Break 15 Minutes in the 5k

It’s another track season, and another chance at sub-15:00.

By this point, all my friends know I want to run under 15 (and they are all cheering me on, since the fastest time among them is 15:07).

I’m no longer training with the college team. I’m in charge of myself now, and I like it that way. I’ve been concentrating on endurance and aerobic fitness, with long steady state runs, tempo runs, and a little bit of faster stuff thrown in.

I ran 8:43 for 3000m a few weeks ago, which sets me up nicely to make the goal. My general plan is to hit a 10K in just about a week from now, hopefully at 31:15, but 31:30 would be okay. Then I’ll have two or three shots at 5000m later in the season, and if I do it right at least one ought to be under 15.

My summer training was less than ideal, since I’ve spent the entire time trying to overcome the same achilles injury that put me down during track.

It seems to be mostly OK now, but ITBS is popping up to take its place. I need to stay off the roads and do my PT stuff. Next race will be the Stanford Invite 8k at the end of September.

Injury got in the way of the goal this season. However, I did set a decent PR. Last year I ran 15:46 at conference champs for 6th place, and this year 15:28 for 4th place. It was the smartest race I had ever run, with 1600m splits of 5:00 and 10:02. Then over the last mile I picked up the pace, passed a bunch of runners (I started out in 18th!) and moved up to 3rd, but lost the sprint finish and settled for fourth.

I’d say that if I hadn’t been injured for about five weeks, I’d have had a decent shot at going sub-15. But that’s just idle talk. I still think it was a pretty good season, because I proved to myself that I have the ability to get in good shape, and to run a smart 5000 when I put myself to the task. It was my senior year, so I won’t be able to get the goal in college, but I’ll keep at it, put in a good summer base, run a cross country season, and try again next year as a post-collegiate.

I’ll also probably run in some all-comers track meets this summer, and could potentially hop in a 5000 there, so you never know – improvement could come sooner rather than later.

I’ve been under a lot of stress from school lately, and training, diet, and sleep have suffered. Diet is my own fault, but training and sleep I won’t be able to get under control until the workload slacks off a bit. I’ve run a couple of workouts, but might not race for a couple weeks to make sure I’m ready to go when the time comes. Maybe later this season I’ll still be ready to hit a good 5000.

ran a low-key 3000m as a season-opener. followed another runner through a 4:47 1600, then led the rest of the way to win in 8:54. i felt fairly comfortable doing this, so in a few months maybe i can hold close to the pace and stretch the distance out to 5k. it won’t be easy, but it won’t be impossible, either. that’s about what you want for a meaningful goal.

did my first track work in a long time today. 75’s feel very relaxed, 72’s are okay but feel more like 3k pace. 66 felt like mile pace. the fast stuff will come with more work, but it looks like my first 5000 of the year will be march 9.

Ran a 1:13:01 in the Carlsbad Half Marathon last weekend. Considering my shoe came off right on the line, I’d say it bodes well. I ran the same race last year in 1:15:50.

15:46 last year, but that was only my second try at the distance. 4:03 1500m speed, so plan is to keep hitting long runs and make this happen around March of 2007