How to PR a 5K

Triathlon Forum
1

Here is a strategy that works :slight_smile:

Make sure your baseline is a nice slow time - like after only running for 6 months

Wait two years to do another one

In the year leading up to your 5K - do an Ironman with endurance as your focus and not very much speed work

Take off a lot of time from running after the IM and before your 5K and don’t run much leading into the 5K

Do one intense session - 4*400

Pick a windy day for the 5K

Do a good warmup, but not on the race course. Follow the lead group who missed the first turn and lose a few seconds

Forget to lace lock and have to tie your shoe in the middle of the first mile

2

Skip all that suff, just run faster than your previous fastest 5K.

3

I think you missed part of my sarcastic humor …

4

And I was being serious?

5

That’s almost as good as my strategy for PR-ing an Oly tri.

  • Ride to race in the pitch black morning, no light on your bike

  • crash head on into a concrete wall at full speed

  • snap fork in half, get bruises/road rash over most of your body

  • pick up bike (now in 3 pieces) and catch a cab home

  • go back to bed

6

I always have this recuring dream that I have shown up for a big race and forgotton some key bit of eqipment - shoes, shorts etc . . and the whole thing has to be called off. Luckily, that has never happened to me.

7

I had the dream that I couldn’t get my wetsuit on for my first IM. By the time I had it on, the leaders were coming out of the water. I started out anyway, and was swimming in molasses-like slop…couldn’t see very well, had very slow turnover, had a hard time breathing, got lost on the swim course. You know, it sounds very close to my REAL first IM!

8

Ouch!

9

Congrats on the P.R. So how fast?

10

Thanks. 18:18 - Not blazing fast, but I was stoked to go under 6s.