Almost everyone in the UK’s favourite Olympic Gold Medal diver, Tom Daley, has let slip that he recently posted a 5K PB.
Daley’s time was a highly respectable 19:51 (Summer 2021) and is his only Sub-20 time.
If you look at photos of Tom diving you will see that he has a highly chiselled physique and yet his time is ‘only’ just under 20 minutes. Sure it’s a different kind of fitness but I think this shows that it is extremely difficult for anyone to run a Sub20 5K who has not done some run training.
For a 27-year-old male, like Tom, then a Sub20 5K is not as impressive as it sounds and is easily possible with a bit of committed training. However, if you look at the posts linked further below you can check out how difficult it is for you to run run a Sub 20 5K. Hint: For a 45-49-year-old woman a Sub20 5K would represent an 82% age-graded achievement and unless you are a club runner you almost certainly won’t know anyone who can achieve an 82% Sub20 time, that would be seriously impressive. FWIW: Tom’s achievement is about 66%.
Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch. I use this model.
Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
Reader-Powered Content
This content is not sponsored. It’s mostly me behind the labour of love, which is this site, and I appreciate everyone who supports it.
All articles are written by real people, fact-checked, and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID