2.5K in 8:45min

shikamaru1992

How would I be able to achieve the above..? And is it realistically possible for me...?

Here is a breakdown of my situation as I kno details will be needed in order for someone to be able to help me out:

I am visiting a Street dance boarding school and had to take an audition which included completing a 2.5k run as fast as possible.

The track we ran was a cross country track and it took me 13:01 mins.

I felt miserable after the run and was highly disappointed in the way I did and therefore told myself that i will aim to break the school record, which currently stands at 8:46mins.

The audition took place in May 2016. In June 2016 I started a programme put together by the Nike running app (5k programme).
I set it up in a way that I ran 5 times a week till September with a schedule including mainly runs between 3 to 10k (tempo, benchmark, long, recovery runs and every second week some interval runs)

From October on I have been using the same app with a reduced amount of sessions (3-4 sessions a week), due to the intensity of my daily school schedule which led to my body not being able to cope with the workload I exposed it to everyday.

By mid October I was able to run the track in 10:28 secs, but soon after that it got colder and started snowing (The boarding school is in Sweden, so the snow is usually quite deep).

The weather circumstances made the runs tougher but I kept them up No matter the weather and no matter how cold it was. However, over the past 4 weeks I have been slacking and only completed one run a week.

The snow is now gone and even tho having run that much my time does not seem to be much better than it was before. The same 6 people that ran faster than me before the snow came are still faster than me even tho not having run over the past 5 months.

Over the past 6 weeks I have started using a new app called freeletics that is focused on increasing my speed (3 to 4 times a week programs based on interval training)

I don't kno if this is a mind thing and I am just going through a slump or whether I am doing something wrong.. I really just want to kno whether It is possible for me to break this record as it has been one of my aims during my time at the school.. And if it is what would be the best way for me to achieve it..?

Other details you may need to kno:

- Apart from running sessions I have also 3 to 4 workout sessions a week (+ street dance practice everyday)
- I am quite a good sprinter I would say
- I am male, just turned 25,weigh 85kg and am 1,81m tall
- I have until June next year to break the record, but would obviously prefer to break it before if it is realistic or even possible (around November the snow will be back for about 5 months again)
- The person holding the record was a smoker and didn't run that much which makes me ask whether this is really impossible for someone trying to put in the work
- I am a complete amateur and have not paid a lot of attention to my running technique or my breathing (I got a breathing pattern, however am not sure if it's actually that efficient)

If there's anything else you need to kno feel free to ask I hope someone will be able to help me out.

Thanks a lot in advance.

S.

2.5km is close enough to 1.5miles (2.5kmi is a bit longer by about 100m).
Converting to 1.5 miles as it's a length in the mcmillan calculator which compares various distances by a formula allowing for the fact that you can't run 10km at the same speed as you can 5k etc. (i.e. you can run 5k at a faster average pace than at 10k)
To run 1.5miles in say 8:30 (allowing for the extra length) you should be able to do these times in other distances.
https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/calcUsage/results?hours=&minutes=8&seconds=30&distance=1.5%20Miles&goalDistance=10km&ghours=&gminutes=&gseconds=
Practice intervals of shorter distances say 800m and 400m targeting getting down to the mcmillan speeds and build up stamina. If you are making progress you are on the right track.
Also maybe do parkruns of 5k and aim for a time under 19minutes.
It's a speed achievable for most people of your age and bmi if you put the effort in. although given that you're talking about a cross country track you'd want to be faster on tarmac or a 400m track as the cross country terrain will slow you down. get cross country spikes probably a good idea also.
you have a good bit to go from your initial run of 13:01 as that's a 1 mile race pace of 8:19. you have to go from being able to run a mile in 8:19 to 5:26
https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/calcUsage/results?hours=&minutes=13&seconds=01&distance=1.5%20Miles&goalDistance=10km&ghours=&gminutes=&gseconds=
why use white text - bizarre?

daheff

Great to have a goal like this.


This is achievable for most people who put in the time and effort into training.

2 key things (for me) for you to do this.

Stamina.
Speed.

Stamina can be gotten from long runs. Regular running.
Speed is the more difficult part. If you want to run this time you are looking at (by my calcs) a 3:30 km pace. Thats not a crazy time over this distance. But how to get that pace? A friend of mine (much quicker runner than me) used to do short sharp runs at very high pace to get the run pace. So if you can, find a 400m track. Try running laps at pace. For your goal you need a 1:24 lap. Start off trying to do a lap at 2mins. take a short break (1 or 2 min). Do another at 2 mins. Try do 5 at that pace. 5 laps -2km...10mins. Shouldnt be a problem to you. Over the course of a 3-4 weeks try increase pace by 5-10 sec per lap. It'll be harder...but possible. If you feel up to it try the last lap (or an additional lap) all out. Ideally you will be able to get to 1.24 pace and beyond before trying the 2.5km run.

Alternate days like this with a longer run at medium pace (try for the run to be at least 3km, if not longer). Over time the pace for this run should increase to as close to desired pace as possible.

Its not easy to get to where you want to be, but it is possible with hard work and commitment.

good luck and keep us informed how you go.

***if my pace times are off recalculate and adjust times as necessary.

walshb

Speed is not really important here as 2.5 k in 8 mins 45 won't require much speed work. Stamina and keeping a half decent pace should see you reach this target. If you can sprint well that tells me the speed is there. It's now about endurance, not seven speed-endurance, just endurance. Plenty of runs and miles/ks in the legs will see you hit this. 3/4/5 k runs...

daheff

walshb wrote: »

Speed is not really important here as 2.5 k in 8 mins 45 won't require much speed work.

Maybe not, but absolutely will need to get his body used to running at this pace...and if only stamina runs were needed for him, I think he'd probably already be there (he mentions running 3-10ks last summer 4-5 times a week. I'm surmising that this schedule hasnt gotten him to the speed he needs, so he needs to change it up a bit).


I'm open to correction...mine is just a suggestion on how to get the speed & stamina he needs -but most of all hope OP achieves his goal. As I said its good to have a goal & a target like this. Gives you the motivation to achieve something important to you.

OP- even if you dont manage 8.45, look at the inroads you made on your best time last year. 2 and a half mins is a good improvement. Your start time wasnt amazingly fast, but wasnt very slow either....just over 5min kms.
your times now are near 4min kms...you've taken nearly 20% off your times.


another somewhat similar topic - 3km sub 10 mins
http://www.coolrunning.com.au/forums/?showtopic=23692