Mirambi wrote:
UPDATE
I'm running a 5k on Sunday the 17th and would like some opinions on what pace I should target based on some recent interval workouts.
After a case of shin splints in late January after I tried to increase running to 3x/wk, I stopped running altogether for 2 weeks.
For the past 5 weeks, I've only run once per week. Either an interval workout or a tempo run. I've also done 30-60mins of Z1/Z2 on the bike/rower 4-5 days per week.
Here are the last two workouts:
1. 6x800m with 2:30 standing rest. Done on a treadmill so all done in exactly 3:00. This was done 8 days ago. Felt really good and not that hard. HR was 160-165 at end of each and recovered to 100-105 by start of next.
2. 3x400m with 100m jog, 1:20 (whoops), 1:30, 1:30, then 400m jog
3x400m with 200m jog, 1:26, 1:25, 1:26, then 400m jog
3x400m with 400m jog, 1:20, 1:20, 1:17.
This was all done on a track. Jogs were 10+ min pace. Total of 4 miles of continuous running and felt good and controlled. I wanted to blow out that last 400m but restrained myself.
My goal for this 5k was to break 19, but now I kind of want to go out at 6-minute pace and see if I can maintain that. Is that reasonable based on these two workouts? Would going out at 6:00 pace be too aggressive?
An 18:59 5k is 6:05 pace. 6:00 flat pace is an 18:36. A 6:00 opening mile is fine but anything faster will be counter productive given your lack of distance training. Your workouts indicate you have the aerobic fitness to run a sub 19 5k but not by a massive margin.
If you haven't run 6 min pace continuously for more than a mile recently be prepared to struggle the last mile.
Personally, I think hybrid athlete training plans/ goals are kind of crap. That said I'll support people who ask for advice.