Need help getting 5k under 20 mins

I am not really a runner, but over the past couple of months I have been jogging once or twice a week. I also do the occasional park run on Saturday mornings.

I am an office based worker, but I am an active person at night and weekends.. I do BJJ three times a week often for 2 hours at a time, I also play football on Wednesday nights and try to squeeze in strength training at the gym twice a week.

I have an ambition to get my 5k under 20 minutes. The best time I have gotten in 21.15. I am usually in and around the 21 mark and I am going pretty hard (for me!).

What do I need to do to get this time down under 20? I am juggling a lot of hobbies, so I know I cant do them all, and something has to give. I don't know if I am overdoing it in some areas, or what I need to do.

Would a session of sprints up long hills once a week and a 5k run be enough to get speed in my legs?

Any help is appreciated.
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Comments

  • indesisiv
    indesisiv Posts: 6,359
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    I would suggest that its probably not the speed that is the issue but the actual stamina to hold the pace you need. Simple solution is to increase weekly mileage.
    You don't need to do long hill repeats really although some short hill reps are useful, along with some shorter interval speed work.
    Should get you closer.
    My PB was 21ish before I started increasing mileage as part of my marathon training, PB currently 19:07 but that's not on a flat course.
    “Time is intended to be spent, not saved” - Alfred Wainwright
  • Strummer22
    Strummer22 Posts: 601
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    Upping the mileage is a good suggestion - just a steady run of 6 to 8km once a week will help. Try more speed work: once a week, run at your target pace for 3 x 1km repeats with a 500m jog in between. As you get faster, do those 1km repeats faster than your target pace, and throw in a couple of sessions of 2 x 2km repeats instead.


    I found though that I absolutely destroyed my 5k PB after I started cycling to work. I dropped it from 19:45 to 18:13. I do cycle up a big hill on my way home, seems the cross training/leg power really helped. Is that an option for you?
  • spikyone
    spikyone Posts: 454
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    Good luck Zola. I'm in a similar boat trying to get under 20 minutes, although currently training towards a couple of half marathons in September and October so already building distance. My PB is 20:36 but that was a big effort and in perfect conditions - no wind, and fairly cool (~10-12 degrees C).

    I've previously struggled to run slowly on training runs; it's always been a case of "run fast enough that you're knackered by the time you finish whatever distance you're planning"! I'm currently experimenting with trying to run slower outside of races and parkrun, around 8:00/mile. I did some reading around improving aerobic performance, which is mostly done at lower levels of effort, and the benefits on muscle recovery of running a slower pace. That could partially explain Stu_N_ getting faster after starting to cycle, which tends to be less strenuous than running unless you're going out like Bradley Wiggins...

    I've also read articles that echo indesisiv's comments on stamina being important even over a distance as "short" as 5k.

    Oh, and if you run, you are really a runner! Plenty of runners would be delighted with a 5k PB as quick as yours.
  • Zola.
    Zola. Posts: 2,204
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    Thanks guys

    I have started upping the miles somewhat, mixing it up between 6k-12k. I am logging it all on Strava.

    I will try to implement a few runs per week, and perhaps sprint work at a track every other week.

    I would love to do this by Christmas, have to get working.
  • max99x
    max99x Posts: 192
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    For me the key was music, a good sound track gave me the extra motivation to push myself, that and look to increase each stride very slightly and it can make a big difference!

    Also try different times of the day, you may have more energy etc. I've got my best 5/10k times at times of the day I thought I didn't have the energy/motivation at!
  • amfan
    amfan Posts: 108
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    Wow, around the 21 minute mark for a "non runner" is pretty impressive to be honest! I've been running pretty regularly for years and I can't get my park run to come in under 24 mins!

    Hills definitely help with speed, if you can incorporate either hill sprints, or a couple of runs a week in a hilly area it will improve your speed over time as your stamina increases.
  • Out of interest how old are you op?

    Age plays a big factor.

    In my mid 20's sub 18 was nothing but as I get close to 40 it's getting more difficult to get sub 20.

    I found backing off and not running so hard every run helped me get quicker.

    If it was me I would do speedwork and a long run each week and try and fit in a few extra runs in between these.
  • Trying to run 5k in 20mins is a quick time IMHO (that's equivalent to 15kph).


    In my early 20's I managed 5k in 21mins but now I'm nearly 50 years old its more like 25 mins.


    Anyhow to answer your question I would pair up with someone at your Saturday park run who consistently runs that distance in 20mins (as your looking for a 5% improvement in time which is achievable, I found running with slightly faster runners helped me reach my time goals, they were the motivation for me to keep up).


    Good luck and BTW I'm impressed with 21 mins
  • Gloomendoom
    Gloomendoom Posts: 16,550
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    I didn't think it was even possible for a human.
  • If you get 5k under 20 mins, your speed need 4.2m/s. I think it is hard to keep this speed for a long time.
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