The sub-20 5k dread-thread

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Huntsman Feb 2021 1:23pm, 1 Feb 2021 5,649 posts	0 Huntsman My plan is polarised training building up to a regular 160ish miles a month with just a few hard sessions included amongst the 160 miles. The hard sessions will probably be 5k time trials 😁
Big_G Feb 2021 1:37pm, 1 Feb 2021 596 posts	0 Big_G I miss parkrun, but my parkrun PB is an annoying 20:00. I've gone sub-20 in official races though. My fast parkrun course (Torbay Velopark) is 1.5 miles from me so it's perfect really as I can jog down but, interestingly, the winter course is probably quicker than the summer course for me if it’s not windy. In both winter and summer it's two laps of a tarmac track, and then in the summer it's out round a field for a mile to finish. That field gets waterlogged in the winter, so in the winter it's 3 laps around the tarmac track and then up and down a muddy/flooded path to finish. Basically, I'm particularly crap at any sniff of off-road, although I love training on the coast path, but it is a goal to get under 20 on that course. I rinsed myself to get 20:00 and it was all I could do on that day, but soon after I did something like 19:30ish on a road course fairly comfortably. I wasn’t any fitter, but it just shows I’m much more comfortable on tarmac. Also, at the race I was in a group of probably 10 runners which makes it a lot easier, whereas generally I’d be more likely to be on my own at parkrun. Mt Edgcumbe is a great course, although I haven't done Lanhydrock. I really enjoyed Eden Project the time I did it, but again it’s not a quick one.
Paul N Mar 2021 9:11am, 24 Mar 2021 2,293 posts	0 Paul N Back is now Ormeau Parkrun monkey free. 19:19 post to post.
Homer Jul 2023 6:11pm, 9 Jul 2023 14,226 posts	0 Homer Been a while...
tipsku Jul 2023 7:59pm, 9 Jul 2023 3,199 posts	0 tipsku oh yes, this thread still exists. I still haven't gotten any closer to my goal - 20:33 is still the fastest 5k I've ever run and that was in 2016 or so Since then, 21:58 has been the fastest, I think. I have to admit that I haven't really tried; my focus has been mostly 10k to marathon distance. I appear to prefer marathon training to lung-busting 5k training.
Homer Jul 2023 8:22pm, 9 Jul 2023 14,227 posts	0 Homer Very common that I think - and understandable
peanut Sep 2023 6:19pm, 13 Sep 2023 5 posts	0 peanut I'm aiming for sub-20, hoping by the end of the year, but think it might be a bit of a stretch. I find it difficult to hold the pace in the second half. It hurts too much!
Homer Sep 2023 9:33pm, 13 Sep 2023 14,259 posts	0 Homer Yup - it can do that peanut How's your training?
peanut Sep 2023 10:40am, 14 Sep 2023 6 posts	0 peanut Nothing too specific to 5k. I had never really thought 20min 5k was achievable but then ran 20:11 and so now wondering if I can find 12 seconds from somewhere... I do a weekly club tempo run. Have also just started trying to do weekly intervals by myself, ranging 500m-1k reps, and increasing my long runs to 10miles. Hoping that mileage consistency can bring down my time. Any sessions you found particularly helpful?
Homer Sep 2023 11:54am, 14 Sep 2023 14,260 posts	0 Homer Sounds spot on peanut. Consistency is key.... plenty slow miles and a bit of regular intervals and it will come (oh and maybe a faster course )