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!
