5k question

scaredycat

Hi all,

I've just recently come back running after having a baby 5 months ago. Tried to come back sooner but had pelvic pain as I'm still breastfeeding so had to work on coming back very slowly. I'm still not there yet but working towards it.
Anyhow my question is this, I ran 5km on my own the other day in the park in 21.39 mins, and I'm wondering if its possible to train for a sub 20 5km by end of year? basically I can't train that much due to commitments at home so here is my situation.
mon - I can do 30 mins on treadmill while baby is napping
tues - I go to my club and so speed training
wed - nothing as I have both kids that day
thurs - same as mon
fri - same as mon
sat - nothing
sun- nothing

is this possible do you think or I am in clouds thinking I can do this?
my fastest 5km was 20.20 and that was my very first 5km, but have not been able to do it since and that was 18 months ago.

any advice greatly appreciated.
thanks

Tombo2001

I'd say quite comfortably you can get to that level with the training you are doing.

The only thing I would say to you is:

(I) If possible do more on the threadmill, 40 mins better than 30 mins.
(II) I would get a foam roller; I'd say you are in a position where between breastfeeding, lifting baby up and down all the time, changing nappies, lack of sleep etc etc that its putting quite a bit of pressure on your back.

Foam rolling would ease that in my opinion; obviously you'd want to qualify that with a physio.

The end of the year is 11 months - try to do a race/ park run every two months or so to check your progress.

Its a good target to have. If u in Dublin, the Jingle Bells 5k would be a good one to target. Its a fast course if its not too windy.

Why cant you run at weekend?

scaredycat

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I'd say quite comfortably you can get to that level with the training you are doing.

The only thing I would say to you is:

(I) If possible do more on the threadmill, 40 mins better than 30 mins.
(II) I would get a foam roller; I'd say you are in a position where between breastfeeding, lifting baby up and down all the time, changing nappies, lack of sleep etc etc that its putting quite a bit of pressure on your back.

Foam rolling would ease that in my opinion; obviously you'd want to qualify that with a physio.

The end of the year is 11 months - try to do a race/ park run every two months or so to check your progress.

Its a good target to have. If u in Dublin, the Jingle Bells 5k would be a good one to target. Its a fast course if its not too windy.

Why cant you run at weekend?

I have to mind the 2 kids at weekend as my husband works so its not possible. The odd sunday morning I can do a long slow run but its only every 3 or 4 weeks.
Do you have any recommendations for what training to do on treadmill or know where I could get a plan? I am kinda making up my own stuff really, like some days I just do gentle jog, other days I do intervals and other days I do a very good power walk. I am trying to do work on my core too, can hold plank for about 2 and 1/2 mins and I do exercises for glutes and core that I got from physio. I'm mainly kindof stuck on what way to exercise as its hard to keep training myself when I'm not really sure what I should be doing to get faster and be able to hold it? (if that makes any sense??)

Tombo2001

I'm not that much of an expert sorry .

But my advice would be that at the very least, for each hard session you do, then do at least one easy recovery session.

My thinking would be that if you have one really good speed session during the week, that could be sufficient, if you are doing the recovery work on threadmill.

I've never trained on a threadmill, but I would think that do a speed session properly, then you have a ten minute warm up, ten minute warm down which doesn't leave much in between. The temptation for you will be to cut corners since you are time poor, and that can lead to injury.

I'd say for the position you are in, being able to run four times a week every week is far more important than whether you can run a 5k in 20.5 minutes or 20 minutes.

If you can do a long, steady run (60-80 minutes) twice a month, that would really support your speed session also.

Again disclaimer _ I am not a coach; if anyone thinks different, please share.

scaredycat

thanks Tombo, appreciate the advice

benjamin d

Those times are amazing! I'm not the one to provide a training plan but imo with four runs a week you're probably capable of getting down to something closer to 18.xx rather than just going for sub 20.

Tombo2001

Have you come across this lady before? if ever you wanted inspiration.....

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/other-sports/delight-for-sergiu-ciobanu-and-laura-graham-428305.html

gramar

I would say you definitely can and will do it long before the end of the year. I was running 5km in around 21:30 in July/August and did 20:15 in late September and 19:45 two weeks later. I was running more or less the same as you mixing up LSR's with tempo/fartlek runs and intervals.

You are quite close and if you run 21:39 on your own you'd be down around 21:00 in a race.

I'd agree with Tombo and up a treadmill session to 40mins if possible. Then speed session Tuesday and maybe one of the other treadmill sessions with an incline.

scaredycat

thanks for the encouragement and the advice, appreciate it. I think its a good idea to do one session on an incline too. Its a pity I can't get out on road to train but can only do what I can do for now.

also thanks Ben for the idea of me doing close to 18 min... I'm laughing at that cos there is no way I would ever get close, but thanks all the same :-)

i'll try up the sessions to 40 mins if I can, I kinda try do it when little one is napping but that can be anything from 20 mins to and hour so I kinda have to go with flow on it really.

Its funny tho, before I had my two kids I used to just run for fun, running 10-12 miles before work everyday for fun and sometimes did evening runs on top of them. Then randomly came across my local club and joined them hesitantly (as I was so used to running on my own I didn't want to run with people). Now since joining them I am eager to run races and can't run on my own and now I have no time to run. I feel I have missed my opportunity to run well in races... hopefully when they start to get a bit older I will have more time and as long as age doesn't kill me first, (i'm 37 now) I will get the chance to run good.

gramar

scaredycat wrote: »

thanks for the encouragement and the advice, appreciate it. I think its a good idea to do one session on an incline too. Its a pity I can't get out on road to train but can only do what I can do for now.

also thanks Ben for the idea of me doing close to 18 min... I'm laughing at that cos there is no way I would ever get close, but thanks all the same :-)

i'll try up the sessions to 40 mins if I can, I kinda try do it when little one is napping but that can be anything from 20 mins to and hour so I kinda have to go with flow on it really.

Its funny tho, before I had my two kids I used to just run for fun, running 10-12 miles before work everyday for fun and sometimes did evening runs on top of them. Then randomly came across my local club and joined them hesitantly (as I was so used to running on my own I didn't want to run with people). Now since joining them I am eager to run races and can't run on my own and now I have no time to run. I feel I have missed my opportunity to run well in races... hopefully when they start to get a bit older I will have more time and as long as age doesn't kill me first, (i'm 37 now) I will get the chance to run good.

Not at all. You're running great times after a long break off. With the training plan you have then there's no reason why you couldn't get into 18:XX like Benjamin D said if you put in the work. It sounds like you're selling yourself very short.

Tombo2001

scaredycat wrote: »

thanks for the encouragement and the advice, appreciate it. I think its a good idea to do one session on an incline too. Its a pity I can't get out on road to train but can only do what I can do for now.

also thanks Ben for the idea of me doing close to 18 min... I'm laughing at that cos there is no way I would ever get close, but thanks all the same :-)

i'll try up the sessions to 40 mins if I can, I kinda try do it when little one is napping but that can be anything from 20 mins to and hour so I kinda have to go with flow on it really.

Its funny tho, before I had my two kids I used to just run for fun, running 10-12 miles before work everyday for fun and sometimes did evening runs on top of them. Then randomly came across my local club and joined them hesitantly (as I was so used to running on my own I didn't want to run with people). Now since joining them I am eager to run races and can't run on my own and now I have no time to run. I feel I have missed my opportunity to run well in races... hopefully when they start to get a bit older I will have more time and as long as age doesn't kill me first, (i'm 37 now) I will get the chance to run good.

Simply not true.

As mentioned, winner of the Women's Marathon in Dublin is a mother of 4. Winner of the women's race at Raheny on last Sunday (biggest club-run road race in the country) is in O40s, and second place in the 045s. Jo pavey won the European Athletics 10000m championships last year aged 40.

37 is not at all old for a runner.

If anything, I would feel that the distractions people have in their 20s, in other words social life, can be more of an impediment than having young kids.

Its much harder to run with a bad hangover, than if you've had to wake up twice during the night to feed a baby.....

The big thing for you is (I) carve out a routine where you can run regularly if possible 5 days a week, with some speed work thrown in, and (ii) get as much sleep as possible, eat well, stay hydrated. It can be done, but it needs discipline - e.g. when you get a window of opportunity to run, you go straight away, no messing about.

The thing about running, is that its just about the only sport you can fit in when your schedule is tight like that.

scaredycat

thanks guys, the above info is very helpful and I agree with a lot of it in regards to running when window opens and to be honest I generally do try to do that when I can. It will be easier to switch my sessions to road now too once bright evenings come in as I live deep in countryside so its lethal during the day to run, and would be impossible at night, regardless of amount of reflectors you have on.

there is a 5km race on thurs night so I am going to try make that now as I missed speed training tonight for a funeral so least I can get a fast session in now this week.

thank you all for the encouragement, I feel very happy this evening after reading these as I see people try for ages to beat times etc and I was thinking I was just getting ahead of myself saying I would ever get sub 20, but now I feel motivated and determined to do this, so thank you.

ariana`

Wow, you have a brilliant starting time for 5km. I'd say your potential is limitless. I run with 3 young kids, a full time job and living in the sticks with no street lights or footpaths. I'm no where near your standard but i manage 3 runs a week all outdoors (i don't have a dreadmill). I'm trying to get to 4 runs a week but it's a struggle to fit the 4th run in around life Stick with it, your baby is only 5 months so early days but i'd say you will be reporting that sub 20 here before long and after that well goodness who knows what the future holds

gypsylee

Wow, I am totally in awe of you. Running that time is impressive and even more so when you have such a young baby. Good luck with your training, looking forward to reading about how you nailed that sub 20 km.

EC1000

My 2c - if you can get to your club on a Tuesday evening then I am guessing you have at least an hour of a slot in which you go there, run and get home? If so, use that as the slot for your long run each week as you should not neglect that aspect of training. Run from your home and I guess you will be able to fit in more than an hour if you cut out the drive to the club? (I am making lots of assumptions here btw...). The 40 min slots that you have on the treadie are much better suited to speed work. It's all about making the best use of your time.

Another option is to buy a running buggy......

hillsiderunner

No extra advice to give, agree with suggestions above.

But just to add - those are incredible times on so little training, I can only dream!

scaredycat

Thanks for all the tips and advice, appreciate them all genuinely.
I do and will continue to use whatever window I have to train and hopefully once bright evenings come in, I will get more training in.
Will let ye know (in few months time...) if I ever reach that sub 20.
Thanks to you all... I honestly feel confident already so its just about smart training now and ability to push myself when needed.
Thanks...

annapr

+1 to the above... 20:20 in your first 5k!! that means you have tons of potential. Maybe try to find a plan that can work on lower mileage/less frequency....?

and as someone suggested above, would you consider getting a running buggy... for a good workout!?

ger664

scaredycat wrote: »

I have to mind the 2 kids at weekend as my husband works so its not possible.

Not knowing your circumstances but sit down with hubby and try and find a 90 minutes slot at some point over the weekend. A weekly long run of ~60 minutes will bring you on no end.