5K Training

Apologies for the silence.

I have been chugging along using the Oiselle First or Fastest 5K plan as a guide for training for a sub 19:00 5K.  Here is a sample from week 4 (current week):

They also include a speed workout.  Here it is for Week 4:

I do the speed workout as written.  The other days, I use the total times as the goal to run and ignore the run/walk subtext (which is designed for a first 5K plan).  So for example, in the plan above, Monday is 25 minutes total so that day I run at least 25 minutes.  There are 3 supplement workouts that appear every week as well:  Dirty Dozen, 5 Step Circuit and the Dynamic Warm-Up.

I am halfway through this plan and it is the first time that I have followed a plan by time rather than mileage.  It took me a bit to get used to this, but i am enjoying it.  In doing so, I am running a bit farther than the other 5K plan I was considering by mileage.  

I am NOT so good about doing those supplemental workouts.  I am supposed to do Dirty Dozen 2x/week.  I have done it exactly two times.  Ever.  

I am loving the speed workouts, especially after most of 2015 was marathon training and the speed workouts were more like tempo runs versus track work.

I did the above speed workout last night.  It was a bit of a chore to get out the door and I convinced myself to skip it no less than 6 times.  I had wine with dinner and a few handfuls of chocolate chips.  But then I was reading a Runner's World and saw a picture of Desi Linden wearing the same shoes as me and that was it.  I was lacing up and out the door.

The deets:

10 minute warm up:  1.35 miles at 7:27 pace.  The first mile is always the hardest.

Set 1

2:00 at Current 5K Pace, which is 6:23.  I did 6:03.  

1:00 rest (8:26 pace)

1:00 at Goal 5K Pace, which is 6:04.  I did 5:48.

2:30 rest (8:10 pace)

Set 2

2:00 at Current 5K Pace.  I did 6:19.  (That's better!)

1:00 rest (8:05 pace)

1:00 at Goal 5K Pace.  I did 5:38.

2:30 rest (8:09 pace)

Set 3

2:00 at Current 5K Pace.  I did 6:02.  

1:00 rest (9:13 pace)*

1:00 at Goal 5K Pace.  I did 5:31.

2:30 rest (8:09 pace)

*I was running and heard someone from behind and turned around and there was a guy RIGHT THERE and I jumped!  He apologized for creepin'.

Set 4

2:00 at Current 5K Pace.  I did 5:54.  

1:00 rest (8:55 pace)

1:00 at Goal 5K Pace.  I did 5:39.

12:30 Cool Down, 1.66 miles, 7:31 pace

I was happy with this effort, and am always surprised at generally how consistent pacing is.  My current/goal 5K paces were faster than they should have been.  A 5:31 5K would  be 17:08. It's much easier to run that for a minute than it would be to keep it up for 17! 

Here is a link to the entire Oiselle First or Fastest 5K Week 4 plan, from which the above images were taken.

Next 5K is Thursday August 6!