I finally cracked the 30min barrier

[Thorfinn]

This morning I finally crossed the 5k in 30 minutes barrier with a surprising time of 29:12. This is 1:13 better than my previous PB of 30:25 and frankly it shocked me how much faster it was. This is how I did it.

A couple of weeks ago I made this post about matching music to your cadence. healthunlocked.com/couchto5.... I made the post after running to my own music and noticing that a couple of tracks lined up with my natural cadence. Trying it out on the following run got me to 30:25. However for the next four runs I did not run 5k. Instead I first did the Stepping Stone (speed) podcast which is effectively interval training with 6 repetitions. Then I did the stepping stone (Stamina) podcast run which had me run for 35min. Using my 1k splits for this run, I did 5k in 32:43 but this was a really light run. Then the next two runs were my own interval training which took the idea in the speed podcast and simply added two more repetitions.

Then we get to my run this morning. I started with the usual 5minute warmup walk then just ran to my own playlist. I'd adjusted it from the run where I did 30:25 to shorten the duration where I run at 168spm then I step up to 172, then 174 then 176 and finish at 180. My splits were 5:47, 5:52, 6:02, 5:47 and finally 5:44. The faster times at the slower cadence implies I must have been taking longer steps.

Next goal: beat 29 min

[RunningBoy68 Graduate]

amazing progress and great pace, good work on your technical running - I'm not very musical and my collection of music isn't extensive. I've just started to use my own V's that on the Laura podcasts. I probably need to compile a proper running track list. I do track cadence but it seems a little erratic. I like to track pace per km and heart rate - currently at about 5k in 33minutes. aiming to get consistently under 7min per km, then I'll aim to drop to 6.min 30 per km.

Good luck with the 29 minute target - I'm sure you aren't far off smashing it.

[TeeJay66 Graduate]

I have to say, I think you are over analysing it a bit, I thought this is supposed to be fun 😂😂. - But seriously, Well done👋. I would love to have that sort of pace, you are running 25% faster than me, that is impressive. However, I am confident I will get faster as my strength builds and I am still a couple of weeks short of graduating, at the moment, slow and steady seems to work well for me.

[Thorfinn Graduate in reply to TeeJay66]

You can do it. I was in your position not too long ago.

As for over analysing it - I can't help it. It was the only way I could get into the whole weight loss gig I embarked on. I'm a mathematician. It has to be about the numbers and the science

[Ant50 Graduate]

Great times, the first time I ran sub 30 was amazing, mind you, still only happens on a really good day with a tail wind ! Interesting to see your third km is the slowest, always the same for me, no matter what I do the third is always my slowest km. I can’t even blame it on running uphill as I am running along a canal towpath at that point! Enjoy your runs.

[Dtay1978 Graduate]

Well done 😊