Improving my running - getting faster over 5k
Discussion
I know the standard answer would be to run more miles per week etc but;
I have a 4yr old to look after so time is limited and 30 minutes on a treadmill is as much time as I can get leaving him sort of unattended...this limits my outdoor runs
I like to do weights 3x per week so this doesn't leave much time for running. I don't want to drop the weights sessions
I don't really like running any real sort of distance - boring for me and hard on my knees. I have run 10k a few times and have no problems running that far (took me 52 minutes)
I run 3 or 4 times a week using the treadmill 90% of the time. I do get chance one in a blue moon to run a little further.
For the last 6 months (since I started back running after a break) I have always used the incline settings on the treadmill and do 5k in 30 minutes. When I run outside (maybe 1 session in 10) I run 5k in about 25mins.........the treadmill is harder given the inclines I use.
Every 4th session, I run hard for a minute and walk for a minute (repeated for 30 minutes) and this seems to have helped my short distance speed and recovery massively.
I'm loads fitter and have lost weight over the last few months but now want to improve my 5k speed. Can this be done given my limitations on time etc? Is there a smarter way to use my running sessions?
Any help appreciated.
Ps I'm 42 and around 12 stone
I have a 4yr old to look after so time is limited and 30 minutes on a treadmill is as much time as I can get leaving him sort of unattended...this limits my outdoor runs
I like to do weights 3x per week so this doesn't leave much time for running. I don't want to drop the weights sessions
I don't really like running any real sort of distance - boring for me and hard on my knees. I have run 10k a few times and have no problems running that far (took me 52 minutes)
I run 3 or 4 times a week using the treadmill 90% of the time. I do get chance one in a blue moon to run a little further.
For the last 6 months (since I started back running after a break) I have always used the incline settings on the treadmill and do 5k in 30 minutes. When I run outside (maybe 1 session in 10) I run 5k in about 25mins.........the treadmill is harder given the inclines I use.
Every 4th session, I run hard for a minute and walk for a minute (repeated for 30 minutes) and this seems to have helped my short distance speed and recovery massively.
I'm loads fitter and have lost weight over the last few months but now want to improve my 5k speed. Can this be done given my limitations on time etc? Is there a smarter way to use my running sessions?
Any help appreciated.
Ps I'm 42 and around 12 stone
Im no hero runner or anything genrally i mainly just run 5K ish every now and then 10k
Sounds to me like your doing the right thing. Your doing pretty much the same as i do. Steady running at a longer distance mixed in with speed work.
For the speed i do intervals 30sec full on 45sec rest is genrrally what i do but adjust the times to suit you and how fit you are. If you need it rest for 1 min when you get better at it increase the effort time and or decrease the rest time.
Other times i go a longer distance and a higher MPH so for eg if you run at 6mph go at 7mph pace for 1/2 mile then slow to your normal pace for 1/2 mile etc.
TBH i just find it makes running more interesting rather than just plodding along pounding the pavement / treadmill.
Sounds to me like your doing the right thing. Your doing pretty much the same as i do. Steady running at a longer distance mixed in with speed work.
For the speed i do intervals 30sec full on 45sec rest is genrrally what i do but adjust the times to suit you and how fit you are. If you need it rest for 1 min when you get better at it increase the effort time and or decrease the rest time.
Other times i go a longer distance and a higher MPH so for eg if you run at 6mph go at 7mph pace for 1/2 mile then slow to your normal pace for 1/2 mile etc.
TBH i just find it makes running more interesting rather than just plodding along pounding the pavement / treadmill.
Have a browse of The Running Thread - it's long but there's lots of information in there.
One thing you could try in your interval session is to increase the "on" time to 2 mins - so 2 mins fast, 1 min recovery and make the fast pace your target 5k pace or faster. You need to get used to running for sustained periods at that speed and a ration of 2:1 effort:recovery is fairly normal for speed work.
One thing you could try in your interval session is to increase the "on" time to 2 mins - so 2 mins fast, 1 min recovery and make the fast pace your target 5k pace or faster. You need to get used to running for sustained periods at that speed and a ration of 2:1 effort:recovery is fairly normal for speed work.
I'd agree that interval training may help you.
However, not sure why it was, but I only really started to get my 5km and 10km times down (to approx 18 and 38 mins PBs respectively) once I stopped using treadmills and started running outside - perhaps something to do with the boredom of a treadmill?! Find a fixed route, ideally with some hills, and then start to improve - much easier to gauge/measure with a Garmin watch or similar.
However, not sure why it was, but I only really started to get my 5km and 10km times down (to approx 18 and 38 mins PBs respectively) once I stopped using treadmills and started running outside - perhaps something to do with the boredom of a treadmill?! Find a fixed route, ideally with some hills, and then start to improve - much easier to gauge/measure with a Garmin watch or similar.
If you're running on a treadmill it very simple (not easy though) to improve your speed over 5k. Something which has worked very well for me is pyramiding my running.
It works like this. You start running at a certian speed (say 11kph for the sake of argument). Then every minute you increase the speed by 0.1kph. You do this for the first 20 minutes of your run (so in total you speed up by 2kph). Then you knock the speed down and cool down for the remainder of the run.
At the start of the run you'll be quite comfortable, but by the end you'll be pushing on quite hard.
The next time you run you increase you starting speed by 0.1kph. You won't really notice the increase, you'll only be running slightly faster than you have previously, but you'll be surprised at how much quicker you are over the run.
Aim to increase your speed by 0.1kph per week. It really works, and will help your speed a lot.
It works like this. You start running at a certian speed (say 11kph for the sake of argument). Then every minute you increase the speed by 0.1kph. You do this for the first 20 minutes of your run (so in total you speed up by 2kph). Then you knock the speed down and cool down for the remainder of the run.
At the start of the run you'll be quite comfortable, but by the end you'll be pushing on quite hard.
The next time you run you increase you starting speed by 0.1kph. You won't really notice the increase, you'll only be running slightly faster than you have previously, but you'll be surprised at how much quicker you are over the run.
Aim to increase your speed by 0.1kph per week. It really works, and will help your speed a lot.
t kept slapping me in the head as I climbed up the stairs at a castle! 
? 
Bit big for going in a backpack or buggy now. He's also no good on the bike yet (though swims like a fish), but this is my longer term plan.
Tried the 2 minute run and 1 minute walk earlier. Used a slower pace than I had been doing when doing a 1 on 1 off run but 1km/hour over usual running pace. Ran on 1 of the hill profiles and found the 2 minutes at incline 6 particularly hard.
Good challenging run though so will keep adding this in once In a while.
Thanks all for suggestions, serious and otherwise
Tried the 2 minute run and 1 minute walk earlier. Used a slower pace than I had been doing when doing a 1 on 1 off run but 1km/hour over usual running pace. Ran on 1 of the hill profiles and found the 2 minutes at incline 6 particularly hard.
Good challenging run though so will keep adding this in once In a while.
Thanks all for suggestions, serious and otherwise
CAH706 said:
Bit big for going in a backpack or buggy now. He's also no good on the bike yet (though swims like a fish), but this is my longer term plan.
Tried the 2 minute run and 1 minute walk earlier. Used a slower pace than I had been doing when doing a 1 on 1 off run but 1km/hour over usual running pace. Ran on 1 of the hill profiles and found the 2 minutes at incline 6 particularly hard.
Good challenging run though so will keep adding this in once In a while.
Thanks all for suggestions, serious and otherwise
The big thing is don't rest on your laurels. Keep pushing yourself, you want to be as exerted six months down the line as you are two weeks into the interval training. You will, however, be running much faster for longer periods of time, eg. 45 sec on, 30 secs off and the speeds for both will be higher. Tried the 2 minute run and 1 minute walk earlier. Used a slower pace than I had been doing when doing a 1 on 1 off run but 1km/hour over usual running pace. Ran on 1 of the hill profiles and found the 2 minutes at incline 6 particularly hard.
Good challenging run though so will keep adding this in once In a while.
Thanks all for suggestions, serious and otherwise
Don't get into a comfort zon, or the benefits wil plateau.
Thanks Roger, that looks interesting and should help add variety etc.
I have started to log my workouts a bit more religiously and will aim to beat my previous workouts each time, even if only slightly.
I have improved massively when I look back over the last few months but improvement has slowed so I will need to be more disciplined.
Cheers all
I have started to log my workouts a bit more religiously and will aim to beat my previous workouts each time, even if only slightly.
I have improved massively when I look back over the last few months but improvement has slowed so I will need to be more disciplined.
Cheers all
buggy all the way.....i even take my 13 year old out in ours (after dark.....he feels daft!) great for fitness.
as for 5k times i found 1k at race pace, 1m rest ....repeat. helped me get the speed and a bit of 10k training to get the stamina......i've only been running 6 months but have a 5k of just over 21m at age 39/17stone.
as for 5k times i found 1k at race pace, 1m rest ....repeat. helped me get the speed and a bit of 10k training to get the stamina......i've only been running 6 months but have a 5k of just over 21m at age 39/17stone.
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