I’m curious to get some thoughts on what times I should be able to hit given my current level of fitness.
Few facts:
5’11"
150lbs
26 years old
easy run with ~145bpm HR typically gets me around 7:45 pace
still running fairly low mileage as i build back up from some injuries
I’ve only run one standalone 5k in the past 16 months. I ran it at about 90% effort at 21:30.
This time seems slow to me and maybe I’m underachieving here. Thoughts?
Well… why’d ya run it at 90% effort? There’s yer problem. 
bpm doesn’t tell you much in a vacuum. Max? bpm at threshold? Your size and age certainly should help you.
Is 7:45 pace your ‘easy’ pace or does it just correlate to ~145 BPM? Do you have any other races to go off? What sort of mileage are you running? If you are doing any sort of speed workouts, what are you hitting for splits (800 or 1600)?
As a reference, 7:45 is around my ‘easy’ pace and I have a 5k PR of 17:42 from last year. I’ve found that a rough rule of thumb is that 5k pace for me is about two minutes quicker than ‘easy’ pace. Other race paces can then be based off of that (as long as the mileage is there).
Go to a track and run 5x800m with a 200m easy jog rest. Whatever your average pace for those intervals will be a decent predictor of your race pace. The closer they are to each other, the better the prediction. Start the first one at a 20-20:30 5k pace (around 6:30 miles, 3:30 800’s. 1:45 laps) and try to hit that pace the same each interval. The first should feel easy and the last should feel bad.
For your height, weight, age, and n=1 of 145bpm @ 7:45 pace I would say you should be running WAYYYY faster than 21:30. 145bpm for me is not giving me 7:45 miles (hint: slower by a minute!) and 21:30 would feel like a jog at a 5k race.
With the bare bones data you provided I would say you have to HTFU during races.
Go to a track and run 5x800m with a 200m easy jog rest. Whatever your average pace for those intervals will be a decent predictor of your race pace. The closer they are to each other, the better the prediction. Start the first one at a 20-20:30 5k pace (around 6:30 miles, 3:30 800’s. 1:45 laps) and try to hit that pace the same each interval. The first should feel easy and the last should feel bad.
I just did this session my last build up! I think I did 6x though, but still. It is a very good indicator in my experience.
Go to a track and run 5x800m with a 200m easy jog rest. Whatever your average pace for those intervals will be a decent predictor of your race pace. The closer they are to each other, the better the prediction. Start the first one at a 20-20:30 5k pace (around 6:30 miles, 3:30 800’s. 1:45 laps) and try to hit that pace the same each interval. The first should feel easy and the last should feel bad.
Not being a dick, but the math is off a bit i.e. 3:30 800m vs 6:30 mile.
Having said that an easy and quick way to get a close guess to 5km pacing.
If you are close to 20 min the 48 sec per 200 is a 3:12 per 800 or 20:00min flat for 5km. For people who can’t pace I just say set your repeat timer on 48 sec and hit those every 200m.
Then take 2-3X 48 sec rest or easy jog/walk on the 200m
Maurice
I’m curious to get some thoughts on what times I should be able to hit given my current level of fitness.
Few facts:
5’11"
150lbs
26 years old
easy run with ~145bpm HR typically gets me around 7:45 pace
still running fairly low mileage as i build back up from some injuries
I’ve only run one standalone 5k in the past 16 months. I ran it at about 90% effort at 21:30.
This time seems slow to me and maybe I’m underachieving here. Thoughts?
Track work. Do it. For such a short and fast race, 50% of your weekly mileage should be track work.
To be able to run a sub-20 min 5k, it’s not the number of miles you do, it’s the number of miles -at that effort- that counts.
I do 7 x 1km at the track at 3:30 to 3:45min/km pace with 1 min of recovery and a tempo run of about 6 to 8km weekly. And I can run a 18:50 - 19 min 5km with relative ease. If you train your mind to take the pain and effort at 3:30km/min pace, 3:50min/km will seem easy (which translates to a 19:10min 5km)
Doesn’t take a lot of time each week (about 1.5 to 2 hours of run each week) but it is highly beneficial. Try it!
Edit: Lot’s of folks are also saying track work with active recovery (i.e jog or walk 200m)
"This time seems slow to me and maybe I’m underachieving here. Thoughts?
Why wouldn’t you just sign up for a race as opposed to asking a bunch of anonymous internet people?
Haha, nice catch! Math is hard.
I’m curious to get some thoughts on what times I should be able to hit given my current level of fitness.
Few facts:
5’11"
150lbs
26 years old
easy run with ~145bpm HR typically gets me around 7:45 pace
still running fairly low mileage as i build back up from some injuries
I’ve only run one standalone 5k in the past 16 months. I ran it at about 90% effort at 21:30.
This time seems slow to me and maybe I’m underachieving here. Thoughts?
If in a race in cold Wisconsin don’t run 5k faster than 20 minute. All my friends from Wisconsin warn me how dangerous it is to run sub 6:30 minute mile 5k this time of year - apparantly it’s deer season and running that fast causes them to attack and try to mate with you. Everyone on these forums needs to be warned.
What injuries and how much mileage per week for the past 8 weeks?
You sound pretty lean. With some track work, higher mileage, and learning to really push and suffer, you could probably go sub 19:00. Obviously there’s a lot of variables in that number. Also, the 90% you cite might not be 90%. You might have “extra gears” that you don’t really know about.
Also, how is your running technique? Anything weird about how you run or strike the ground?
Thanks bud
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Rubbish
.
You’re not underachieving- You’re instead training too hard- back off significantly on what you feel is “easy” by at least a 1:30. Forget the trackwork for now- get your base back up, and when it’s time to bring back the intensity, do your intervals/sprints on the road.
Strides after your runs are fine- keep the distance short and recovery long- such as 6x80m with a walking recovery back to your start.
Basically, you’ve developed “4th” gear to a high degree. You need to recalibrate your speed.- if your endurance pace doesn’t start with a “9:xx”, you’re already too fast. Think more 2nd and 6th gear, less 4th (for now).
I am 41, 5-9 and 178. I run 5k at the end of a sprint tri always under 21 minutes. I am also not that fast, I am much more of an endurance guy and not a speed machine. THE SHORT ANSWER…you can run much faster.
I’m not a runner, but I know the answer here. Measure out a 5k course. Start a watch. Run it as fast as you can. Stop watch. Look at time.
That’s your answer.
Go to a track and run 5x800m with a 200m easy jog rest. Whatever your average pace for those intervals will be a decent predictor of your race pace. The closer they are to each other, the better the prediction. Start the first one at a 20-20:30 5k pace (around 6:30 miles, 3:30 800’s. 1:45 laps) and try to hit that pace the same each interval. The first should feel easy and the last should feel bad.
you do realize that your work out is 5k…so why not just go and run 5km all out and then you dont have to predict anything at all?
Mainly trochanter bursitis. Taking some time off shortly to try to fully get rid of it. Mileage has been in the low-mid teens on 5-6 days running. So all very short easy runs. That’s why I held back last time. Still a little nervous with intensity. Have another small fundraiser 5k through work this weekend. Hence the question.
Instead of asking how fast do you think I should be? Run one all out. Then ask if it was fast enough. A 5K should hurt…ALOT.