How To Run a Faster 5k Without Getting So Tired (5 New Sessions)

Summary

This video offers five unique and effective running sessions to improve 5K performance, taking viewers from 21 minutes to under 20 minutes. The sessions include a 'reduce increase' workout, a 5K pace pyramid, a session inspired by Olympic marathoner Galen Rupp, lactate threshold intervals, and hill repeats. The video also emphasizes the importance of a 10-week training plan, warming up and cooling down properly, and balancing hard sessions with easy running to build an aerobic base.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ The video offers unique training sessions to improve 5K running times, focusing on less obvious but highly beneficial exercises.
• ⏱️ The training plan suggests a 10-week program with two blocks of 4 weeks each, including 3 weeks of intense training followed by a recovery week, and a final taper.
• 📈 It emphasizes the importance of starting with a strong base for beginners, recommending 6-8 weeks of easy running before moving on to more intense sessions.
• 🔥 The 'reduce increase' session is highlighted as a favorite, involving a gradual increase in pace and distance, starting with 800m runs and decreasing to 200m runs.
• 📉 The '5K Pace pyramid' session is introduced, which involves running at 5K pace for increasing durations, building up to 5 minutes and then descending.
• 🏅 A session inspired by Olympic Marathon runner Galen Rupp is shared, focusing on short, fast intervals with ample recovery, designed to improve speed efficiently.
• 🏞️ Hill repeats are recommended for working on lactate threshold and technique, with a focus on maintaining good form and a manageable pace.
• 🔁 The video suggests alternating between high-intensity and easy running sessions to build an aerobic base, which is crucial for sustaining faster paces.
• ⏰ The importance of proper warm-up and cool-down routines is stressed, with specific drills and cool-down methods mentioned.
• 📝 The video provides a comprehensive guide on how to structure training sessions for optimal improvement in 5K running times.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide less obvious but highly beneficial running sessions that can help improve 5K performance and achieve a personal best.

What is the recommended training duration for a 5K runner according to the video?

The video recommends training for about 10 weeks, which includes two four-week blocks of hard work followed by a recovery week, and then a two-week taper.

Why is it suggested to warm up before the sessions mentioned in the video?

Warming up before the sessions is crucial for injury prevention, improving performance, and ensuring the body is prepared for the intensity of the workout.

What is the 'reduce increase' session and why is it effective?

The 'reduce increase' session involves running at 1500m pace and gradually increasing the intensity by reducing the distance and recovery time, ending with faster segments. It's effective because it simulates race conditions and helps runners manage fatigue.

How does the '5K Pace pyramid' session work?

The '5K Pace pyramid' session starts with 1 minute at 5K pace and increases the running time in a pyramid pattern (e.g., 2 minutes, 3 minutes, up to 5 minutes), then decreases back down, focusing on maintaining pace and effort.

What is the purpose of the session inspired by Olympic Marathoner Galen Rupp?

The session inspired by Galen Rupp is designed to increase speed efficiently within a short time frame, involving running at 1500m pace with varying distances and recovery times.

Why is it important to push the lactate threshold up from below in some sessions?

Pushing the lactate threshold up from below helps runners to improve their endurance and pace at a sustainable level, which is essential for longer distances like 10K or half-marathons.

What is the significance of hill repeats in the training program?

Hill repeats are significant because they work on lactate threshold and technique simultaneously, helping runners to develop strength and maintain good form even when fatigued.

How often should a beginner runner perform these sessions?

For beginners, the video suggests performing these sessions once a week, as they are intense and require adequate recovery time.

What is the importance of easy running in the overall training program?

Easy running is crucial for building an aerobic base, which allows runners to handle the intensity of faster sessions without overtraining or risking injury.

What are some 'non-negotiables' mentioned in the video for effective training?

The 'non-negotiables' mentioned in the video include warming up before sessions, cooling down afterward, and ensuring adequate recovery time between intense sessions.

Outlines

00:00

🏃 Improve Your 5K Time with These Unique Sessions

The speaker introduces the video by addressing viewers who are looking to improve their 5K time and possibly achieve a personal best. Unlike typical advice found on YouTube, the speaker promises to share less obvious but enjoyable and beneficial training sessions. He explains that these sessions helped him improve his own 5K time from 21 minutes to 17:15 and others as well. The video will also cover training tips, including the importance of non-negotiables like proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and time scales for training, advising a 10-week program. The speaker stresses that beginners should build a strong base through easy runs before diving into more intense 5K-based sessions. He wraps up by emphasizing the importance of warming up and cooling down for recovery, along with session frequency depending on the runner's experience level.

05:02

📊 Session 1: The 'Reduce Increase' Workout

This session, called the 'Reduce Increase,' is the speaker's favorite and popular among the people he coaches. It involves gradually reducing the distance while increasing the intensity. The workout starts at a 1500m pace, with 800m runs followed by 200m walks, then progresses through 600m, 400m, and shorter distances with less recovery time. The session concludes with faster, shorter intervals, working at a pace near the kilometer effort. The workout is effective because it pushes the athlete above the lactate threshold, developing speed and endurance. The speaker highlights the importance of feeling faster as the session progresses and its benefits for pulling the body above the lactate threshold.

10:04

⏳ Session 2: The 5K Pace Pyramid

In this pyramid-style session, runners work at their 5K pace, gradually increasing and then decreasing the duration of each interval. Starting with 1-minute efforts and 30-second recoveries, the pyramid builds to 5-minute intervals before returning down to 1 minute. The speaker emphasizes that the goal is to maintain consistent pacing throughout the session, even when fatigued. This session not only develops endurance but also teaches runners to manage effort and pace, ensuring they don't expend all their energy in the early stages.

🏅 Session 3: Olympic-Inspired Speedwork

This session was inspired by Olympic marathoner Rory Linkletter and is ideal for those short on time. The workout consists of 400m, 300m, and 200m intervals at 1500m pace, with varying recovery times between each. After a full set, runners rest for 3 minutes before repeating. The focus is on pulling up the lactate threshold by working at high intensities. The session is efficient, delivering results in just 30 to 45 minutes. The speaker notes that it’s a fun way to feel fast and get results quickly.

🌀 Session 4: Lactate Threshold Push

This session is designed to push up the lactate threshold from below by running longer intervals at a lower intensity, around 10K to half-marathon pace. Runners complete 1200m to 1600m intervals, depending on their current 5K time, with a 2-minute recovery in between. The speaker suggests starting with four repetitions and gradually increasing to five or six. The session should fit within an hour, including warm-up and cool-down. It’s particularly beneficial for building endurance and working at a sustainable effort while raising the lactate threshold.

⛰️ Session 5: Hill Repeats for Strength and Technique

Hill repeats are the final session, focusing on improving both strength and technique. Runners find a gradual hill and run uphill for 1 minute at half-marathon pace, concentrating on maintaining good form. After walking down for recovery, they run another 30-second uphill effort at 10K pace, then repeat. The session should fit within an hour, including warm-up and cool-down. This workout enhances muscle efficiency and pushes the lactate threshold while working on proper running mechanics. The speaker advises a controlled, consistent pace to avoid burning out too early.

🏋️ Importance of Easy Runs and Aerobic Base Building

The speaker emphasizes that most runs should be easy, focusing on building an aerobic base. This foundation allows runners to perform well in faster sessions. Without a solid base, athletes cannot fully capitalize on speed work. The speaker stresses the balance between running slow to build endurance and running fast to improve speed, suggesting that viewers rotate between the five key sessions for optimal results. He ends by encouraging viewers to try the sessions and subscribe to the channel for more content.

🎬 Wrapping Up and Teasing Future Content

The video concludes with the speaker teasing an upcoming marathon training series and expressing a mix of excitement and nervousness about it. He encourages viewers to subscribe for more running content, particularly a video about the challenges of running slow to get faster. His enthusiasm for the upcoming Chicago Marathon training series is evident, though he admits to being 'terrified' about the process.

Keywords

💡5K

A 5K is a running race that covers a distance of 5 kilometers or approximately 3.1 miles. In the context of the video, the 5K is the primary focus for runners looking to improve their speed and achieve a personal best (PB). The script discusses various training sessions aimed at enhancing performance over this distance, making it central to the video's theme of improving running times.

💡Personal Best (PB)

A personal best refers to an individual's fastest time or best performance in a particular event, such as a 5K race. The video is geared towards helping runners achieve a new PB by providing specialized training sessions. The term is used to motivate viewers to strive for their own records, as exemplified by the speaker's own improvement from a 21-minute 5K to 17:15.

💡Lactate Threshold

The lactate threshold is the point during exercise at which the body's production of lactic acid exceeds its ability to clear it away, leading to muscle fatigue. In the video, the concept is used to describe the intensity of certain training sessions, where the aim is to push the threshold higher to improve endurance. The script mentions sessions designed to 'pull' and 'push' the lactate threshold from both above and below to enhance performance.

💡Warm-up and Cool-down

A warm-up prepares the body for physical activity by increasing heart rate and muscle temperature, while a cool-down helps to gradually reduce the heart rate and prevent muscle stiffness. The video emphasizes the importance of both in a running training regimen, with the speaker reminding viewers to warm up before sessions and cool down afterward to ensure proper recovery.

💡Recovery Week

A recovery week is a period in a training plan designed to allow the body to rest and recuperate from the stress of intense training sessions. The script mentions a 10-week training plan that includes two four-week blocks with a recovery week in between to ensure that runners are fresh for their PB efforts. This concept is crucial for preventing overtraining and injury.

💡Base Running

Base running refers to consistent, moderate-intensity running that builds a foundation of aerobic fitness. The video suggests that new runners should focus on base running for several weeks before engaging in more intense 5K-specific sessions. This approach is advocated as it lays the groundwork for faster running by improving overall endurance and cardiovascular health.

💡Reduce Increase

The 'reduce increase' session is a specific workout described in the video, where runners start at a slower pace and gradually increase the intensity. This session is highlighted as a favorite among the coach's clients and is used to improve speed by starting below the lactate threshold and gradually pushing it higher, allowing runners to feel fast while still managing fatigue.

💡5K Pace Pyramid

The 5K Pace Pyramid is a structured training session where runners increase the duration of their intervals at goal 5K pace, then decrease it in a pyramid pattern. This session is designed to help runners learn to maintain their pace throughout a race by practicing at various intensities, as illustrated by the script's description of running for different durations at 5K pace followed by recovery periods.

💡Effort Levels

Effort levels refer to the intensity at which a runner trains, which can be measured by perceived exertion or heart rate. The video discusses the importance of managing effort levels during training, particularly in sessions like the 5K Pace Pyramid, where maintaining a consistent pace despite fatigue is crucial for developing the ability to hold speed in a race.

💡Hill Repeats

Hill repeats are a type of workout where runners repeatedly run up and down a hill to improve strength and stamina. In the video, hill repeats are recommended as a way to push the lactate threshold from below, with the speaker providing specific guidelines on the gradient of the hill and the pace of the runs. This session is used to enhance running performance by incorporating both strength training and endurance.

💡Aerobic Base

An aerobic base refers to the foundation of cardiovascular fitness that supports a runner's ability to perform at higher intensities. The video stresses the importance of building an aerobic base through easy running before progressing to faster, more intense sessions. This base is essential for supporting the body's ability to utilize oxygen efficiently, which in turn enables faster running over longer distances.

Highlights

The video promises unique, enjoyable, and highly beneficial running sessions that took the speaker from a 21-minute 5K to a 17:15 time and another runner from 22 minutes to sub-20.

The speaker recommends training for 10 weeks, with two four-week blocks consisting of three weeks of hard work followed by a recovery week, and then a two-week taper before attempting a 5K PB.

If you're new to running, it's better to work on base training (easy running) for 6-8 weeks before diving into harder 5K sessions to ensure long-term improvement.

Warm-ups and cool-downs are non-negotiable for these sessions, including drills before and recovery exercises afterward, to ensure safety and effectiveness.

The 'Reduce Increase' session is a key workout, where runners progressively get faster with intervals, starting at 1500m pace and finishing with 200m sprints. It's designed to pull you above your lactate threshold.

The '5K Pace Pyramid' is another highlight session where you build up and reduce your intervals, ranging from 1 to 5 minutes at 5K pace, focusing on pacing endurance and mental toughness.

A session learned from an Olympic marathoner consists of 400m, 300m, and 200m repeats at 1500m pace, designed to improve speed and raise the lactate threshold.

Lactate threshold training includes 1200-1600m repeats at 10K to half-marathon pace, designed to improve endurance and threshold management over longer distances.

Hill repeats are another key session, using a gradual incline to focus on lactate threshold improvement and technique, running 1 minute uphill at half-marathon pace and 30 seconds at 10K pace.

New runners should perform these interval sessions once a week, while more experienced runners can do them twice a week for optimal results.

Most of your running should be easy, building an aerobic base to support faster training efforts and long-term development.

Incorporating both slow running and fast running is crucial for achieving long-term speed improvements in 5K races.

Running fast feels rewarding and helps mentally prepare you for races, which is a key reason why these sessions are designed to end with faster intervals.

Each session has a purpose, either pulling or pushing the lactate threshold, helping runners achieve a well-rounded fitness level for their 5K goals.

The video encourages a balanced approach, emphasizing that proper warm-up, cool-down, and pacing are as essential as the hard intervals themselves for improving performance.

Transcripts

if you want to get faster over 5K and

even run a 5k PB then you're in the

right place because in this video I'm

going to give you not the obvious

sessions that most YouTubers Trot out

I'm going to give you some less obvious

sessions that are enjoyable and highly

beneficial they took me from a 21 minute

5K to 1715 and Mary from 22 to sub20 and

not only am I going to do all this for

you but I'm going to tell you why you're

doing each session and also I'm going to

throw in some memal training dos and

don'ts that we've learned over the years

so that you can not only get the best

from these sessions but get the best

from all of your sessions okay before we

get into the sessions let's talk about

some of the things that you should

consider before you start doing them and

that is the what I would call

non-negotiables of all of this and also

time scales I would say you want to

train for about 10 weeks that would

include two four- week blocks which

would be 3 weeks of hard work and then

recovery week and repeat and then a two

taper so that you're fresh for a PB

effort and if you're just starting your

running Journey then it's probably not

sensible to go straight into these

sessions harder 5K based sessions much

better and it's going to serve you much

better in the long term to work on your

base first so nice easy running over a

good six seven eight weeks is actually

going to make a big difference and get

you faster

[Music]

anyway oh my goodness this is why they

call it rainy season over here so the

next thing I've got to do after this run

is cool down and that's another

non-negotiable is to make sure you warm

up before these types of sessions with

some good drills I'll link a video here

and then cool down after you're going to

need to recover right I need to get home

to actually give you the

sessions and the last thing that's worth

mentioning before we actually get on

with the sessions is how many times a

week you should do these and if you're a

newer Runner if you've just begun your

running Journey I'm going to say once a

week is absolutely fine if you're more

experienced and you kind of know how

your body responds to these kind of

things twice a week is okay so there you

go no more than that though and before

we get into these sessions and by the

way number one and five are my favorite

do me the favor of subscribing to the

channel and let me help you

more right let's get on with the

sessions shall we and before we start

it's worth noting that yes you could do

kilometer repeats yes you could do 400

meter repeats but I'm pretty sure that

if you watched almost every other

YouTuber's videos out there they're

going to suggest the same things and

it's not that they're a bad thing just

wanted to give you some sessions that

might be a little different to those so

what's the first one well I call it the

reduce increase and it's my favorite

session it probably is across the board

of the people that I coach one of their

favorite sessions as well and it's

pretty simple all at about your, 1500

Mish Pace to start with you run after a

good warmup by the way nearly forgot

that with the drills after a good warm

up I want you to do 800 M then you walk

for 200 M then you do 2 lots of 600 M

and again you walk for 200 M between

each then you do three lots of 400 m all

still at the 1500 is M Pace walk for 200

M then you start to get faster four lots

of 300 M about your kilometer Pace with

a 100 m walk between so a little bit

less recovery and then five lots of 200

M again about your kilometer Pace with a

100 m walk in between and warm down and

the reason that this session is so good

is you get faster as you go through it

so you feel fast but also you're

slightly above lactate threshold so

you're pulling yourself up from above

the lactate threshold we're going to do

some sessions that are going to push you

from below and we're going to do some

sessions that are going to pull you from

above and that's why this one is a great

one all around one of my favorite

sessions and the second session is one I

like to call the 5K Pace pyramid really

because you're going to be running your

5K Pace in a pyramid style in terms of

time running so after again your good

warmup and your drills I want you to

just do 1 minute at your 5K Pace or your

goal 5K pace and then your recovery is

going to be half that time so 30 seconds

of walking or slow jogging then you do 2

minutes at your 5K Pace 1 minute walk

jog 3 minutes then then 4 minutes then 5

minutes and then when you get to 5

minutes after the 2 and 1/2 minutes of

walking or slow jogging you start to

come back down the other side which

looks then like a pyramid so then 4 3 2

1 and cool down and again you're getting

faster at the end of the session and the

reason I like this session is because if

you're fatigued at the end of the

session then you want to be trying to

hold the same pace for that 1 minute as

you started the Session 1 minute so it's

very much about learning how to measure

your effort across an entire session

rather than going all out in this one

minute and not being able to match it in

this one minute at your 5K pace so it's

working on your endurance but also your

mindset and effort levels and the third

session is one I learned very recently

actually from Olympic Marathon auror

Linkletter who's going to the Olympics

this year he's got a YouTube channel

make sure you go subscribe to that but

he gave me a session to do that he said

he loves to do when he wants to get a

little bit faster before he's full

marathon training and it really packs a

punch because you can fit it in within

30 to 45 minutes and really it's very

simple the running you're going to do is

about your 1500 M pace and after a good

warm up and drills you're going to run

400 m with a 90-second recovery then 300

m 990c recovery 200 M and after you've

done that set you have a 3 minute

recovery before you go again and you

just repeat that process through three

to four times it packs a punch you're

really running fast and again you're

kind of pulling that lactate threshold

up from above but it's a real bang for

your buck there that's real cost

efficient because the session is not a

really long one and you're really moving

fast and come on we all like to move

fast right like it feels nice like if I

actually had hair it would be lovely to

have the wind blowing the hair back but

I I don't have that luxury okay and what

we want to do now is we want to start

pushing the lactate threshold Up From

Below we've been working on sessions

that are going to pull it up from above

now we push it up with something that is

slightly less intense working at your

lactate threshold and doing it for a bit

longer so depending on your level of

ability and we'll deal with that in a

minute 1,200 to 1600 M repeats and you

want to run that around your 10K to half

marathon pace not your 5K Pace or your

1500 M pace and at the end of your 1200

or 1600 you want to have a 2minute

recovery rest before you go again now

you could probably start with doing this

four times and move up weekly five or

six you want to fit it within an hour

when you include your warm up and your

cool down and this is how you work out

whether you do 12200 or

1,600 if you run a 5k or you're aiming

to run a 5K in around sub 20 pce 20 21

22 then I would say 1,600 m is fine

that's going to take you roughly 6 7 8

minutes something like that but if

you're aiming for a 25 26 27 minute 5K

or Beyond 1200 M will do the job then

you're still looking at running for 6 7

8 minutes but over the 1,00 m and that's

all we really need at this level we

don't need any longer than that but you

just want to be running at your lactate

threshold which is around your 10K half

marathon pace and push it up from below

so 1 12200 to, 1600 M repeats beautiful

session and the final one is we need to

get away from the track or the road uh

well not necessarily the road actually

as I'm saying I'm thinking I used to do

them on the road hill repeats find

yourself a hill with a gradual gradient

nothing too aggressive but you know

certainly that you know it's a hill that

you can't get to the top of within 1

minute that's the first criteria then

after a good warmup and good drills what

you want to do is you want to run 1

minute uphill holding good technique at

around your lactate threshold you

definitely don't want to be doing this

all out because you're going to be doing

a lot of them you want to be around your

half marathon Pace because this is also

working on your lactate threshold but

your Technique as well getting the

muscles working in a slightly different

way once you get to the top your

recovery is to walk down when you get to

the bottom you turn around and you go

for 30 seconds at a slightly faster Pace

maybe your 10K Pace then you walk it

down that is one set and then you want

to fit that into around an hour so 1

minute up walk down turn around 30

seconds up walk down keep repeating that

hold good technique try and make sure

that you're at a manageable Pace from

the start to the end because you

absolutely don't want to blow out in the

first one and it be a really like Torrid

Affair by the end and once you've done

that make sure of a really good cool

down stretch foam roll whatever it is

that gets you recovered and if you

factor in those five sessions over a 10

we period maybe rotate them do twice

each then I think you're going to stand

a pretty decent chance of running a fast

5k it come the end of it but what do you

do in the rest of the sessions well

that's pretty easy most of the time you

should be running easy building that

aerobic base so that you're able to

actually put the fast stuff on top of it

without this base you're unable to

actually utilize all the fast stuff

you've got over a longer period of time

so you've got to kind of marry the two

together you've got to run slow to run

fast and you got to run fast to run fast

all right go out there try those

sessions hopefully you've learned a

little something that you can take away

and if you did then be sure to subscribe

to the channel and if you like the video

you're definitely also going to like

this video which is the big problem with

running slow to get faster see you on

Wednesday first Chicago marathon

training series video coming whoop whoop

I'm actually terrified