Running faster 5k without actually running

lamai

I have been cycling and running for about a year now and I have recently taken up swimming in the last few months. In the last month or so I have done very little running. but I recently ran close to 17.30. which was about 30 secs of my last 5k. It got me thinking, If I was actually to start doing some running would it make me faster or is the bike and swimming actually just as good as running for your running speed and fitness? I want to break 17 mins this year

gerard65

lamai wrote: »

I have been cycling and running for about a year now and I have recently taken up swimming in the last few months. In the last month or so I have done very little running. but I recently ran close to 17.30. which was about 30 secs of my last 5k. It got me thinking, If I was actually to start doing some running would it make me faster or is the bike and swimming actually just as good as running for your running speed and fitness? I want to break 17 mins this year

I think you'll need the running. Your legs will have to get used to moving at the pace you want to race. The cycling is great for your cardio fitness but won't really help your legs for running. You'll most likely find your times going backwards unless you run.

Krusty_Clown

That's a great 5k time for someone who doesn't do any running. You must do serious amounts of cycling and swimming. Was the recent 5k in a race?

jonnyfingers

Your cycling and swimming is obvoiusly giving you a good cardio base which is helping your running over short distances. But you would need to do some running training to bring some specificity in to improve your times further. Depending on what type of running distance you want to train for you could train differently. If you want to concentrate on 5k distance you could just do some speed work on top of your other training. If you wanted to go longer you might need to do some long distance runs to build up endurance.

At the end of the day basic fitness will get you so far. After that some sport specific training will be needed to really reach your potential.

lamai

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

That's a great 5k time for someone who doesn't do any running. You must do serious amounts of cycling and swimming. Was the recent 5k in a race?

Yeah a race, no I do run but very little in the last month or so, and then maybe 8mile a week this year I think. I don't do huge miles on the bike maybe 40-50 a week over the last 2 months and maybe 2 sometimes 3 swims a week.

I will get out running again then so. I just thought it would be handy if I did not have to do to much of it and could concentrate on improving on the bike and swimming

Krusty_Clown

If you can run a 17:30 5k, on the back of 8 miles per week, then you must have some untapped talent!

token56

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

If you can run a 17:30 5k, on the back of 8 miles per week, then you must have some untapped talent!

Agreed, Get out there and get training and see what you are really able to do.