running time.

    If it is a good triathlon time that you are looking for I'd recommend focusing on the bike. I spend about twice as long in the bike phase as running. Improving my bike phase by 10% will give me twice the return of improving my run time by 10%. It may be the same for you.


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    #8
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,063 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    RobBaxter wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    What is a very good 5k time??

    Quicker than what you are doing now.



    Otherwise, get 12:37:34 and you'll be classed as very good by most people. :D


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    #9
    AntiVirus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,395 ✭✭✭AntiVirus


    kennyb3 wrote: »
    Based on your 5k time of 22 compared to your 10k (on the tri thread) of 48 mins you need to work on your endurance.

    At what stage does endurance not become an issue for 5km times?


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    #10
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    AntiVirus wrote: »
    At what stage does endurance not become an issue for 5km times?

    When you are equallying your 5k PB going through first half of a 10k and maintain that pace till the finish:D


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    #11
    AntiVirus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,395 ✭✭✭AntiVirus


    ecoli wrote: »
    When you are equallying your 5k PB going through first half of a 10k and maintain that pace till the finish:D

    I'd better start running more then! :D


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    #12
    JosDel
    Registered Users Posts: 881 ✭✭✭JosDel


    myflipflops wrote: »
    maybe 17 minutes for a more casual road runner.


    :D


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    #13
    Peterx
    Registered Users Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭Peterx


    Any time you run a PB you have run a very good 5k time against yourself.

    After that you have to look at your age - a 22 year old trained athlete should be capable of relatively fast times and so in an Irish context sub 15 minutes would be fast, the odd exception including the Ratfarnham 5k attracts faster lads.

    As Robin pointed out earlier sub 13 minutes is world class.


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    #14
    ecoli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    Agree with alot of posters this is very subjective here is a rough guide which should help you make a decision on what you feel yourself is a good time

    Sub 13 - African / Top American times
    Sub 14 - Elite Irish time
    Sub 15 - Top Irish Junior time/ top 20 (ish) Irish ranking Senior
    Sub 16 - decent club level/ local (small) road race winner
    Sub 17 - Decent/Average club level
    Sub 18 - Average club time/ decent casual runner time (possibly top 100 finisher in bigger race like rathfarnam)
    Sub 19 - Decent / average casual runner


    Again these are not exact but should give you an idea of levels and help you make your mind up of where you wanna aim and train for


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    #15
    kincsem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,013 ✭✭✭kincsem


    I did 32 minutes on Monday, my best time for thirty years. I was wrecked.
    My first run in thirty years. "Run" is probably not a good description.


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    #16
    yop
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    I was thinking the same myself, 34 yrs of age and my best 5km is 24 :(
    But my PB before that was 27 min so its a matter of persistence :)

    I think what seems to be mentioned is interval training on the road or track, do some googling on this.

    I have started following this for 10km runs, not religiously but it has to help my times!
    http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Documents/10K%20Training%20Program-metric.pdf

    http://www.furman.edu/first/fmtp.htm - Might find more detail there


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    #17
    Magnet
    Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭Magnet


    I would consider anyone faster than Me having "A very good 5k time" and anyone slower than me as where I used to be...
    Run a 5k and see where you stack up against everyone else, say 200 people running, are you 1st, 20th or 174th overall, 88th woman, 30th M45 etc.
    Then you see where you`re at.
    Personally any time for a 5k is a good one and deffinitely beats sitting on the couch ....:cool:


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    #18
    jailhouse_dave
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭jailhouse_dave


    myflipflops wrote: »
    It depends on gender and age (obviously) plus what your aim and training plan.

    For me 15 minutes is the cut off for a good male club runner but maybe 17 minutes for a more casual road runner.

    That's a very high standard you set. 8 guys ran sub 15 in rathfarnham this year http://www.athleticsrathfarnham.ie/attachments/467_Rathfarnham%205k%20results%20260910.pdf

    the ninth guy ran a 2.22 in the Dublin marathon and I would reckon he is at least a good club runner.

    To run sub 17 someone would need to be training at least 55 miles a week which I wouldn't describe as casual. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder, I am sure usain bolt thinks 10 sec 100m to be padestrian


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    #19
    marchino
    Registered Users Posts: 117 ✭✭marchino


    jailhouse_dave wrote: »
    That's a very high standard you set. 8 guys ran sub 15 in rathfarnham this year http://www.athleticsrathfarnham.ie/attachments/467_Rathfarnham%205k%20results%20260910.pdf

    the ninth guy ran a 2.22 in the Dublin marathon and I would reckon he is at least a good club runner.

    To run sub 17 someone would need to be training at least 55 miles a week which I wouldn't describe as casual. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder, I am sure usain bolt thinks 10 sec 100m to be padestrian

    I agree with you a hundred per cent on that point.
    40-55miles a week is hardly casual.
    sub 16.30 is at least decent but, again it depends on what quality is being done in training...

    whats this about sub 13mins, sure its been done, and i mean wow, some gallop, truly WORLD CLASS!!, but in fairness how many people have done it?.
    is sub 13.30-or god forbid sub-14mins not world class??

    theres guys who have run around 10sec flat for 100m and don't test clean, so if bolt considers it pedestrian then i hope he wont test dirty some day too!!!.


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    #20
    myflipflops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭myflipflops


    jailhouse_dave wrote: »
    To run sub 17 someone would need to be training at least 55 miles a week which I wouldn't describe as casual. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder, I am sure usain bolt thinks 10 sec 100m to be padestrian


    I completely disagree on the 55 miles a week. It's a time that can be run on a much lower volume of training as long as the training is of high quality.

    I should stay out of this debate, I generally give people much more credit for what they are capable of than they give themselves.


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    #21
    tunney
    Registered Users Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    jailhouse_dave wrote: »
    To run sub 17 someone would need to be training at least 55 miles a week which I wouldn't describe as casual. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder, I am sure usain bolt thinks 10 sec 100m to be padestrian

    B0ll0cks to that. I've run 16:30 off 30-40 KM a week.


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    #22
    shels4ever
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    It all depends on the persons history, talent, weight etc you can't jsut say that 55 miles a weeks = 17 mins.. Some could run it with 20 miles a week others may never run it no matter what they do.


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    #23
    shels4ever
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    myflipflops wrote: »
    I completely disagree on the 55 miles a week. It's a time that can be run on a much lower volume of training as long as the training is of high quality.

    I should stay out of this debate, I generally give people much more credit for what they are capable of than they give themselves.
    Yes but it depends on hwo specific people want to train, most people running 5k on here do them somewhere before of after a marathon specific plan. there are not too many 5k runners here.


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    #24
    clubcard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 174 ✭✭clubcard


    Good point shelsforever its abit like saying what is a good time for 800m when someone runs 10k's.Training has to be specific to the event being aimed at.
    I think 20mins is a good start point for someone with not much of a running background.
    18mins is very good for a Lady runner who has been running a few years and is with a club and has structured training.
    16.40 is 80seconds per lap so this would be club runner standard.
    Sub 15 is the stuff of dreams for most people posting on here.
    And as someone said earlier sub 14 is elite level in Ireland with the handfull capable of going mid 13.30 or lower.


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    #25
    myflipflops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭myflipflops


    shels4ever wrote: »
    Yes but it depends on hwo specific people want to train, most people running 5k on here do them somewhere before of after a marathon specific plan. there are not too many 5k runners here.

    Absolutely.

    My opinion is based on a male training for 5k (or for a range of 3k - 10k).


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    #26
    --amadeus--
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,096 ✭✭✭--amadeus--


    tunney wrote: »
    B0ll0cks to that. I've run 16:30 off 30-40 KM a week.

    Talent vs training.

    These are pointless "how long is a piece of string" type threads. A good time is faster than you've run before. A very good time is one where you place well in your Cat in a race. Absolutes are meaningless, it's all relative.


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    #27
    myflipflops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭myflipflops


    --amadeus-- wrote: »
    Talent vs training.

    Effective training versus less effective training in my opinion.

    --amadeus-- wrote: »
    Absolutes are meaningless, it's all relative.

    This is true. All debates like this are trying to define something that is completely subjective (yet I still always get involved).


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    #28
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,063 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    tunney wrote: »
    B0ll0cks to that. I've run 16:30 off 30-40 KM a week.

    ...and I've done further distances off not much more. Doesn't mean that is the right way to train though. Certainly not the most effective.

    For me to be knocking over a minute off my 5km time to get down to your 16:30 I'd be needing different type of training again, and a good tail wind.


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    #29
    Seres
    Registered Users Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭Seres


    ecoli wrote: »
    Agree with alot of posters this is very subjective here is a rough guide which should help you make a decision on what you feel yourself is a good time

    Sub 13 - African / Top American times
    Sub 14 - Elite Irish time
    Sub 15 - Top Irish Junior time/ top 20 (ish) Irish ranking Senior
    Sub 16 - decent club level/ local (small) road race winner
    Sub 17 - Decent/Average club level
    Sub 18 - Average club time/ decent casual runner time (possibly top 100 finisher in bigger race like rathfarnam)
    Sub 19 - Decent / average casual runner


    Again these are not exact but should give you an idea of levels and help you make your mind up of where you wanna aim and train for
    i take it ecoli you are talking in term of males with these times ?! what you think for female times ?


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    #30
    mrak
    Registered Users Posts: 463 ✭✭mrak


    Seres wrote: »
    i take it ecoli you are talking in term of males with these times ?! what you think for female times ?
    You'd probably be better at answering that one Seres :)

    Roughly, I'd add 90 secs to the male times in Ecoli's table but it probably varies a bit.


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    #31
    JosDel
    Registered Users Posts: 881 ✭✭✭JosDel


    For me a very good time for a 5k is when you break of get close to your own PB..


This discussion has been closed.
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