5k training – Week 3

9th August:

30mins = 8000m / 1:52.5 / 24

10th August:

3 x 2000m / 5min rest:
6:49.8 / 1:42.4 / 31
6:49.6 / 1:42.4 / 31
6:45.3 / 1:41.3 / 32

Totals = 6000m / 20:24.6 / 1:42.0 / 31

11th August:

30mins = 8100m / 1:51.1 / 24

12th August: REST

13th August:

CTC August challenge:
1500m = 4:52.3 / 1:37.4 / 33
3min rest
1000m = 3:12.8 / 34
3min rest
500m = 1:31.5 / 37

Total = 3000m / 9:36.6 / 1:36.1 / 34

14th August: REST

15th August:

3500m = 11:52.5 / 1:41.7 / 30

500m splits: 1:41.7, 1:42.7, 1:42.8, 1:42.9, 1:42.2, 1:41.7, 1:38.5

16th August:

5 x 1250m / 3:30 rest = 20:55.0 / 1:40.4 / 32
4:12.3 / 1:40.9 / 31
4:12.1 / 1:40.8 / 32
4:11.9 / 1:40.7 / 32
4:11.6 / 1:40.6 / 32
4:07.0 / 1:38.8 / 33

Through Week 3 and into the beginning of Week 4 yesterday the numbers are all going in the right direction. The 3 x 2k was a good solid score. The CTC, having done nothing quicker than target 5k pace, was probably the most pleasing of the Week 3 sessions. This really shows what fitness can do for you without any specific speed work, and big gains can be made on this with the introduction of speed work in the run up to 2k races later in the year. Prior to that session I would have said that on a good day I could just dip under 6:30 for a 2k at the moment. But in reality the first rep of 1500m at 1:37.4 told me that I was comfortable enough at that point that actually I would be closer to the pace of the 1k rep in that session, or closer to 6:25 for a 2k. This is a great sign at this point in the training process.

The 3500m single distance piece on Friday afternoon was a tester to see how I feel at target 5000m pace for a little over 2/3rds of the distance. Good enough is the answer. Could I row under 17mins for 5k now? No, I don’t think so. Will I be able to at the end of this training phase in another 4 or 5 weeks time? Sure, why not.

The 5 x 1250m reps yesterday were then my first real objective measure of improvement, with a repeat of the session I had done 3 weeks before to begin this training phase. The final result was exactly 1second in pace quicker.