5x1k w/ 60 second R

I’d say 14:55-15:10 if I was running that workout.

Alrighty that makes sense. That’s what I was thinking. The course is really flat so I’ll plan on going out around 3 flat for the first 1k. Hopefully I can hang for sub 15!

If feel confident about running 15:00 pace if I could do that workout. I normally did that workout with 2:30-3:00 rest between intervals and felt confident that it predicted 5k race pace. I’d never have been able to do it with 1:00 rest.

I can definitely see where 2-3 min rest could predict, just because of perceived effort and how the form holds up throughout the intervals. I decided to go with the 1 min rest because I wanted it to feel closer to race effort with shorter rest. I will have to try the 2-3 min rest with faster intervals in the future

Yeah 15:00 pace all around seems fine. Go 72 per lap as long as possible and try to run a strong last 600. Do not pass the first 200m under 34 seconds, control the adrenaline and the pace. Conserve energy and focus, the first 5 laps must be 6 flat as relaxed as possible.

Then, be careful not to let the 4th km lag to 3:05 or worst, it will be very hard to run a sub 3 last km if 15:00 is your limit. A slow 4th km will kill a fast time if you get complacent and decide you don't want to suffer much.

With 2/3 minute rest you would want to be hitting 2:54/55 but 1'rest is a way better predictor.

Good luck and let us know how it went.

I meant a 2:55 last km. Might as well be 3:02 followed by a 2:57.

Update: Ended up getting absolutely destroyed by Lyme Disease the day after I posted. Took me out of training period for 2 weeks. Couldn’t really start adding good quality workouts back for 1.5 months. Fortunately I didn’t get too out of shape. I opened up with a 15:40 5k on the roads two weeks back into training. Ran 25:56 for 5.06 miles XC. Went through 8k in 25:27 (course was a little long but extremely flat). Just did a solo two miler today. Ran 9:21 on the track. So now I’m back where it started haha. Oh well, gotta enjoy the ride while it lasts!

Another update: Ran a race in NY this past weekend. Ran 19:32 for 4 miles and had 150 ft elevation gain. Went through 5k somewhere around 15:05-15:10ish. I’ve been averaging about 80/wk for 12 weeks. Strava had a gap pace of 4:48/mi, so I’m right on the right track. A buddy of mine thinks I can run 14:15 when I drop my mileage, but I’m not too sure where I’ll end up. I race in less than a month for my next attempt at 5k. I want to try to go out in under 4:30 and see how it goes. Whether I crack 14 or not isn't really my goal, but to feel out that sub 4:30 at the mile for future races is my plan, as of right now. I need to learn how to put myself in the burner. I definitely know I’m in sub 15 minute 5k shape. Thank you all for believing in me. I’ll update you on how it goes.

Jeez man. You improved a ton since you posted this originally. Congrats and good luck!

I'd try targeting ~14:30 first before trying to hack off a 13:59. Good luck though.

Awesome progress. Keep it up.

Interesting to do the other way around. What would you run 5x1k w/60s rest now?

Thanks guys. Maybe 4:40/mi would be good to start off with, rather than trying to purposely fry myself. Right now, I’m not sure what I could do 5x1k w/ 60 second test in, but I did 8x1k off 2 minute rest yesterday on the track. Wind was absolutely atrocious, but I know that’ll be like that nearly everywhere. I went 2:59, 2:58, 2:56, 2:56, 2:54, 2:54, 2:52, and 2:52. I felt good, but I only left one day of recovery in between workouts. The workout I did 2 days prior was a 3 mile run in 15 flat, with some alternating strides. So I think that may have inhibited what I could’ve possibly hit, but oh well! Still averaging close to 80/mi weeks, so I was pretty happy with it. Just grateful to be able to run another day without and injuries/illnesses!

I for one find your updates really interesting. Good luck as you continue your journey!

If you are doing decent mileage, you should be able to break 15 or just above 15

Yea, keep it up & keep providing some updates! Also give yourself more than a day in between hard sessions!

Your progression is moving as fast as any I've seen.

Found you on strava. Have a follow. Look forward to following along.

Thank you all for your support! I'll keep updating the feed. I'm very active on strava, so I can definitely give you guys a follow. Did a 6 mile tempo this week before my tune-up race this weekend. Finished it in 30:55 (5:09/mi). It felt exactly how threshold should feel, so I was very stoked with that. Still deciding on whether I want to run a 5k at 8kish effort or if I want to do a solo two-miler @ goal 5k pace to really feel out the pace. Part of me almost feels like I should really hammer something out though since I'll be 12 days out from my goal 5k. I'm not too sure which one I'll decide to do, but either one I feel will help put icing on the cake.

Update: Broke 15 two Saturdays ago at a small track meet put on by FrontRunner Coaching's Dylan Gearinger (Ran 2:14 this past weekend at Philly). He was pacing sub 15 through 3200m (9:30) then cutting down. I went out on that pace and noticed around 2800m that it was just him and I from there on out. Went through 3200 in 9:28, then capped it off with a 4:33 and 0:35 for the last 1800m finishing in 14:36. He dropped the hammer the last 800m so it was a solo effort from there, to the finish. Cramped up at lap 6, but I had to just suck it up and power through like a heathen. I can finally say that I broke 15 minutes. Going from a 9:36 two miler in HS off 15 miles a week coming off an injury, to being able to get into the 14:30's my sophomore year of college after battling the injury-bug the past few years, I am very ecstatic with where I am at right. Very fortunate and thankful to compete in this hobby I love, and to meet others along the way! Currently prepping for my last 5k of the training block on Thursday morning. Hopefully I can give another full send effort. Enjoy the thanksgiving week and weekend!