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New 5k running str2ategy


Today’s 5k run was a little different than normal. In most of my previous runs, I try run as fast as I can maintain for a good period of time—6mph for 10 minutes has been my best—and I tend to gradually slow down towards the end (closer to 5mph) and then run the last 400 meters at my top speed at that point, which seems to be around 6.5mph at the end of my 5k.

Instead of just running the 5k all the way through, I decided to try work my way up to running a steady speed throughout the whole run. To do this, I concentrated on running twelve 400 meter bursts (I wouldn’t go so far as to call them sprints!) at 6mph or higher.

The astute among you will point out that this only works out to 4.8km, but it’s close enough for now.

In between each burst, I rested for about one minute and then did the next burst. Rinse, repeat. The goal here is to do this every run, or every other run, and every so often you decrease the amount of time you rest. Eventually you’ll run the whole 4.8km or 5k at your desired speed. To work your way up to a constant 6.5mph for example, just repeat this process at your own pace.

For today’s, my first attempt at this, I did 12 sets of 400m:

  1. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  2. 6.5 mph (1 min rest)
  3. 6.5 mph (1 min rest)
  4. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  5. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  6. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  7. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  8. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  9. 6.0 mph (1 min rest)
  10. 6.0 mph (2 min rest)
  11. 6.0 mph (2 min rest)
  12. 6.0 mph

You’ll note I got a little cocky in my second and third sets, which may have contributed to me having to rest 2 minutes in between each burst later on. I think next time I’m just going to play it straight and attempt to do all 12 at six miles per hour with the 1 minute rest. Then I’ll work on squishing them together ;)