With no running background, a collegiate swim background, and 4 months to train, your main goal is to build durability without injury. As a long time swimmer you're already at a higher risk of injury from weight bearing sports, and your fitness is higher than your body can sustain.

I'd first focus on frequency, running 20 min or so at a time, easy every time. Mbe start with 3x20 min, if that goes well and no pain then 4x20 min. Do that for a couple weeks and then start adding time onto the run, 1x30 min, 3x20 min, building up to 4x30 min. Then I'd take one run and start adding time onto it until you're running 1x60 min, 3x30 min.

I suspect this is the maximum point you'll be at by your race. No intensity, all endurance/easy running. It's boring, and i don't know if you'll hit your 20 min 5k goal, but you need to start much slower than you think. Worth it to build into running/triathlon as a lifelong sport instead of constantly dealing with injury.

this. so much this.

you’re not going to blow the doors off your races right out of the gate. as stated already, start slow, working on slowly building up your endurance (even for a sprint). you don’t want to be sidelined because you went out and hammered all your workouts and your body wasn’t ready for it.

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In regards to stryd, i have used it primarily not as an intra running aid, but as a good guide of my run strength improving in post analysis and comparison. I tried to use it during running but unlike hr, its too dynamic and required me to constantly look at my watch, which only hurt my RPE ability. Good for a climb occasionally, but thats about it.

Fyi, make sure you set your height and weight correctly in the stryd powercenter before each use to get accurate power readings

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Strava

STRYD actually state NOT to do this as it will invalidate your power numbers and CP.

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Cheers, Ray

I also came from a swim background. If I could do it again. 4 runs per week. 2 short and easy (like really easy - not swimming easy). 1 interval workout on a track. This will teach you to run fast. One day building into a longer run. For a sprint (given your assumed fitness), start at 4 miles and build to 8-10.

The biggest thing is a daily rolling / stretching routine to prevent injury.

Good luck and have fun.

I appreciate all the input thus far. Starting slow is definitely something I needed to hear as It’d be very easy for me to get caught up in fast results (and injury).

Start by focusing on easy frequency. 3 runs of 20 mins each week for the first month. Build those up to 30 mins over the 2nd month. Then build one of runs into a longer endurance run by adding 5 mins each week: 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60. In the final month add short intervals at your target sprint distance race pace (example 5x3 mins) to one of the runs per week.

Use the Stryd to keep you in check on the easy/aerobic runs in zone 2. I'm guessing 180-200w is about right. Don't be afraid to take short walk breaks (30-60 seconds) during the runs.

You’re getting good advice here already, You could get good historical info here on ST by searching for past threads on the.Barry P run plan and similar info from Desert Dude. All about frequent, easy runs building time/distance slowly. Most people fail on the slow part and run too fast, too often.

The Stryd is a great tool, but I’m not sure how much it will help with the sprint effort. They are invaluable for capping your output on marathon and IM length runs. However, the Stryd app can be eye opening for illustrating just how low an effort is required to train in their Zone 1 range.

A bit off topic but for all Stryd users here, I can only recommend the Palladino Power Project group on FB. The guy is really knowledgeable and explains really well how to take the most out of this tool.

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I was told specifically to do this by stryd support, as weight is used in the power measurement...ill look into it

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Strava

Yes, it's VERY important to get that info in, but if your weight is only shifting a few pounds +/- then you are invalidating your CP and zones calculations by changing your weight constantly. There are several posts by the STRYD rep in the Fb group that covers this.

From the STRYD support Fb page.....
"But what about weight? In outdoor cycling your true weight will determine how quickly you move forwards for any given force you put through the pedals. It is more complex than that, but again, it’s a reasonable simplification. There is no requirement to enter your user weight within your bike power meter, it simply measures force to display power. In running this is not the case. The Stryd pod needs user weight to be able to display power. It measures velocity and height changes to calculate W/kg, then takes user weight to display power.
So why is it not recommended to change Stryd weight as your true weight changes day to day? The Stryd eco system has been built around the 90 day power duration curve and critical power. Stryd watch apps display W, not W/kg. If you changed your Stryd weight each time your physical weight changed, when you then went for a run you would not know if your power changed because your speed changed, or just because your weight changed. Therefore to best make sense of running power it is recommended to give your Stryd weight constant, even if your physical weight changes."

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Cheers, Ray

Thank you, that is very helpful. Ill make sure to only change it if my weight varies dramatically over a 3 month period

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Strava

Very welcome. Cheers.

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Cheers, Ray