What do I have to do to run a 28:00 5K in 6 weeks?

Well yesterday I got on the treadmill and I set my pace to a 14:00 mile and ran/jogged up until I was at .85 miles, then I ran at 6.3 MPH, and in the end got a 12:56 mile in 1.06 miles.. I was proud of myself because I remember running the mile run in gym class and running (prob real fast, then not being able to maintain) and being out of breath after walking the end for a 14 minute mile, and when I was on cross country and in better shape, I still remember 11:42 being my best time.. that's when I was like, 12 too.  I haven't ran since I was 14 or something (I'm 17) so I decided to start off steady and keep my pace at what I used to be out of breath for (14:00).  Since I sprinted at the end, I was tired, but totally able to walk around after that and not panting at all.  I didn't, but I'm sure I could talk when I was maintaining my 14:00 mile.  No delayed onset soreness today either, which I remember after running for the first time in a long time (and I lifted weights afterward, and was out of breath on the stairclimber before, and walked 5 min uphill at brisk pace before, so I wasn't starting out fresh)

 

So, what should I aim for next time?  Maybe the pace at 13:00 and then sprint in the last .2 miles?  Sprint at maybe 6.5?

 

Then, eventually, to get to 10:00, I should maybe do a 10:30 mile pace for .8 miles (8:24), then sprint for .2 miles at 8:00 pace (1:46)..  to be AT 10.

I just don't want to do that roo fast because then I will get sore and unmotivated and never return to it.  I'm glad I chose a steady pace for my first run...

 

And how many times a week can I run?  Is 5 or 7 too much?

5 and 7 is not too much, just work yourself up there gradually. Even if it's just .5 a day. You should only allow yourself to run about 3 - 5 times a week. 5 may be pushing it right now. Cardio should only be about every other day.

Don't hurt yourself, and especially watch your heart. If you are also dieting while doing this putting that much extra pressure on your body may be asking way too much of it. There's no rush to get there. Just take your time. Before you know it not only will you reach your goal but you'll have a new body to boot. : ).

Why the rush to a achieve a 28 minute 5K?

Can you do this in 6 weeks? Given your current pace, I would have to say no. A 28 minute 5K would require you to maintain a 9:02 mile pace for 3.1 miles.

Can you get down to a 28 minute 5K? It's likely, especially with smart training. Check out the Couch to 5K  program, for a smart way to help you reach your ultimate goal.

Original Post by alle0299:

betl5.. I'm planning on doing this program next:  http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/142.s html  It's goal is to increase speed for a 5K.

Another resource is http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/105.s html  They list a few exercises for increasing speed.

I said this in you rother thread but thought I'd re-post it in here in case you didnt see it.  The second link has exercises that are specific to increasing speed.  I'd suggest looking at doing some of those.

Today I ran a 12:21 mile and wasn't really tired until the last .23 miles, when I was going at 7.5 MPH.

Be careful, trying to run too fast, too far, too soon will result in an injury. Take it slow.

The best thing you can do is jog/run 3 non-consecutive days per week and walk the same amount of time the other days. When you run, keep a good steady pace. Don't be afraid to pick up the pace; run at 12 min/mile for 5 minutes, walk for a minute, and repeat that a few times. Always finish with 5 minutes of walking, and stretch your legs well. Ease up on the speedwork until your legs get used to running regularly.

If you push yourself, you can probably get a sub-30 5k in 6 weeks, but your legs will disapprove. The first thing you'll get is shin splints, but since that pain diminishes while you're running, you'll ignore it. "Hey, it's just my legs adapting!" No, it's your legs crying out because you're punishing them. You may also find knee problems, plantar fasciitis, etc., all of which take a lot of time to recover from, and all of which make you not love running.

Anyway, enough negativity! Try this schedule out:

Today: brisk walk 30 minutes.

Tuesday: jog 12:00/mile for 5 minutes, walk 1 minute, repeat 4x, walk to cool down and stretch.

Wednesday: brisk walk 30 minutes.

Thursday: walk 5 minutes, jog 14:00/mile for 20 minutes, walk to cool down and stretch. NO SPRINTING.

Friday: leisurely walk 40 minutes.

Saturday: go outside and run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute, repeat 4x, walk to cool down. Try to find a comfortable pace so that you're not whipped at the end of the 5 minute period, but you're not dogging it the entire length. If you're feeling good during the last jog period, pick up the pace for the last two minutes, but still not all out.

Sunday: leisurely walk 30 minutes, and stretch.

Running is probably the hardest thing I've ever done. Pace is tricky to learn: you feel so good when you start, and next thing you know you're out of breath and you have to walk it off. And it takes time for your body to adapt: your legs need to grow new capillaries to feed your muscles enough oxygen, and that takes more than a few weeks (up to 3 years, actually). That doesn't mean you have to wait 3 years to race, and I think you should set yourself a goal of finishing a 5k race in 6 weeks time. Is there a race in your area around that time frame? Sign up for it, then start training. But TRAIN SMART! And then come back and tell everyone how you did.

And you're welcome to email me if you have any specific running questions. I like to see people fall in love with running.

You can run 7 days a week. That so, it depends on your level of training and the intensity of your workouts. Starting off (in effect) running 7 days a week, however, is probably pushing it, again, somewhat depending on what a "run" consists of.

Though, really, I'm with wrm. Why the rush? Goals are good, but keep a longer term mindset to it.

Original Post by freedomfrom:

You can run 7 days a week. That so, it depends on your level of training and the intensity of your workouts. Starting off (in effect) running 7 days a week, however, is probably pushing it, again, somewhat depending on what a "run" consists of.

Though, really, I'm with wrm. Why the rush? Goals are good, but keep a longer term mindset to it.

 I've been wondering this lately... how do you know you are ready to run daily?  I've been running 3x a week for about the past 3-4 months.  I really crave running on my off days but am trying to stick to the C25K program.  Should I try 5x a week first or jump right into daily?

I don't want to sound inconsiderate but honestly, it's possible that you just need to push the your tolerance for tiredness a bit.

I don't run very often right now because my goal is fat loss, but I remember the last time I was running regularly I started out only being able to run 1/4 a mile at any speed and within a couple months I was doing an 8 minute mile while ~20lbs overweight at the time.

Soreness should only happen after the first time you run after a long period of not running, after that you should be fine, even if you push it a bit.

People say to be very careful not to overdo it, but I wouldn't be too worried honestly. If you can find a soft surface to run on like a field, you really don't have to worry about injury unless you're really overweight or you do something like trip.

I really don't recommend running 7 days a week though, at least give yourself one or two days of rest. You'll run a lot better if you do anyway.

Good luck

I would not run 7 days a week, not even Hal Highdon did that. Wouldn't go to 5 days a week either, not without consulting an established training schedule that doesn't exceed the parametres of what sort of punishment your body is capable of absorbing.

When running more than 3 days per week, or more than 30 minutes per session, additional improvements in cardiovascular fitness are small, yet the rate of orthopedic injuries are disproportionately greater. Although slightly higher increases of cardiovascular fitness were observed for the 45 minutes per session and 5 days per week groups, these programs are not recommended for beginning joggers due to significantly higher rates of injury.
 Frequency and duration of running

 Stick to a sensible training schedule that takes you from your current fitness level to a higher one with minimal injury risk; the marginal improvements in results are really, really not worth spending a couple months on the couch with stress fractures.

 If you want something to do on your off days, cross train on a bike or swim, or preferably do a running-specific strength workout to improve your chances of staying injury-free.

cnichols has it perfect in post #6. You need to train your body to be able to endure that speed for that long. The best way to do that is to perform interval training (running / walking / running) and giving yourself time in between runs to let your body recover. I would reccomend doing resistance training on your off days, with maybe some light cardio mixed in if you feel up to it. I started out about the same as you six months ago and I can now run a 5k at a steady 7 mph (8.5 min mile) Thats not very fast, but it doesnt have to be.

my 2 cent