good time for 5k?

Newbie

I've been running (again) for about 3.5 weeks now, and i've been shaving time off my 5k time trial every time i do it. Today, i did it in 26 minutes, 4 minutes faster than my first time trial.

Just want some suggestions on my training

How do train for the 5k?

I do

2 long runs a week 40 minutes plus
1 power workout, hills or 100's
2 5k's

what is a respectible time for a non competive runner for the 5k?

Frightened Inmate #2

The definition is "respectable" is going to vary pretty widely on this, but IMHO, I'd say that low 20's in doing pretty well.

Newbie

I ran a 5k today and I clocked a 21 mins 23 secs. It wasn't that bad, at the end I felt like running more. I like to see 5k time in the teens. But that'll just come with more conditioning and training. Rome wasn't built over night, things like this take time. Maybe you should turn up the intensity of your runs. Run 3 times a week instead of twice. When I first started running, I wanted to built up my endurance before I started clocking myself. Don't worry too much about what your time is. Just get yourself into a rythym and work your way up.

Adjunct

a lot depends on age race course etc

Some people here would be thrilled with a 30 min 5 k
others would be poed if the did not go under 20.

Member

I look at a "good" time as a very individual thing. When someone tells me they have a PR, it's great.......4 minutes is huge!!! When someone is running sub 18 minutes...a 10-15 second PR is huge.

If a guy that normally runs around 19 minutes tells me he ran 20....respectable, but not a good 5k. Someone that runs 32 minutes and then yanks out a 25 minute race.....well, that rocks!!! Tells me that someone's taking racing seriously. Everyone has the ability to be a winner in my book. In a race, there is only one.

Canadian Bacon

I asked this very question in another forum. I agree in saying that what ever makes you feel good afterwards.

Myself, I would love to a a 25 min. I'm doing a 5km portion of a relay in May. I really want to do well...

Good luck!

Member

Depends on your current fitness level and you like to see yourself sometime down the road. Your perspective of a good time will change once you hit your goal time. If you are currently running 25 mins, 20-21 mins or so may be a good time..if you are in the 18s, anything in the 17s and below is respectable.

Since you just started running quite recently, the sort of training that you are doing now will probably give you lots of improvement until your body finally adapts to it and plateaus, which will take a few months. After this, you may probably want to do a few things if you want to continue improving. First build a bigger aerobic mileage base via easy & long runs, second bring in the speedwork, perhaps twice a week- this will initiate further improvements. To initiate even further improvements will require you to continue to tweak and change certain features of the training plan in order to provide stimulus for improvement...and so on until you reach your ultimate potential (which rarely happens to most of us).
Your body will go through cycles of stimulation (via training) and adaptation (which results in plateau). Think of it as ascending a long staircase one step at a time. To see improvements, you have to provide enough training stimulus. Too much of the same type of training will result in your body becoming stale and therefore improvements stop. Also remember as you get fitter, the returns from training will become less (law of diminishing returns).

To really make it close to your potential however requires years of dedicated training and hard work. Improvements in running do not happen overnight...it's a gradual process that takes time.

Member

Excellent comments Tim!!!

Canadian Bacon

This also helps me Tim!
Thanks!

Newbie

some great replies all

cheers

Ron

good time for 5k?

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