Just asking you lovely lot really. If I get back into 3 runs every week instead of being sporadic, will my 5k time improve? Was thinking one hard-and-fast 3 miles, one hilly 3 miles, and one long slow distance run. Might that do the trick?
I'd kind of like a sub-25 minutes time, and reckon I can do it in about 28 at the mo. Feasible?
That sounds like a pretty good plan. Have you tried fartleks? I found those really helped my speed. I also found adding a short fast 3k route really helped - you can practice running a lot faster knowing you don't have to do a full 5. The hills certainly will help as well.
I have only improved my speed by adding different things to my week as follows: Hills and/or intervals once a week, 1 long run and 2 short runs per week. Core strength exercises every day and to counteract all this I do a range of calf stretching exercises twice a day.
They say if you want to run fast, you have to run fast. In other words, all the things you mention are good, but fartleks are when you run fast and will probably contribute most to running fast. bey eh, what do I know?
Well I upped my game 4 weeks ago, introducing things I wasn't doing before. I think to run faster you need to build strength in your legs and to do that you need to run further sometimes and faster sometimes. I shaved 2 mins, 40secs off my 5k pb last week. So I really do believe a mixture of different things works. Oh and occasionally just going for it, pushing yourself as hard as you can so you have nothing left at the end. You'll be amazed what you can do. X
2 minutes 40 is a huge reduction! Well done!!
Thanks all, this all looks like good advice. I do think hussain's right, but I also know my average pace was quicker when I was running 3x a week and weighed half a stone less. (Bloody doctor insists I need a specific BMI to qualify for some treatment I need, even though he's actually agreed that my natural healthy weight is below that, and it's hard to train properly and keep the weight on. Gets me down.) - am worried sprinting will torch calories too efficiently. Will maybe give it a go and see what happens.
Good luck Sweetie. Fartleker sound like the way to go, and I'm sure x3 runs a week will help xx
Hi, I would love to work on my speed - but I was advised to improve fitness with distance before going for it on the speed front. My Dad got me to run the quickest mile I could and it was fab, it also showed that I can go fast - but only for a mile ! I would advise doing it - if you can get to 8ish min/miles, just for a mile you know that is how quick you need to go for a 25m 5k. You can then make the short fast run ( I think runwithdogs suggestion of reducing it to 3k is a good one ) a mixture this fast pace and recovery pace until you can do the whole 3k at this fast pace you need. Hope this helps, it is my sort of plan for the future 
Sounds good, thanks. I'm a reasonable distance runner and love it - still managing 6-8 miles at weekends (at what I'd describe as a leisurely pace!), just not getting out 3 times every week and think my speed and power is dented by it.
Yes, if you train regularly you'll improve more than if you train sporadic.
Having said that, it sounds like all three runs you're contemplating are hard ones. Fast is hard. Hills are hard. Long is hard. I think you might end up wearing yourself out and forget the good habit of 3 times per week. So why not try with only one hard run per week? Make it a hard interval training one week and a long slow run the next, and make the other two weekly runs nice and gentle 3 milers that you know you can do without aching afterwards.
Yes, perhaps you're right. Don't generally ache after long runs unless I do more than 8 miles though, or do less but faster. I was looking at the long slow run as my reward, rather than another 'hard'!
And because of where we live I have to specially plan runs that aren't hilly, so again unless I push my pace or attack the particularly knee-trembling examples, hilly runs are currently a non-achy norm.
Maybe an easy-pace hilly one, a steady long (because i LOVE long slow runs. They're my weekend treat!), and a pushing-it short with intervals if I need them.
Like you I have learnt to love the long, slow runs, to the point where I sometimes tell myself that the hard runs or boring runs is just the necessary "payment" to be able to enjoy a LSR every now and then. Whatever you do, make sure to enjoy it 
I've definately found that running 3 times a week works well. Better to go for 3 short runs than 1 long one.
I would say one thing is for certain - your speed isn't going to improve if you ony run sporadically. I would agree with Tomas though, 3 specific runs a week and no rest runs sounds like a recipe for burnout and injury rather than long-term Gainz. I would say do hills/intervals alternate weeks, certainly for a while.
The other thing would be to do better crosstraining on your days off. By which I don't mean half-arsed elliptical or exercise bike plodding. Spin or HIIT cardio and some proper leg resistance work: carrying extra weight does not slow you down if it is lean muscle. I have found that upping the intensity and frequency of my HIIT work has resulted in much greater running speed improvement than running has (although obviously you need to run too).
Wise words sir, thanks. Problem is I'm an ectomorph and my lean muscle is lean and sinewy and not very weighty, and I drop weight really quickly. The only way I've been able to meet my target weight is to up my body fat percentage and I can't really afford to loose it for the foreseeable (plus I kinda quite like having a slightly female silhouette for a change! Hips! Tits! Ass! Oh my!) , so I'm nervous of adding extra cardio to weeks that already have running. I walk anyway, but don't go near elliptical/stationary bike type stuff. Would be more inclined to do body-weight strength stuff, or hillwalking, or occasional swimming. D'you think I should start lifting weights instead?
Weights, or better still calisthenics. Have a look on You Tube at Al and danny Kavadlo, and have a look at 'Convict conditioning' - don't be put off by the name - it is the hands down best progressive calisthenics training I have found. Working just with bodyweight has a great deal to rcommend it.
Hips, tits and ass is a very convincing argument.
Thanks for the recommendation, will have a look and see how brave I feel!
And yeah, Mr TF certainly seems to think so 😉
I'd say... I've just started this plan, and it's so easy and apparently very effective. My son swears by intervals and his 5k PB is 21 minutes!! But then he is 14!!!!!
runnersworld.com/peak-perfo...
I posted about it in bridge to 10k here
Good luck, I think you will nail it 😎
Tips on using Speed, Stamina and Stepping stones podcasts...
Tips on how to improve your 5K speed
Has anyone got any tips on speeding up to reach the 5k in 30 minutes?
Speed!
