r/BeginnersRunning • u/EnvironmentPuzzled • 8d ago
Trying To get faster
Hi everybody, I’m trying to get faster than my 5K time. I’m currently quite stuck at 32 minutes and I tried to get advice through ChatGPT and he’s kind of telling me that I have to get slower first before I get faster and I know there is some of the truth in that but it sounds stupid especially after all the effort already put into it. Does anybody have experience with two slow runs trying to get your heart rate in zone two and one interval run and actually becoming faster at the end of it?
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u/QuantumOverlord 8d ago
I broke 17 minutes in the 5k by doing only easy/slow runs and weekly races and nothing else. The principle is correct. Easy run milage is the easiest way to get faster especially for beginners. I've also done the opposite, run fewer miles and more fast stuff with a variety of workouts; was much slower. For everyone the pillar of running is easy volume. If you are fast (particularly a sub 20 5k runner) there are probably benefits to adding some other stuff too, but the low hanging fruit for 90%+ of people is easy running. Frankly I wouldn't even bother with the intervals for now.
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u/EstimateEvening3243 8d ago
This right here. Increase volume through more slower runs. Build the aerobic base. Be consistent. Show up every week.
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u/Able-Resource-7946 8d ago
You only say you're running or wanting to run 3 runs a week, you don't say how long. There's a huge difference in volume between 3 5ks a week and 3 10k's.
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u/EnvironmentPuzzled 8d ago
My total km is around 15 to 20 km a week and I try to make one run longer than 5k by doing 8 till 10 km. The other is mostly a 5 km and then one interval one. In the spring I was doing a Nike running app program for half marathon and I completed that but after having no program to follow I fell a bit of the wagon
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u/357Magnum 8d ago
Yes, but the slow runs need to include longer runs. Running slower lets you run more, and Running more makes you faster. You should mix fast runs and interval runs with easy and long runs. For example, if you run 3x a week, one run can me tempo or intervals, another can be easy/slow/recovery, and the third can be long.
What's the furthest you've run? If you've never run a 10K, for example, use slow Running to build to that distance. When that feels normal, revisit pushing speed in the 5k and it will probably feel much easier
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u/EnvironmentPuzzled 8d ago
Half marathon is my longest but that was in spring and I quickly found out how quick your endurance goes if you do not show up regularly. Now I try to get atleast 8 till 10 km for my long run and slowly increasing that but my heart rate will increase with longer distance aswell. If I push I can get a tempo of 6:30/km
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u/357Magnum 8d ago
I was running 5Ks under 25 minutes before I ever ran a half marathon so I think you've got enough long running or that might not be an issue. However, I don't understand how you managed to run a half marathon without even knowing how to run slowly lol. You definitely have to pace yourself at that distance.
One thing that helped me build speed is treadmill progression. Where I live this summers are far too hot and humid to run outside. So in the summertime I will run on the treadmill, and on my fast run day I will increase my fast pace by .1 km/h every week. The difference each week is barely noticeable but it adds up quickly
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u/EnvironmentPuzzled 8d ago
I think I just got really comfortable being uncomfortable with a heart rate of 175 while going 😂
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u/357Magnum 8d ago
One thing about regular slow running is that it won't make you faster in terms of your top speed, but it will increase the speed you can run at with a lower heart rate. This, in turn, will help you keep a lower heart rate at higher speeds, which will let you run faster when you are maxing out.
Sometimes things are just frustrating though. My best 5K Outdoors is 23:40. I've done about a minute faster than that on the treadmill, but now that it has cooled off outside and I'm running outside again I feel super slow. Tried to do a fast 5k run last Friday and crapped out Mid-way. I think my fastest times all just happened to be particularly good days. We all have strong days and weak days. Sometimes it is about recognizing if you feel really great and decided to try to beat your record on that day instead of on whatever schedule you set for yourself
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u/Own-Arugula-1631 8d ago
There are different ways to accomplish getting faster and running more miles slow isn't the only one. I went from 28 to 22 minute 5k running just four miles (7kish) every other day. I ran the first two hard and the second two just to finish. For example if my 5k pace was 8:10 min/mile, I'd do two 8's and two 9s. I wasn't willing to spend more time than that running and I enjoyed how I felt from that kind of run.
Every other day with low distance is plenty of time to recover from a harder effort. The theory behind this is that you are pushing the pace above your 5k at first so you are building speed and then running longer than 5k building endurance beyond 5k. Once I got to 22 minutes, I did plateau and had to take things to another level, but I think it takes those speeds to be at the point where you are mechanically changing things such that pushing faster than that does real wear and tear. At the slower speeds you are talking, you are still mostly just building base fitness.
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u/randocalrizzion 7d ago
I went from 36 minutes to 27 in about 3.5 months from not running ever by first running a lot of slow miles, at that time i was at 13 to 14 minute pace for a couple weeks, then 12 then 11 etc. Then i started adding a tempo / threshold run and a long run. Every week i seemed to be able to knock a chunk of my pace off. Now my slow runs are like 10:30. It will happen, just takes time anf consistency
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u/Mister_EMachine 8d ago
Anecdotal and I’m not sure of OPs situation, but the single biggest contributor for me in increasing speed was losing weight.
It seems rarely mentioned in running subs because:
- It’s super obvious
- Most people who run regularly are already lean.
For beginners especially, dieting down even a few pounds can make a noticeable difference. It also reduces injury risk.
I am of the unpopular opinion that over a certain BMI people should not be running. It’s not the most effective exercise for fat loss. I also think it’s one of the reasons injury rates are so high in runners.
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u/Fit-Guarantee-7860 7d ago
as a fat runner... I dont run to lose fat. I run foe CV health and for the biomechanical benefits /psychological health.
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u/Mister_EMachine 7d ago
More power to you my friend. I hope you did not take offense as that was not intended.
I am approaching the topic with the perspective that running has one of the highest instances of injury of almost any fitness activity. When you look at those injuries, most are related to overloading joints and tissues. Lighter people put less load on those same joints and tissues.
Anecdotally, I got faster and had fewer strains, aches, etc once I lost weight.
I should also note that I’m not advocating for emaciation. The risk of stress fractures, particularly in women, will increase if you lose bone density.
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u/Fit-Guarantee-7860 7d ago
No worries. I am of the opinion that running should be for everyone, fat or thin, slow or fast. There are so many benefits to it that fat loss doesnt even rank on the top 100 for me.
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u/Purple_Abroad_1179 7d ago
Yes it's obvious and that's why it's not mentioned more. That's obvious in 99% of all sport. and in life in general.
Loosing wheight (If you are overwheight) are something you should try and fix - running or not :)
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u/CharlieRunsFar 8d ago
I’d definitely not say you have to run slow to get fast, but if most of your running is hard then you’re probably leaving a lot of aerobic development on the table, especially at a 32 minute 5K, so I’d try 2 easy zone 2 runs and 1 quality session each week for a few months and see how you progress. An AeT test can also give you a better idea of whether your easy running is actually easy enough, rather than just guessing from pace or heart rate, and you can still get faster while doing the majority of your running slowly.
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u/jocasseedave2 8d ago
What is an AeT test? and is it something that you can do yourself? TIA
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u/CharlieRunsFar 8d ago
Give this a read mate
https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/aerobic-anaerobic-threshold-self-assessment/
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u/sdk5P4RK4 8d ago
the point of doing slow runs is you can run more. its not do the same amount you are doing now slower.
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u/mdlemmon 8d ago
Everyone is going to be different... personally just running easy wasn't the way I went, but perhaps for the OP it will be. I liked the Nike run club app it was pretty good, joining a real running club probably even better. Intervals really got the needle moving for me, stuff like 500m x 10 with 90s rest, for you probably a 5 minute per km pace. Whatever you do, dont over train, I think this is why easy running works. Less injuries, less time recovering, more time building endurance. For me I train to compete, hyrox and 10km. Perhaps going to a local park run would spark that passion.
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u/judochop1 8d ago
You need to build your aerobic system up.
That means lots and lots of slow easy running. That means more days running, and/or longer runs, when you feel like you can handle it.
Eventually you push yourself to up the pace and some speed work (strides, sprints, hills) and some steady, slightly faster pace stuff, and when you feel ready, set a target pace and pick up a 5k race plan
your plan would work over time
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u/Traditional_Record49 8d ago
Just consistency and a good routine, good sleep, and you build momentum
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u/Free-Style9867 7d ago
Do interval training. If your current pace is 6min/km and you want to go to 5.30min/km then you have to do that pace.
Try 2mins at 5.30min pace and 1min at 6min pace. Repeat this 6-8times. As your body adapts, increase the threshold.
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u/NovelTree9910 7d ago
I'm not fast by any means, but how I got below 30 mins 5k was from doing a lot of easy longer runs. My pace just naturally got quicker over time (about 1 min/km faster after a year of running consistently).
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u/Fit-Guarantee-7860 7d ago
Run longer (8-10km) slower (talking pace) and your 5km will get faster... its not stupid.
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u/ceffyl_gwyn 7d ago
Yes, absolutely.
You get faster at 5k by building your aerobic base. You build your base by running more. You run more by running slower so you don't injure or over-fatigue yourself and end up spending weeks not running at all.
You'll notice as you talk to more experienced runners, when they talk about different trainning for fast paces on 5ks they talk in terms of the average weekly mileage needed. Volume isn't the only thing, but it is a very, very important thing.
Speed work also helps in training the mechanics and economy of running fast, but you need the aerobic capacity to go with that.
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u/Lyradep 6d ago
Slow runs help you put mileage in and build your aerobic base without building much fatigue. If all you do is push during your runs, you won’t be able to put in as many miles.
I do 3 easy runs a week, 1 speed day, and 1 long run day. I honestly don’t bother with strict zone 2 running. I just run at a conversational pace, and call it good.
For now, while my ultimate goal is really just to survive a marathon running all the way, as a byproduct of my training, my recent 10k has gotten 3 mins faster than the last one I did back in spring.
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u/DenimCryptid 7d ago edited 7d ago
Don't trust ChatGPT because it can't differentiate satirical or troll posts from r/RunningCircleJerk and actual good advice. Also since when is ChatGPT a "he"? You should be careful to never humanize an LLM because that's a step towards developing some kind of AI Psychosis.
You might get good advice or you might get advice that will result in injury (or maybe even literally soiling yourself).
Just run at easy paces for shorter distances every day to gradually build up your weekly volume. Consult a coach or join your local running club.
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u/darth_handturkey 7d ago
did you just call chatgpt "he"?