Improved 5k times

Murph_D

Someone mentioned in the feedback thread that they'd like to see a thread about people's progress at the 5k distance (like the marathon history thread, I suppose). Sounds like a good idea so I thought I'd get the ball rolling.

It's not a distance I like very much, apart from parkruns which I regularly do, but more as training runs (easy pace or tempo-ish pace). However like many people a 5k was the first organised event I took part in, in 2012, and after that I was pretty much hooked on the sport, albeit at very much a mid-pack level.

So here's a few 5k efforts that I've raced, FWIW:

May 2012: 26:41 (Docklands 5k) - total newbie
Dec 2012: 24:15 (Malahide parkrun) - post marathon training cycle (Higdon Novice 2)
Apr 2013: 22:05 (Malahide parkrun) - mid marathon cycle (Higdon Intermediate)
Nov 2013 22:12 (St. Anne's parkrun) - post marathon cycle (meno plan)
May 2014 22:55 (DCU 5k) - post injury layoff
Nov 2014 22:09 (St. Anne's parkrun) - post marathon cycle (meno plan)

Have never trained specifically for the distance and the variation here is mainly due to other stuff I've been doing, I'd imagine. Hope to get below 22 before the year is out.

yaboya1

Similar to Murph_D, this is not a distance I particularly like but I run it to give me a gauge of how my training is going. I've also never specifically trained for the distance and have seen improvements come about from marathon training alone. I've never run an actual 5k race. All of my times are from parkruns. I may make my 5k race debut in the Jingle Bells this December.

December 2013: 19:22 (St Anne's)
March 2014: 18:19 (Marlay)
April 2014: 18:03 (Naas)
May 2014 17:54 (St Anne's)
August 2014: 17:15 (Marlay)

Cona

Great thread, I love 5K's

This is a distance that I want to improve on this year. I made a goal around June last year to break 20 mins and snuck under in 19.57 in August...I find that its important not too get carried away with speed work when training for 5K's like some people would think. Sure its a requirment but for the 5K, its really more aerobic power that helps. In my case, I have enough speed in my legs but just not enough aerobic capacity at the moment to improve further.

Goal this year is to go sub 19. First 5k run for me will be 28th December but I dont expect to break 19 then..Especially with all the Christmas festivities

robinph

I don't seem to have actually had much progress in 5kms over the last few years, but run loads of them and other distances have changed more over the years. My best from the last 5 years according to PowerOf10 is:

2010 - 17:39
2011 - 17:36 - (parkrun - 18:38)
2012 - 17:13 - (parkrun - 17:23)
2013 - 17:35 - (parkrun - 17:17)
2014 - 17:23 - (parkrun - 17:11)

Of course the parkruns are of variable course quality so my best in 2011 was just on a course which is uphill for 2.5km, then straight back down again so doesn't really mean much. Getting close to a sub 17, but it's not something I'm going to go out of my way to get, I just use the parkruns and other 5km's as speed work essentially.

KJ

I've only done 3 so far.
September 2014 - Rathfarnham (22.01)
October 2014 - Parkwest Night Run (21.33)
November 2014 - Navan Bull Run (21.12)

plodder

Good thread. I'd like to get under 20 mins. Nearly did it about a year ago (20:01) and have been more around 20:30 since then, when going all out.

Recently, I've started doing 3 x 1 mile fairly hard with 3 minutes easy in between, and generally more mileage, which has helped. But, I wonder does anyone have any links to a good 5k plan for < 20 min?

pconn062

Something like this:

24:XX
22:XX
19:42
18:42
18:07
17:45
17:36

Had a few crap runs in there between those, mostly all in the 18:20-50 mark. Hoping to take a big chunk off that 17:36 soon and try and get under 17 minutes.

Very interesting that a lot of people are saying they never really targeted the 5k while marathon training. IMO you need to maximise your potential over 5/10k before you maximse your potential in the marathon.

robinph

I'd be more interested in a 10km pb than a 5km one.

plodder

pconn062 wrote: »

Very interesting that a lot of people are saying they never really targeted the 5k while marathon training. IMO you need to maximise your potential over 5/10k before you maximse your potential in the marathon.

That's my rough plan for the next 12 months. Working on 5k speed, then 10k and hopefully a marathon at the end of it

career move

Jul 2012 - 23:29 Limerick racecourseon grass, ran too fast early on and had to walk a bit
Dec 2012 - 21:25 Stoneyford first mile all uphill
Jan 2013 - 20:52 Tom Brennan
Jul 2013 - 21:20 Tullamore. Way too hot 27C
Aug 2013 - 20:27 Daingean
Sept 2013 - 21:33 Rathfarnham. Bad race. Had problems with stitch and then started to hyperventilate. Possibly on the verge of overtraining
Dec 2013 - 19:38 Jingle Bells
Jan 2014 - 20:30 Tom Brennan. Windy
Jul 2014 - 22:18 Donadea. Trail. Semi-injured
Oct 2014 - 21:17 Roscrea. First mile was too fast and legs were tired from doing a 60k AR the previous week

So I improved my 5k time a good bit as a result of the marathon training for DCM in 2012 and Limerick in 2013. Then my times kind of levelled off because I was on the verge of overtraining for the summer. Ecoli took over my training in the autumn and I had a great run in the Jingle Bells. I'm just on my way back from injuring a gluteal tendon and I'm happy with progress so far.

After my first couple of 5k races I hated the distance but the more you do the better you get at racing them and it's my favourite distance now because as well as testing your fitness and speed you have to be very tactically aware. Too fast early on and you burn yourself out but if you go too steady you're leaking time so it's a very fine balance

KanyeWest

March 2009: 17:22
February 2011: 16:29
May 2012: 15:54
May 2013: 15:16

My only known 5k PBs. I might have been at 16:40 for a while in 2010. I have a history of taking huge chunks of my 5k PB. I'm more of a 15:30-16:00 guy though, depending on my fitness and how short the course is! 15:16 was a once off. Haven't gotten near that time since.

I wouldn't say I've ever been 'stuck' at any certain time which is encouraging. I can't seem to run slower than 17:20 now, even when I am in terrible shape. Whenever I hop in a 5k to shock the legs back into gear, I will always run between 17:20 and 17:25.



***MSB 5k 2014 PBs do not count people***

KanyeWest

yaboya1 wrote: »

Similar to Murph_D, this is not a distance I particularly like but I run it to give me a gauge of how my training is going. I've also never specifically trained for the distance and have seen improvements come about from marathon training alone. I've never run an actual 5k race. All of my times are from parkruns. I may make my 5k race debut in the Jingle Bells this December.

December 2013: 19:22 (St Anne's)
March 2014: 18:19 (Marlay)
April 2014: 18:03 (Naas)
May 2014 17:54 (St Anne's)
August 2014: 17:15 (Marlay)

That's a great improvement in less than a year. Parkruns are usually terrible courses too. At your rate, you could be going close to 16 minutes by next summer on a nice fast course. Choose 5k!

Sandwell

I love the 5k distance and it's my strongest PB. I've only run three that I can remember:

Oct 2011 18:03 Racepix 5k
Dec 2011 17:29 Jingle Bells
May 2012 17:29 Lucan 5k

I didn't follow a specific plan for any of those but I was doing weekly club interval and hill sessions at the time which would have certainly helped. I haven't done any proper training since summer 2012 due to injury but I'm finally on the comeback trail and I'll probably have a go at one of the Parkruns towards the end of the year. I wouldn't expect to be anywhere close to my PB though.

dazza21ie

I remember being delighted at going sub 30 in my first 5k. So far

March 2012 29:32
March 2012. 27:05
July 2012. 24:26
December 2012 22:25
April 2013 21:55
June 2013 21:15
July 2013. 20:44
August 2013 19:50

Have done 3 5ks this year. Best has been 20:25. Hope to have a couple more goes in December. Would like to go sub 20 again.

Murph_D

What were you doing in summer of 2013? That's some jump!

pconn062

KanyeWest wrote: »

March 2009: 17:22
February 2011: 16:29
May 2012: 15:54
May 2013: 15:16

My only known 5k PBs. I might have been at 16:40 for a while in 2010. I have a history of taking huge chunks of my 5k PB. I'm more of a 15:30-16:00 guy though, depending on my fitness and how short the course is! 15:16 was a once off. Haven't gotten near that time since.

I wouldn't say I've ever been 'stuck' at any certain time which is encouraging. I can't seem to run slower than 17:20 now, even when I am in terrible shape. Whenever I hop in a 5k to shock the legs back into gear, I will always run between 17:20 and 17:25.



***MSB 5k 2014 PBs do not count people***

Jeez man that's some improvement. What course did you run the 15.16 on or was it track? Any particular training changes to get you down to that?

willowthewisp

What do people think is the best way to train to improve your 5K time?

Casey78

Murph_D wrote: »

What were you doing in summer of 2013? That's some jump!

I'd like to hear the answer to this also!!

KanyeWest

pconn062 wrote: »

Jeez man that's some improvement. What course did you run the 15.16 on or was it track? Any particular training changes to get you down to that?

15:16 was in Johnstownbridge. Lot of people say its a short course, maybe it is but I have no reason not to take it as far as I know. I ran 15:26 a few weeks after so that's not a bad PB to fall back on if I have to!

The curve is steep but that's only because I go in a road 5k when I'm either in very good shape or in no shape at all.

I don't really know what it takes to knock out a good 5k and get the most out of yourself at the distance. I definitely think you need to be willing to suffer. I hear a lot of people in my own club saying they prefer 10k training to 5k for this very reason. The ability to handle intense sessions is huge. Expect lactic acid and when it comes, embrace it and keep going.

I'd say hills and training at faster than goal race pace are key too. Understanding that a 5k can be split into 400m or 800m segments etc. If you're waiting for your Garmin to tell you if you've gone through the first mile too fast or too slow, you're doing it wrong. In fact if you have any gadget on you at all in a 5k, you're doing it wrong. No time for that stuff.

Cona

Good point re running watch less. A garmin is far more likely to slow you down rather than speed you up.

For me, I badly wanted to run sub 20 so I sat down and thought about my weaknesses as a runner...In my case I lacked aerobic capacity to hold 6.20 minute miles. However I have no problem running much faster mile intervals. So I started running long runs to boost my weekly miles albeit still running fast sessions. I picked the flattest 5k I could find and gave it Holly. The last mile I really felt like slowing down as it was tough but I knew I was on target if I kept pushing which I was.

The point I'm trying to make is there is no set formula to get faster. If your running 30 miles a week up it to 40 then 45...then stick in some hard sessions and embrace the pain...Run more = run faster

pconn062

willowthewisp wrote: »

What do people think is the best way to train to improve your 5K time?

There are multiple ways to answer that question but running at the end of the day is a simple sport. Touch on all the systems and you will be grand. For me personally if I'm getting ready for a 5k race, I train in two week blocks so that's 6 days running a week with 1/2 double days so between 50-60 miles a week. Over the 2 weeks I will do four sessions, 2 @ race pace, 1 slower (tempo/10 pace) and one faster (1500m/3k pace). Will also do a long run every week usually on grass on a hilly course, up to 13 mile or so. I'm aiming for a 5k in a months time so the next two weeks so the next two weeks will look something like this:

Mon: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hr + strides
Wednesday: AM: 30 mins easy, PM: session at track (5k work)
Thursday: 1 hr recovery in 1 or 2 runs
Friday: 1hr easy or 45 mins + circuits
Saturday: Tempo and hills
Sunday: Long run

Mon: Rest
Tuesday: 1 hr easy + strides
Wednesday: AM: 30 mins easy, PM: session at track (3k/5k work)
Thursday: 1 hr recovery in 1 or 2 runs
Friday: 1hr easy or 45 mins + circuits
Saturday: Tempo + hills or maybe some 10k work
Sunday: Long run

I have a coach so he will tell me exactly what sessions to do and I usually only find out on the night or a few hours before. I have to stress, this is only what works for me and is not a generic plan. I have also spent the last two and a half months building up to this with base work and build-up sessions to prepare for this, have also done a lot of grass running/cross country for strength.

What is your current 5k PB and what does your training look like?

dazza21ie

Murph_D wrote: »

What were you doing in summer of 2013? That's some jump!

Casey78 wrote: »

I'd like to hear the answer to this also!!

Where you talking to me??

Murph_D

dazza21ie wrote: »

Where you talking to me??

Yep!

Chivito550

Have only run 3 5K races and have never enjoyed them. The first 2 were when I was doing fun runs in 2008/09. The last one, was a few months ago, after 3 years of specific 400m training.

21:46 - March 2008 - MSB 5K
21:02 - September 2009 - Rathfarnham 5K
19:46 - August 2014 - Marlay Parkrun.

Rathfarnham is a fast net downhill course, while Marlay is slow, so on the same course, that's about a 2 minute improvement based on 400m training. I doubt I'll do another Parkrun until next August.

Inventive User Name

August 2012 - 18:02
March 2013 - 16:57
July 2013 - 17:54 (running with an illness that was destroying my running,couldn't train properly until January '14).
October 2014 - 16:50

Long term goal of 15:59, hopefully at some stage in 2016.

dazza21ie

Murph_D wrote: »

Yep!

Very good! Was doing the Mcmillan 10k sessions that summer. I picked a tough course for the target race so I didn't hit the target in the 10k but got the benefits in the 5k races. I done a 5k before I started the sessions, one in the middle during an off week and then one shortly after the 10k.

RayCun

Jingle Bells 8/12/09 0:29:39
MSB St Patrick's Festival 14/3/10 0:25:12
Rathfarnham 5k 26/09/10 0:22:40
Jingle Bells 18/12/10 21.55
MSB 5k 2011 20/3/11 0:20:22
Ray d'Arcy 5k 8/4/2011 21:50
Donore Summer 5k 28/5/11 20.33
Rathfarnham 5k 25/9/11 19.39
MSB 5k 2012 18/3/12 19.22
Raheny Midsummer 17/6/12 18.58
BHAA Prison Service 27/6/12 20.21 (trail)
BHAA SDCC Irishtown 11/7/2012 19.13
Rathfarnham 5k 23/9/12 17.55
Rathfarnham 5k 29/9/13 18.17
Marlay Parkrun 26/10/13 18.26
Jingle Bells 7/12/2013 18.12
Marlay Parkrun 28/12/13 18.27

This year I've done one or two parkruns, but haven't completed:rolleyes: a proper 5k race.
I followed a 5k training plan from P&D (I think) back in the beginning of 2011, but the real improvement came from joining a club a few months later. You can't beat regular fast sessions with people of the same level or faster for bringing you on. Plus most people reading this have plenty of room to increase their overall mileage, improving their aerobic capacity.

ger664

My 5K times where done on the back of marathon training. FWIW I prefer running marathons there is not half the pain

2009 24:XX
2010 22:05
2012 21:35
2013 21:15 (Eddie Murphy Loop)
2014 20:23

I hope to get eventually to 18:00.

A link to a useful read that was posted by Ecoli solving-5k-puzzle

viperlogic

20:35 - 10-7-2013 - BHAA Garda 5K
19:55 - 29-7-2013 - Carrigtwohill 5K
19:37 - 4-9-2013 - Greenville 5K
19:12 - 28-12-2013 - Togher 5K
18:30 - 27-5-2014 - BHAA John Buckley 5K
18:57 - 2-7-2014 - BHAA EMC 5K (headwind, hills, and body too tired as did 65K over previous 3 days)

Improvements in every race bar the last one as body was just too tired. Planning to do a Parkrun before end of year and should get a sub 18 in that.

I've never done specific 5K training, always marathon training but to be honest I don't see it to be that much different as both have tempo, X x 800m/1600m, strides, easy, and longs through the week.

Woden

Have no 5k time this year. Just a 5.6k as a proxy. I'm planning a Parkrun on Sat 13th Dec on what should be a flat course. Hoping to get close to 20mins. Initial gains mostly put down to weight loss.

Oct 12 - Parkrun - 30:33 (off the back of C25k)
Nov 12 - Parkrun - 29:43
Nov 12 - Parkrun - 28:38
July 13 - Standard Chartered Great City Race - 22:45 (4:33/k)
July 14 - JP Morgan Corporate Challenge 5.6k - 23:21 (4:09/k)

Dubgal72

plodder wrote: »

Good thread. I'd like to get under 20 mins. Nearly did it about a year ago (20:01) and have been more around 20:30 since then, when going all out.

Recently, I've started doing 3 x 1 mile fairly hard with 3 minutes easy in between, and generally more mileage, which has helped. But, I wonder does anyone have any links to a good 5k plan for < 20 min?

Great thread. My targets for early 2015 include 5k, 5m and 10k PBs. I'm also aiming for a sub-20 5k (only ran one in August 21:38 with no specific prep). Have also never raced 5m and the 10k I ran as a teenager doesn't count does it?!
Two sessions I did for marathon prep in September/early October were:

10*1k, 1 min rec @ 4:13 average pace and
6*1 mile, 2 min rec @ 6:58, 6:49, 6;48, 6:58, 6:52 and 6:50

Any suggestions for sub 20 very welcome. Is there a 10k training thread too?

donal7

Great thread - some great times being posted.

My PB for a 5k Parkrun is 21:40 and looking to improve on that in the coming year. For me personally what I found beneficial was I was doing 2 x fast 5 mile runs weekly and the parkrun. The 5 mile runs incorporated a steep hill which I was really pushing myself on and felt it was really helping with my overall fitness.

plodder

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Any suggestions for sub 20 very welcome.

The "solving 5k puzzle" link above is very interesting and seems to be generic enough regarding targets.

jebuz

18:31 - Jan 2013 - First 5k, ouch not enjoyable
17:21 - Feb 2013 - Mid marathon training
18:44 - Jan 2014 - Just back from 9 months in Asia, thought it would be a lot worse
18:38 - Jan 2014 - Parkrun Westport - my one and only race victory to date
16:56 - May 2014 - Post marathon training and joined a club
17:06 - June 2014 - Hottest day of the year
16:44 - June 2014 - 3rd place, really starting to get a good feel for the distance
16:27 - July 2014 - Culmination of a good summer on the track

I mentioned before but I honestly find 5k's as tough if not tougher than a marathon. A great distance in that you can just roll up and run one instead of a session, have a bad day and come back next week for another shot. Will be expecting to break 16 mins at some stage in 2015.

Casey78

donal7 wrote: »

Great thread - some great times being posted.

My PB for a 5k Parkrun is 21:40 and looking to improve on that in the coming year. For me personally what I found beneficial was I was doing 2 x fast 5 mile runs weekly and the parkrun. The 5 mile runs incorporated a steep hill which I was really pushing myself on and felt it was really helping with my overall fitness.

What pace we're you doing the 5miles at?

donal7

Casey78 wrote: »

What pace we're you doing the 5miles at?

4:50

Bungy Girl

KanyeWest wrote: »

***MSB 5k 2014 PBs do not count people***

I know, I know but I had a great run that day and still wish the course hadn't been short...first and only time under 21 mins and probably would have got a PB if I'd kept running after the finish line :rolleyes:
5K time has gone from 27:30 a few years ago to 21:43 (marlay parkrun) early this year. I'm hovering around the 22:00 mark at the moment after taking a break during the summer. Goal would be to go sub 21:00 during 2015 and the dream would be a sub 20:00 although I am no spring chicken and suspect that might be a stretch too far.....Average mileage is around 25 though so if I can get that up without injury I may surprise myself.
Love the fact that you can roll up and do a parkrun any Saturday you feel like it, which one do people think is the best for a PB - St.Annes ?

W.B. Yeats

April '09 31 min approx
May'10 Donore 5km 27.00 (started to run regularly after this)
Sept '10 Rathfarnham 23.40 (after running the 5/10 and Half Dublin Series)
Sept '11 Rathfarnham 21.06 (did a few 5kms this year- MSB, Leixlip, Bohermeen)
Sept '12 Rathfarnham 20.20 (injury and no running for 6 months approx followed by a seasonal opener of 21.40)
May '13 Johnstownbridge 19.26 (consistent training through the winter and now running 5 to 6 days a week, however I subsequently had hamstring difficulty that left me finishing the summer at 20.00 approx)
June '14 Kilcock 18.35 (specific 10 week training plan delivered the biggest chunk of this- chicken pox afterwards ruined summer training so I have regressed performance wise)

I should have said that I'd hope to get to 16:xx sometime in the next 18months or so before encountering the talent barrier

The Muppet

Some very impressive times posted. I am really interested in seeing the massive improvements in some of the times from C25k graduates like myself .

I have not run any races so I don't have a chip time , Last year when I completed the c25k I was at 34 minutes for 5K I have that down to 28.12 this year (garmin time). I'd be pretty confident I could improve on that in a race scenario. I Intend to do park run at some stage but the 9.30 start on a Saturday morning doesn't really suit me at the moment.

walshb

ger664 wrote: »

My 5K times where done on the back of marathon training. FWIW I prefer running marathons there is not half the pain

2009 24:XX
2010 22:05
2012 21:35
2013 21:15 (Eddie Murphy Loop)
2014 20:23

I hope to get eventually to 18:00.

A link to a useful read that was posted by Ecoli solving-5k-puzzle

That would be astonishing should you get to 18 mins. Your current PB, do you feel there's a lot to improve on? Was it a hell of a run to get 20.23?

davemcmahon

March '12 - 30:30
May '12 - 26.40
Dec '12 - 22:26
Jan '13 - 21:46
March '13 - 20:15
May '13 - 19:36
August '13 - 18:47
May '14 - 18:43

Spent last year working on 5k-10k. the time in August '13 was towards the end of HM training using one of the Daniels HM plan. Haven't ran many 5k's this year only the 2 of them over the space of a week in May so not sure how I'd shape up at the moment.

walshb

davemcmahon wrote: »

March '12 - 30:30
May '12 - 26.40
Dec '12 - 22:26
Jan '13 - 21:46
March '13 - 20:15
May '13 - 19:36
August '13 - 18:47
May '14 - 18:43

Spent last year working on 5k-10k. the time in August '13 was towards the end of HM training using one of the Daniels HM plan. Haven't ran many 5k's this year only the 2 of them over the space of a week in May so not sure how I'd shape up at the moment.

Amazing times.

The 30.30 time. I assume you were very unfit as regards running? Was it a weight issue as well as fitness. You reckon you can get lower?

davemcmahon

walshb wrote: »

Amazing times.

The 30.30 time. I assume you were very unfit as regards running? Was it a weight issue as well as fitness. You reckon you can get lower?

The 30.30 was only a couple of weeks after I started running from very poor fitness. The one thing the times don't show is a huge weight loss over the last few years. I'd like to get it lower and plan to work in it the first half of next year.

walshb

davemcmahon wrote: »

The 30.30 was only a couple of weeks after I started running from very poor fitness. The one thing the times don't show is a huge weight loss over the last few years. I'd like to get it lower and plan to work in it the first half of next year.

Really inspiring stuff that. To get from 30 to 25 is good, to get sub 20 is just tremendous. Bravo!

Casey78

This thread is great and gives me great hope for my own times seeing how some of you improved after being at the same level as me when I started.
My first ever 5k last year was 29'57 after completing a couch to 5k program.I had never run before I started the c25k.
I'm at 24'00 for my PB now and was thinking of trying for sub 23 this year and I thought it a bit ambitious until I read some of the stories on here.
Just did my first Marathon in Dublin last week so hoping to work on my 5k and 10k times now.

Qwerty Dub

davemcmahon wrote: »

March '12 - 30:30
May '12 - 26.40
Dec '12 - 22:26
Jan '13 - 21:46
March '13 - 20:15
May '13 - 19:36
August '13 - 18:47
May '14 - 18:43

Spent last year working on 5k-10k. the time in August '13 was towards the end of HM training using one of the Daniels HM plan. Haven't ran many 5k's this year only the 2 of them over the space of a week in May so not sure how I'd shape up at the moment.

Wow. That is some improvement.

My PB for 5k is 25:04. Granted I am carrying about 4 stone I shouldn't be but can't imagine the amount of work to go in to take almost 12mins off. Fair play.

Tom Joad

Oct 2011 - Racepix is 3 - 20:11 (First ever 5K)
March 2013 - Bohermeen - 19:36 (out injured for majority of 2012)
Oct 2013 - Run with Catherina - 19:18
Aug 2014 - Streets of Athboy - 18:54
Aug 2014 - Finea 5k - 18:39

Aug 2014 results were of the back of an 18wk Jack Daniels 5k-10k plan. Hopefully a lot more to come off my 5k times next year!

CR 7

20th July 2014 - 21:25
22nd August 2014 - 20:58
29th August 2014 - 43:21 (10k)
20th September 2014 - 20:06
19th October 2014 - 41:54 (10k)
01 November 2014 - 20:04*

(*While wearing a skeleton costume)

The first 5k listed was my first at the distance, so I set a target afterwards of getting under 20 minutes by the end of the year. Since I should get that this weekend, I'm now targeting 19:30 ish, and a 40 minute 10k instead.

After a few races in January I spent 4 months out injured, and only got back training the start of June, which might explain the improvement over the fairly short time. Before the injury I had just done a few half marathons and 10ks at 8 min/mile pace.

ger664

walshb wrote: »

That would be astonishing should you get to 18 mins. Your current PB, do you feel there's a lot to improve on? Was it a hell of a run to get 20.23?

Course current PB is on has a stiff climb in the last 400m. Maybe held back a bit for that. At the time I was hoping to go sub 20 but on the night gave up on that after 2K. That run was done off P&D 55 training plan for the marathon which only includes some 5K paced reps.

I have penciled in 4 * 5Ks for Christmas and Jan coming and I would hope with the specific training to get near a low 19. 18:00 is a lofty goal and a long term project. Also I am no where near racing weight so that will help as well.

Firedance

Great thread, my plan for 2015 is to work on my 5K and 10K times, they've come down in the last year but want a) sub 25 b) work towards the low 20's. These are all parkruns, I don't think I've done a 5K road race since parkrun came in so must sign up for one before the year is out.

June 2013 31.02
Aug 2013 29.29
Nov 2013 28.36
May 2014 26.46 (1 month after joining a club)
Sept 2014 25.46 (mid marathon training)

IvoryTower

would i be right in saying that you'd be faster on a road 5k than a park run?