More Running Tips Please ! Training for a 5K and Beyond...

[Science Friction]

As I mentioned several months ago, I took up running in July 2014 to improve my health. I was 52 years old with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and 40 pounds overweight. Some of you gave me some tips early on in my running and I have made use of many of them. I have made much improvement over the past year, but it hasn't been easy. I sure wish I had started running when I was younger because it has been very challenging at my age.

 

Now that I have made strides and improved my health measureably, I am ready to begin working on refining my running skills. I am still a newby to running and have much to learn and I am still a long way from where I would like to be.

 

Now that I have several months of running behind me, what are some things I can do to take it to another level and really improve my speed for 5K and longer distances? I do pretty well for shorter distances, but would be really excited if I could improve dramatically on longer runs. I recently competed in my first race, one of those one mile fun runs. I finished in a time of 6:36. I cannot maintain anywhere close to that pace when I stretch out the distance. How fast should a 53 yo man be able to run a mile? I can do two miles at a 7:15 or so pace. I know that's not great for some accomplished high school runners but high school passed me by decades ago... It is better than where I was a year ago when I couldn't even run to the end of my street.

 

I know we have some runners on here that know a lot more than I do on how to run better and faster. I would appreciate more tips on how to make more gains over the next year. Thanks in advance.

[doubledeuce]

Pray...............could not resist:banana:

[UKMustangFan]

I'm not a runner by any means, but for a 53 year old guy a 7:15 pace is pretty solid I would think.

[Science Friction]

Pray...............could not resist:banana:

 

LOL

[woodsrider]

I'm not a runner by any means, but for a 53 year old guy a 7:15 pace is pretty solid I would think.

Actually it's not bad at all.

 

If yo want to really improve 5k times interval training is probably the best way. I always like 400m sprints with 1 minute rest in between. Do maybe 8-10 of them. When I say sprint it really just needs to be effort above what your 5K pace would be. If you have a a hill you can run, hill sprints are awesome. Something like a 200m sprint up hill then walk/jog back down, repeat for 8-10 times. Then mix in a steady longer run once per week. Something in the 5-6 mile range.

[bugatti]

Actually it's not bad at all.

 

If yo want to really improve 5k times interval training is probably the best way. I always like 400m sprints with 1 minute rest in between. Do maybe 8-10 of them. When I say sprint it really just needs to be effort above what your 5K pace would be. If you have a a hill you can run, hill sprints are awesome. Something like a 200m sprint up hill then walk/jog back down, repeat for 8-10 times. Then mix in a steady longer run once per week. Something in the 5-6 mile range.

 

This here.

 

Running is a skill. Most things you read it takes 2-3 years before someone gets down a running form. The next level in running, to achieve higher results one has to do actual workouts at a track, intervals, or hills. Incorporate tempo work is always key. Overall strength can't be forgotten either, especially with you core.

[bugatti]

If you are tacking off 7:15 miles you are ahead of the curve.

[woodsrider]

You have to remember that 5K really isn't that far. In endurance type events it's really a sprint. It's more about how much pain can you take. The intervals just increase that pain tolerance. At least that's always the way I approached them when I was serious about time.

[Science Friction]

If you are tacking off 7:15 miles you are ahead of the curve.

 

 

I can do one mile under 7, two miles about 7:15 pace, and then it slows some in the third mile. I hope to get to where I can do the 5K distance at an average 7 min pace by next summer.

 

You mentioned tempo runs in your post. Could you please explain those?

[bugatti]

I can do one mile under 7, two miles about 7:15 pace, and then it slows some in the third mile. I hope to get to where I can do the 5K distance at an average 7 min pace by next summer.

 

You mentioned tempo runs in your post. Could you please explain those?

 

Sustained distance at a harder pace. I run marathons so my runs are longer than most. For a tempo run I will go 8 miles at a higher threshold than a typical jog. You can also mix and match tempo efforts into a run. For example, my marathon race pace is 7:45-7:50 miles. A workout I did leading up to the marathon was a 1 mile slow jog (8:30 pace), 1 mile descend (8:00), 2 miles @ race pace, 2 miles @ tempo pace (7:20-7:30), 2 miles @ race pace, 1 mile slow jog (8:30 pace). I've found the more you "shock" your legs by going fast/slow, the better you perform.

[Science Friction]

Sustained distance at a harder pace. I run marathons so my runs are longer than most. For a tempo run I will go 8 miles at a higher threshold than a typical jog. You can also mix and match tempo efforts into a run. For example, my marathon race pace is 7:45-7:50 miles. A workout I did leading up to the marathon was a 1 mile slow jog (8:30 pace), 1 mile descend (8:00), 2 miles @ race pace, 2 miles @ tempo pace (7:20-7:30), 2 miles @ race pace, 1 mile slow jog (8:30 pace). I've found the more you "shock" your legs by going fast/slow, the better you perform.

 

 

Wow, that's really interesting. Thank you. I will try to incorporate tempo into some of my longer runs. If I understand correctly, the benefit comes from getting your body accustomed to running at different speeds. I have heard of runners speaking about fartleks. Besides being a bit of a funny sounding word, is that another type of interval training?

[bugatti]

Wow, that's really interesting. Thank you. I will try to incorporate tempo into some of my longer runs. If I understand correctly, the benefit comes from getting your body accustomed to running at different speeds. I have heard of runners speaking about fartleks. Besides being a bit of a funny sounding word, is that another type of interval training?

Basically, yes. You can break down interval training by distance and/or time. Maybe do 2 laps at 90% effort, 1 lap at 50% effort. Repeat 6-10 times. Or, run hard for 2 minutes, run easy for 30 seconds. Lots of variations you can do.

[Science Friction]

Basically, yes. You can break down interval training by distance and/or time. Maybe do 2 laps at 90% effort, 1 lap at 50% effort. Repeat 6-10 times. Or, run hard for 2 minutes, run easy for 30 seconds. Lots of variations you can do.

 

 

Thank you. You have been very helpful.

[bugatti]

Thank you. You have been very helpful.

Only if your times improve

[Science Friction]

Only if your times improve

 

 

I'm gonna give it my all. Wish I could do this at 35 instead of 53 though. I'm just thankful I can still be active at this age. Let me ask you this. Based on what I've indicated in my above posts, what kind of times would be realistic goals for me to set by next summer? The only race I have ever run was a one mile fun run about three weeks ago. I gave it all I had and finished at 6:36, about twenty seconds faster than I had ever run in practice.

 

When I run hard in practice I am around 7 min for a mile, about 14:30 for two miles , and around 23:00 + for 5K distance. I am going to incorporate all of what you mentioned into three 12 week training programs, each a little harder than the previous one. This should take me to about the first of May. By then, what could I expect as time goals for one mile , two mile, and 5K distances?