Hi there,

Just got back from my last time trial did 5k in 20:20. Getting closer to my target of 5k in 20 mins but still got 20 seconds to go. Has anyone got any advice on how to sustain the race pace?

From my splits I did my first lap at the right pace for 20 mins (15kmh), but the second lap I tailed off (about 14.5 kmh). This is quite annoying. In training I can run at 15.4 kmh for 10 mins. But it seems over the 5k I tail off quite a lot.

My training consists of intervals, fartlek (35-40mins), one long run (70mins) and a tempo run (25mins) each week (4 runs a week).

I was thinking one week should I do 4 session where I run 5k as quick as poss. Basically simulating a race. Is this a good idea?

Cheers,

Tom

Hi Tom

That much speedwork will risk injury, and you will likely slow down dramatically after about the 2nd session anyway.

I suggest you just keep at it; 20 seconds is not much more to shave off, a few more weeks of work and you will be there. If you tweak your schedule at all, I suggest you increase your mileage a little, eg add a few more fairly slow miles. This will increase stamina and mean that you tail off less.

Congrats on the 20:20, anyway, that's pretty darned fast

Perhaps you need a longer break between your training and the timetrial.

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I will let you know once I've done 5k inside 25 mins

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Thanks for the advice, I did have a couple of days off before the time trial. I'll keep plugging along and increase the mileage a bit.

Hi Tom... are these Time Trials that you do alone? or organised time trails in a group?

To be honest you'd be able to knock the extra 20secs off just by being able to cope with the discomfort a little better! If you're running alone then I'd suggest trying to run a 5k race, or a time trial in a group which should help to distract the mind a bit from focusing on how far you've got to go.

Alternatively, one thing that I've found rewarding (although pretty tiring!) is that whenever I feel myself flagging and the pace dropping, I make a conscious effort to push hard, probably a little harder than I would need to to achieve my goal pace, (usually resulting in slightly quicker than goal pace) - I've found that the more I do this, the more the body seems to accept it can't just slow down because it feels a bit tired. Not necessarily the best way to run races, but can be useful for hard training runs

If anyone knows of a good book on psychology in running and the mental battle against discomfort ("I can't do this, I'll have to stop..." type thing) then I'd be really interested to hear about it and have a read. I think Trin mentioned a title in a thread some time ago but I've completely forgotten what the thread was about

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Stratford Summer Six' Race Report Added

I also do weekly time trials when I can make it - having to work some weekends gets in the way once or twice a month though which is really annoying as it's the only fast session I enjoy and it's great for improvement - you can see the group improving every week. I find that running in a group is definitely the thing that motivates me to run faster. Although it's you against the clock, there is an element of friendly competition and you know who is currently at the same speed as you and it's like having a race every week. The guy I finished ahead of last week just got a pb yesterday and is now ahead of me by 12 seconds. I'll have to see what I can do next time

Hi,

I'm doing time trials with about 95 other people in wimbledon common in London. It's a suberb event and free to. I'd recommend anyone to have a go. Although it's 94 other people I mostly find on the second lap I'm running on my own. Either I've been dropped from a group or have dropped someone else. Maybe next time I'll try and stay with the faster group, although my heart rate shows 181 during the 5k, my theoretical max for my age is 186ish. I just think I might blow up if I go any faster!

Also I just brought the 'lore of running' book. It's pretty heavy weight but it has some interesting ideas on training the mind.

Good book, that... Surprised that it hasn't been mentioned on the Forum before.

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GONE RUNNING

Haha... how funny is that... my copy turned up last week but i've been so busy working on projects (outside FT work - which is when I seem to be on teh forum, lol) that I've not had a chance to read past the introduction! I'm really looking forward to it though, it looks like a fantastic read (all nine-hundred-and-something A4 pages of it!).

Tom, my guess would be that you MAX HR is higher than the theoretical 186... unless you have a pretty high pain/discomfort threshold, I reckon maintaining 97% of your Max HR for 20mins is unlikely!

Perhaps you could try a different race tactic? What sort of time are you running through the half-way point?

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Stratford Summer Six' Race Report Added

Sounds like a good book to pick up - I'll have to order a copy.

I did a 5k last night (my first actually - I seem to have done most other distances) and can appreciate what Tom is saying about dropping off in the second half of the 5k. It was a small race in Battersea Park (60 or 70 people) and I quickly found myself on my own after about 2 or 3 minutes. It's definitely hard to keep mentally focused if you are not vying with other runners. I managed to perk up in the last 3/4 km as I saw a runner tiring about 60 yards ahead, but I couldn't quite catch him before the line.

I think you really need to hang tough in the 4th km of the 5k. I think I'll try and kick a gear at this point next time as if the race is a 4k, as the last k you always find something extra knowing you won't have long to hold on.

Oh and hopefully they'll remember the km markers next time to make pacing easier!

If everyone had a copy of the book, this Forum would be a lot quieter!

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GONE RUNNING

I'm only on chapter 2, it's not really the best book to read before bedtime as it takes a lot of concentration. Don't think I can read it on on the tube either, as it's a big book!

Well Richard, I'm doing the first lap in 2.3km in 9:11 which is dead on 20mins for 5k pace. I think as others have said I need to hang on in there and kick on on the 4k!

This eve did 4 x 800m with 1 min rest between on a 400m track. That was really hard work!

were you aiming at 5k pace? or mayeb 3k pace? I've started putting a lot more structure into my speedwork lately and boy the last reps are hard work!

You'll get to 20mins soon enough Tom

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www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Stratford Summer Six' Race Report Added

...and hopefully quicker than I did..took me 20 years of running...on and off!!

Mind you only really trained properly over last couple of years.

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