Running: Speed Training

Since one of my goals is to get to that sub-20:00 5k, I will be doing more speed work this year than in previous years.


The three key runs each week:

• Intervals - 6-7 x 800m or 5x1000m, with recovery time equal to or slightly less than interval time. Pace around 3:50-3:55/km (based on previous 5k race pace).
  
  Editted - I had this at 3-5x800-1000m, but after my laclustre 5k race I received more feedback from the good folks at RunningMania.com and some blog posters... seems this was not sufficient, and my rest was too long. Also I had them at my current 5k pace, but it sounds like they should be slightly faster by 5-10s. Fixed!
  
  Objective: improve V02 max, which is how much oxygen your body can use.


• Tempo - 5-8km "comfortably hard" (4:19-4:30/km).
  
  Objective: build stamina, ability to hold pace over longer distances


• Long Run - 5:05-5:42/km, slow and long.

The paces are from the Attackpoint calculator. I plugged in my best 5k time from last summer... I'm hauling around a few extra pounds and I'm not quite in as good of shape, so to start with I will add a few seconds to each.

Since I have two half marathons planned this spring, I plan to get my long runs >20km in the coming months. This is more than sufficient for a 5k! Hopefully the tempo and interval works pays some dividends and I finally crack 20.