The sub-20 5k dread-thread

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Chrisull 14 Sep 12:02pm, 14 Sep 2023 20,687 posts	0 Chrisull Long runs would be my tip, 5k is mainly endurance, and if you're struggling in the second half (as is natural), that would point to endurance. 5k is one I find even pace is the way to go, I know some hold by the philosophy go flat out and hold on, but I find that I'm so close to the red, that even a couple of seconds a lap faster is enough to go into the red and have to slow down. I did a track 19.33 following a 19.29 the year before, and I was on track to get 19.30, with 800m to go, I overtook a couple of guys I was level with, the effort caused me to temporarily detonate and have to slow up costing 4-5 seconds that I couldn't get back.
Homer 14 Sep 3:34pm, 14 Sep 2023 14,262 posts	0 Homer Good point
RichHL 14 Sep 4:10pm, 14 Sep 2023 22,400 posts	0 RichHL You could add in 5 x 1k with reducing recoveries, all at slightly quicker than your goal pace. It's a foul thing to run on your own but I scheduled it every week when I organized a Summer of Speed for my training group. Start off with a 4:00 recovery, reducing to 1:00. When you've aced that, start at 2:00 recovery and bring it down to 30s between reps. Toys left prams at 30s recoveries throughout but they did it.
Ally-C 14 Sep 4:15pm, 14 Sep 2023 4,144 posts	0 Ally-C My advice for peanut is join a club.
Ally-C 14 Sep 4:21pm, 14 Sep 2023 4,145 posts	0 Ally-C My advice for peanut is join a club. Sorry never read the previous posts thoroughly enough 😂
peanut 14 Sep 5:49pm, 14 Sep 2023 7 posts	0 peanut You could add in 5 x 1k with reducing recoveries, all at slightly quicker than your goal pace. It's a foul thing to run on your own but I scheduled it every week when I organized a Summer of Speed for my training group. Start off with a 4:00 recovery, reducing to 1:00. When you've aced that, start at 2:00 recovery and bring it down to 30s between reps. Toys left prams at 30s recoveries throughout but they did it. Brilliant, will try this session next time! Yep I agree that running intervals on your own is tricky. My club have track sessions, but I'm reluctant to pay, and they don't do a non-track intervals session so I've been doing my own sessions
Ally-C 14 Sep 5:59pm, 14 Sep 2023 4,146 posts	0 Ally-C Most of the club intervals I do are around local streets or on grass pitches at the University. Our k reps would be something like going every 4, 5 or 6 minutes. Depending on how fast you are. The slower runners would maybe do 5 reps on 6 minutes, speedsters 7 reps on 4 minutes.
Homer 16 Sep 5:28pm, 16 Sep 2023 14,264 posts	0 Homer I'm doing Wednesday night intervals with a local running group. They are good but my focus is improving 5k and so far most of the sessions have been 1k or even 1m efforts - not ideal, but the alternative is going on my own