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10k, 5000 metres, 5k, 5k running, Road running, running, training
Thoughtful 5k training?
How long will it take me to do 5k in less than 20 minutes?
5k runners often have unrealistic expectations about how quickly they can improve. When you start out the improvement is dramatic. But the improvement slows quickly and the training effort required to improve increases. It’s really a statement of the fairly obvious but don’t forget it.
I reckon it will take you at least a year and probably 18 months to get from 23 minutes to sub 20 minutes with committed training. Of course this depends on VERY many factors like your age, sex, starting fitness level, training regime and the like.
I’ve done some research for this post by using a mate’s data. He went from a flat out 23 minutes 5k to a 18:30 5k in just under 4 and a half years. I’ve tried to smooth out his improvements and extrapolate some results but as you can see it went in fits and starts – probably dependent on finding a suitable PB-day with the right motivation.
This might not help your 5k training that much
I train with him a fair bit and I can assure you he trained at least 3 times and up to 5 or 6 times a week for the period in question. Usually in a fairly committed manner. You could probably do it faster.
He is a bit younger than me and was in his late 30s when doing this.
Starting from being very averagely fit and with no specific running training other than the occasional jog here are the approximate dates and the time taken to achieve the next 30 second increment. It’s a bit all over the place until trying to go below 20 minutes:
June/year 1 22:59 0 days
June/year 1 22:29 2 weeks
August/year 1 21:59 2 month
August/year 1 21:29 1 month
October/year 1 20:59 1 month
February/year 2 20:29 4 months
April/year 2 19:59 2 months
October/year 2 19:29 6 months
March/year 4 18:59 18 months
October/year 5 18:29 18 months
Having said all that I know the story of a 25 year old male who went from 23 minutes to 21 minutes in 4 months. But 3 months on and he has not hit 20 minutes. I have this strange suspicion also that if you are, like me, ‘getting on a bit’ then your running efficiency/form AND how fit you were in ‘the good old days’ each can play a significant part in your improvement around 20 minutes. Then again that’s just a personal opinion based on no science whatsoever.
From my own performances as well I remember that 20-19 minutes is not a trivial thing for anyone other than a 20-something male…and even then trivial would be the wrong word to use!
Sorry if that has disheartened you. If you are younger and work harder you’ll get there quicker! Look at some of the posts below and search on this blog for more tips on how to do it.
- 5k running: What if I come last? Should I enter? (the5krunner.com)
- 5k PB How can I get a parkrun 5k PB this saturday (the5krunner.com)
- 5k: Sub 20 minute 5k running and training plan (the5krunner.com)
- 5k Training Plan: SMART Improvement at 75minutes a week. (the5krunner.com)
- 5k: The Training Effect – Some Thoughts (the5krunner.com)
- How Much Do I Sweat During Strenuous 5k & Duathlon Exercise – & So What? (the5krunner.com)
- 5k improvement to under 20 minutes – how long will it take me? (the5krunner.com)
- 5k PB – Again! At Parkrun (the5krunner.com)
- 5K in 20 minutes…19 minutes 18, 23? What’s the difference (the5krunner.com)
- Recovering from the weekend (projectrunblog.wordpress.com)
- Tempo Run (aspoonfulofhealthyblog.wordpress.com)
- Have you discovered your parkrun yet? (distancerunnerdreamer.wordpress.com)
I smoked for 12 years and I have been running for 12 weeks and I ran a sub 20 5k last night for the first time since High school.
Which brand of cigarettes aided this awesome achievement
I Don’t believe he cut 2 minutes in a month
I think you can see the detail and the caveats on runnersforum.co.uk. It was someone who was fit but new to running. From memory i don’t think it was 2 minutes in a month.
It can easily be done if you’re a young male. I’m 25 male fairly fit before started running daily 5ks 8 months ago. Started at 25mins can now do 18:30 most times. I’m on to 10k now – nearly sub 40.
Indeed. I’ll be 50 next month and until 10 years ago existed on a diet of saturated fat, refined sugar, 40-50 fags a day and extreme amounts of alcohol (it’s a cultural thing). I weighed over 100kg until I became ill with acute pancreatitis caused by a rogue gallstone.
The succeeding years have been spent in search of redemption and to that end I ran my first parkrun in January this year after 18 months or so of aimless treadmill activity. I did it in 29:03.
I’ve since done five more, so I’ really averaging only one per month, and have done little in the way of focused training (hence my pitching up on this blog). But I’ve still trimmed five minutes off that original time; twice improving by around two minutes and once by a minute. Conditions have been poor – wet and very muddy – but I’m hoping to go under 24 minutes this weekend, and after reading around this site I’m encouraged to think 20 minutes won’t be beyond me.
Just think what a young, fit lad could do.
sod the young fit lads…you’ve done a pretty fantastic job of knocking off 5 mins. That’s more than half way to 20 mins
just keep improving and don’t get injured (unlike me)
Why thank you.
Actually, as much as I enjoy the personal challenge, I really like the social aspect of parkrun – I do it (Wimbledon Common) with my two daughters and a friend, and we usually repair to the Windmill Cafe for a coffee afterwards. Funny how it always seems to rain the day before, though. :/