How to Break 20 Minutes in the 5k

Set Any Goal Time: bit.ly/2Lv3zvH
Training Plans: bit.ly/2QKqwwO
How do you know if you're ready for a Personal Best in the 5k? How do you know if you're ready to go sub-20? In this video, Jason breaks down the training and racing metrics that indicate you're ready to break 20 in the 5k.
Jason Fitzgerald is a USATF running coach, 2:39 marathoner, and the founder of Strength Running (one of the web's most popular running blogs and coaching businesses). A member of the Greatist Expert Network, he's also the 2017 Men's Running Magazine's Influencer of the Year and a contributor to Competitor Magazine, Active, Runner's World, Lifehacker, and other major media.
Visit strengthrunnin... to learn more about barefoot running, getting faster, injury preventing, and lifting for speed.
Twitter: / jasonfitz1
Instagram: / jasonfitz1
Facebook: / strengthrunning

[@nightryder21]

Love your videos but... Can you please purchase a shotgun microphone. Audio will be soooo much better.

[@nickehultgren]

Yes, please do that.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

Sorry everyone. Shotgun mic was used... though for some reason not very well! I'll get this sorted.

[@AlexRace2019]

Great video! I’ve just started up my own KZbin channel and am now making RUNNING VIDEOS !! 😁👌🔥

[@szaboate]

Nice, will try nexr year. Now working on a 1:40 half marathon.

[@oleksandrmolodetskyi1717]

How is it better to build a speed for long distances like half marathon and marathon(assuming I am not a beginner and already have run lots of HM(best time 1:35:10) and 10 marathons(best time 3:44:30))? Should I better start from 5k and train to run it sub 20, then 10k to run it sub 40, then HM to run it sub 1:30, etc.? Or if I aim for sub 1:30 HM I should not spend time for 5k preparation and build speed exactly on HM training?

[@BerkeleyMatthew]

I have the same question. I'm in between marathons and I want to get a few PBs at shorter distances. My plan is to hit 20 mins for 5k, then 40 mins for 10k and 1:30-1:35 for a half. Any advice for working up the distances like this? How did you get on?

[@PatrickStar-km1dm]

I haven't even ran once in over 10 years and went out and ran a 24:27 5k. Is it likely I can get a sub 20 min 5k with only 2 months of training? I'm 38 years old but I ran cross country one year in HS and had a PB of 17:05. I'm not posting this to brag I just want to know what expectations to have in 2 months of training with no aerobic base built and if a sub 20 goal is actually achievable. Edit: I'm in good shape strength and weight wise as I've been lifting weights the last 3 years but I've basically done ZERO cardio during that time. I just to enter a 5k to test my mental toughness.

[@StrengthRunning]

Maybe? Just go do it!

[@PatrickStar-km1dm]

@@StrengthRunning I am doing it, it's on May 27th. I'm just nervous now because I got a calf strain haven't been able to run for 4 days. I don't think it's possible, I need more time like a 6 month training block. Thanks for the reply!

[@crash6871]

Volume is really low

[@MrTsinobmort]

Finally, a how to run a ________ at _____ time that doesn’t just tell you to run intervals at your goal pace. Thanks for at least giving an effort to providing comprehensive advice in improving fitness and eventually times. Helpful!

[@Ligerpride]

I suspect that if somebody can run a 3:12 marathon or 41 minute 10 km then they already know their 5km potential. Much easier to know your ability at shorter distances based on longer distances than the other way around. There are probably plenty of people targeting sub 20 min 5 ks with no interest in doing a marathon or half marathon. Just my opinion.

[@jskeggs_]

I am 15 I can and have ran sub 20 but my 10ks haven't gone below 45 minutes. Like you said it's not all about it.

[@Ligerpride]

@@jskeggs_ fair play Jamie. That's good going.

[@yannickm1396]

@@jskeggs_ Same for me. I just got a 18,53 min 5k pb and usually for my long run it takes about 48 minutes. For me this is an easy pase with a strong finish. Altough i have not jet tried to run a fast 10k i think i would be able to run it in just under 45 minutes. But at this moment sub 41 minutes is way to hard for me. Keep in mind that i only run around 20k a week.

[@jskeggs_]

@@yannickm1396 Ye fair enough cus im a footballer I can't run as much as you but I'm now doing 10ks around 45 so slowly getting there

[@yannickm1396]

@@jskeggs_ Understandeble, if i run more than i run now i get pain in my calves. I also do weight training and my body weight is 81kg at a height of 179cm.

[@Wflips]

I know nobody will see this, ,But you did

[@vaughnwolf101]

3:12 marathon is wayy harder than sub 20

[@KrisPeter]

Agreed. My 5k is 21 mins but marathon is around 3.30. The running formulas calculate equivalent marathon times too quickly for me and many others. There was some proper research on it earlier this year.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

@@KrisPeter Well, yes and no. A 3:12 marathon is *harder* than a sub-20 5k but it's still *equivalent* in how competitive they both are. That's because a 5k is easier to train for and requires less aerobic development. You just need more time to train for an equivalent marathon because of its distance.

[@robertdavidsquibb8276]

miss the days i did run 3.09 .still can do 20 min for 5k i am 47

[@pandarcywalkington6595]

Yeah I’m at 20:55 for 5k, but 10k is 44 mins , nowhere near 41

[@19Kamau79]

@@pandarcywalkington6595 19:27 5K time trial and 3.53:00 marathon PB here :-)

[@reieli87]

To help with the low volume, turn on captions 🤙

[@arnabganguly4962]

Mile repeats is amazing workouts. Can I take 3 mins recovery instead of 2 mins. I am comfortable with km repeats with 2 min break.

[@nikitaw1982]

What cross training feats can 2omin 5k runner's regularly do?

[@Medliving]

This video reminds me how frustrating it is that Americans can’t join the rest of the world and use the much easier to understand metric system. It’s similar to their money denomination they haven’t changed in 300 years as values increased, “ really we’re going to fill our pockets with pennies. “ Hey United States, other countries in the world can have good ideas also”.

[@mpgrewal00]

41 minute 10K can do sub 20 5K any day. 45 min is more appropriate to train.

[@schaapgaming]

Yeah lol if you hit the 10k in 41 minutes you definetly already ran sub 20 on accident

[@jimmyqattan8324]

26.2 k subs. You know what that means!!!!

[@RyanSmith-hf7gc]

40 miles a week to run sub 20? I think if I did that while focusing on 5k workouts I'd probably be hitting sub 17... but developing your body to the point where you can maintain 40 miles/week is where the challenge lies

[@giovanbattistafichera8439]

I ran over 40miles a week and I'm still only sub 22, depends on the intensity.

[@j.j.r98]

@@giovanbattistafichera8439 bet if you kept that up for these 2 years you’re under 20 now

[@giovanbattistafichera8439]

@@j.j.r98 I'm close (20:25 which I did in August 2020) but still not there. I moved and have no parkruns there. Plus I've been doing slightly longer races and trails instead. I bet if I trained specifically to go sub 20 I could in a couple of months, but I'm preparing a marathon now.

[@jamesongaertner9416]

Hey Coach Jason, I heard another comment voicing this same idea, but rather disrespectfully, so I thought I would ask. If you run a 10k in 41 minutes, that’s two 5ks in a row at 20.5 minutes. It would seem that if you are capable of two 5ks at that pace that you would be capable of one at a lower pace, maybe closer to 18.5 or 19 minutes. You seem very knowledgeable overall so I’m not doubting you, but I am curious to hear your reasoning for this; are you talking about physical capabilities or simply competitiveness? And if it is simply about competitiveness, what do you think the 41 min.10k runner could potentially run in the 5k? Again, not hating but I’d love an explanation for why this is the case. I’ve recently discovered your channel and really enjoyed the content so far. Keep it up!

[@StrengthRunning]

Thanks Jameson! If you can run 41min in the 10k, you're probably going to run somewhere around 19:30 - 19:45 in the 5k. They're "equivalent" in how difficult they are, their competitiveness, and show a level of fitness that the hypothetical athlete is capable of. I.e., if your 10k PR is 41min but your 5k PR is 17:00, it's obvious that you ran the 10k too easy. Every runner's "best" corresponds to a certain time across the distances.

[@jamesongaertner9416]

Got it. That makes more sense now, thx!

[@rob02190]

Love the videos, but this one you can not hear a word, and I had the video and my device maxed out.

[@ziadirida]

is it a good idea to work on the sub 20min before starting my next 16week marathon training? My objective is to increase my marathon pace from 8min/mile to 7:30min/mile. My last non-race 5k was 21:59

[@stucarson2314]

Even when talking about a metric distance - 5K - you still give training paces in miles. ARRGH what is it with you Americans?

[@JasonFitzgerald]

We should be on metric. I get it...

[@kit7579]

I like your videos a lot especially this one. Your videos provide so much useful information.

[@marksmyth5505]

Pity the sound is very low on this 😢

[@ImranAli-rt9hw]

such a waste, no structural training routine method was explained,

[@StrengthRunning]

You're expecting a training program in a KZbin video? Seems that your expectations are a waste

[@RedPilled100]

Very helpful video

[@fuacatarun2run931]

Nice video

[@Nugmaster224]

Can't hear a word you're saying

[@triathleteuk]

Can't hear a thing

[@mtnpwny]

Can't hear you!

[@utalap]

Please use a better microphone. Would love to hear these ideas more clearly. Thank you!

[@chromebook1361]

whats the minium distance someone in there fourt'ys needs to run for a sub 20 5k ?

[@JasonFitzgerald]

I don't think that's the right question. A better question is, "How much work do I have to do to go sub-20?" You keep increasing workload until you find the answer. Very different based on your unique physiology.

[@chromebook1361]

hi thank you for your reply i get people ask me for advice because im quite fast for my age. I have never really had an answer for that sort of question up till now. so thank you! in terms of unique physiology i am a freak. which is great for racing but no good for helping people. As runners I think we all want to help each other.

[@schaapgaming]

I did a 8.4k in 38 minutes last week. Tomorrow morning i wil attempt a sub 20 or 21 5k, will keep ya up-to-date

[@scrumpymanjack]

41 minutes for a 10k? Are you serious? If you’re running that, chances are you’ve already run your sub-20 5k. These “equivalencies” of yours seem WAY more of an achievement than the 5k goal. Turning over to a more believable channel.

[@StrengthRunning]

I'm sorry you think that. But I'm right.

[@scrumpymanjack]

StrengthRunning So you are telling me that if my PB for a 5k is 19.59 then my PB for a 10k is going to be around 41? Find that very hard to understand. I’m 52 and run around 4.30/km during my runs. I run about 20k a week tops. So, by your calculations, I don’t have a chance in hell of running a sub-20 5k in the coming months. Is that correct? Thanks.