Hi Guys,

I have been doing strength training for > 5 years. As usual, neglected cardio most of the time. I recently would like to improve my 5k running speed, effectively while at the same time putting primary focus on strength training.

I am currently 28, my best 5k timing is only 32min (all out, feel like puking at the end), my heart rate generally will be around 165 - 172.

At the moment, my training regime is as follow:

Day 1: Back Day (Deadlift + other supplementary workouts)
Day 2: Rest Day (Some light cardio, stretching etc)
Day 3: Chest Day (Incline + Flat Bench + supplementary workouts)
Day 4: Running Day
Day 5: Rest Day (Some light cardio, stretching etc)
Day 6: Legs Day (Squat + supplementary workouts)
Day 7: Rest Day
Day 8: Running Day
Day 9: may or may not have it, if not, back to Day 1.

My question, and would like to get some opinion, which option do you find it most effective:
1) Try to improve pace of 5 sec every run. say 1st run 6min20, 2nd run 6min15sec etc.
2) Interval training (1 min all out 1 min rest an so on and so forth till I hit 5k)
3) Run at a slower pace but maintaining heart rate at 150, and slowly increase the pace at this sustained heart rate.

I am open to any suggestion and willing to try out any way that will be suitable for me.
Thanks.

Depending on what your goals are,
Endurance - 3
Fat Burning Hiit - 2
I feel all rounder - 1

Thanks bro. My goal currently is to improve my 5k running speed. Hopefully sub 25min

I should add a bit more.
For 1), I will try not to run more than 5k, just keep it within 5k and improve the average pace per 1k.

This post has been edited by the100308: Jun 4 2019, 03:00 PM

Do you run on a track or open road? Road and off-road running, you need to take into account the hill inclinations and also terrain type. I usually do 28 minutes for 5K on the open road but the area I run in is very hilly and mostly uphill climbs of 200-400m inclinations.

For a flat track, if you want to improve your running time, you need to stay lean in your upper body. When doing weight training, concentrate on your legs and lower abdomen. You don’t want to bulk up too much on your upper body as it will add unnecessary weight to your body.

Generally flat track.

Thanks for your suggestion.

Something off topic, I was reading this post that talk about training at low heart rate. So I try to run extremely slow, at a pace say 6.5km/h to 7km/h, though I dont feel tired, after some time, my heart rate will go up to around 150+ bpm, I feel that I can go own forever as I dont feel short of breath or tired.

Is this normal? or my cardio is just suck?

That is called zone training, more specifically running at zone2 so that you dont tax your cardiovascular system too much and you can run consistently. I used that method and was able to improve my pace while staying in the same zone.

I find running at a leisure pace on alternate days helps with recovery. YMMV though.

If your recovery is not 100%, your performance will also suffen on your next run. You will be more sluggish and your legs get heavy faster.

not sure if this suggestion will help since i only ran on treadmill.

But i managed to improve my 5k time (0 incline) to 22 minutes 31 seconds within about 4 months of adding jogging alongside my usual gym routine. Not sure if this is good or not but I never performed any sort of cardio during the past 4 years when i started going to the gym to hit the weights.

All i did was simply performed interval between 12kmh, 10kmh, 15.5 kmh. Each session i will try to increase the duration of the 15.5 kmh by at least 30 seconds to 1 minute.

The 12 kmh was also crucial as that will ensure that the 1 km time is at 5 minutes. The goal at that time was 5km max should be 25 minutes.

The 10kmh, as you had guess it, speed for after the 15.5 kmh attack. The shorter the duration, the better obviously.

Thanks ChipZ, given my age etc., thats about 80% max HR, it shouldnt be in Zone 2?

Can you please share with me your improvement log? like how long does it take to improve from what timing to what timing, same for distance.

Thanks.

Thanks axtray, good result there. What was your initial time for 5k? Whats your interval timing like?

I started things rather haphazardly. I initially only ran for 15 minutes and not worrying too much about the distance covered.

After that I gradually increase the duration to 20 and then 25 minutes. Only after i hit 25 minutes (and still not bothering too much about the distance), i started to seriously see if i can tackle 5 km in 25 minutes and reduced it slowly.

5 km in 25 minutes didn't take me that long iirc, probably slightly more than a month. But reducing the time from 25 minutes to 22:30 did take a while. I only hit that time only once and then just consistently maintained at 23 minutes ish for 5 km.

on occasion, usually on sunday, ill try to hit 7-9km and managed to hit 10 km in 48 minutes once. Though i noticed the better i run, my strength in the weight room was also declining. So i stopped running altogether since endurance was never the goal

Thanks. My max is just 5k, and I would like to just reduce the timing. Let see how it goes. haha

Attempted a run on treadmill, breathing throughout the entire 5k through mouth and I was able to maintain at 10.5km/h and finish my 5k with a time of 28min30sec.

What is your pre run routine? Do you carb up or load up on fat? I am experimenting loading up on fat before a run to see whether if it gives me more energy

I will drink a cup of milo and one banana. 800m to 1km warm up.

So, the milo and banana is 2 hours before running, right? I tried fat loading before my run, and I suffered some serious stomach cramps at 2km point.

I think that eating fats 2 hours before running is a bad idea. Maybe I load up on meat fat and paste 4 hours before running.

Will try again with a 4 hour delay before running.

For me, its only 1 hr before run. and I think 5k doesnt need much carb/fat load as its not long enough (> 40min kind of exercise)

But that's just me.

Maybe you are right. But I found an increase in performance whenever I load up on carbs like pasta. I found myself to be able to push myself harder if I went more carb heavy than my usual meal.

Yeap, definitely. But I think you may be able to mitigate the pain by reducing the loading up. Keep your stomach away from bloating help reducing the pain.

So if I reduce the load up, where do I get my energy from?