Training for a 5km run - which workout is best?

[geoalehay]

I'm trying to reduce my 5km run time. I have considered a few different workouts to achieve this. Can anyone tell me, is it a wise idea to often swap and change your workout to acheive the same goal, or slect a couple of specific workouts and work hard on them alone? Examples to choose from are:

Uphill intervals
general interval training
using the stairs climber at the gym
bike riding (@ high intensity)
general running with walking lunges and burpees throughout
High rep (such as 20 or so per set) leg weights

I need to know if it's wise to cycle through a different workout each session (3-4 sessions per week) with a straight 5km run once a fortnight, or to select the best 2 or 3 workouts and use them only?

[wevie]

I'm trying to reduce my 5km run time. I have considered a few different workouts to achieve this. Can anyone tell me, is it a wise idea to often swap and change your workout to acheive the same goal, or slect a couple of specific workouts and work hard on them alone? Examples to choose from are:

Uphill intervals
general interval training
using the stairs climber at the gym
bike riding (@ high intensity)
general running with walking lunges and burpees throughout
High rep (such as 20 or so per set) leg weights

I need to know if it's wise to cycle through a different workout each session (3-4 sessions per week) with a straight 5km run once a fortnight, or to select the best 2 or 3 workouts and use them only?

If you want to train for a run then I think I would run. IMO, that would be best. Maybe with some ankle weighs.

Run 5k or maybe 6k and try to run it faster each time.

[Boss Man]

I'd advise against Ankle weights, as they might cause some strain or damage to the area.

[Packard]

Ankle weights are a bad idea. They alter your natural stride and will not translate well in actual running events.

While we are on it, keep your hands empty when running. I see people carrying walkmans and water bottles when running. You need to have your hands swinging free to maintain a smooth stride. Your arm motion controls your legs. Try to keep your arms loose and relaxed for a relaxed running style.

Any distance under 5 miles (except in perhaps Phoenix) does not require mid distance hydration. Drink before and after the run. If you run further, then get a water bottle that you can wear on a belt or on a back pack. Keep your arms free.

The only thing I see that you are not trying is over-speed training. This is a method that is supposed to coax extra speed from your legs. There are a few ways to do this. One is to wear a belt and have a motorcycle pull you along as you run (I don't like that scenario). Another is to find a very shallow hill that is about 1/4 mile long and run as fast as you can down that hill. The down hill reduces the resistance and allows you to move your legs faster.

If you have abundant fast twitch muscles this may not have any effect.

I was a sprinter in high school. I found that I had good speed for shorter distances but longer distances were not my forte even when I trained hard. My best 5 mile time was 25 minutes; hardly competitive. But my 100 yard times were the best in the school district. So pick an event that suits your physiology. Fighting your natural tendencies will not yield a satisfactory result.

[XCrunner]

What is your best 5k time? I would say put a lot of work into your form as if it is wrong you waste energy. Another thing is possibly lengthening your stride but be careful with this as a bad stride leads to injuries. The main thing you want to do is run as many miles as you can. I would say run 6 days a week reserving one day for a hill workout and one day of intervals. For intervals find a track and try something referred to as a pyramid.

1600m
1200m 1200m
800m 800m
400m 400m

Work down and left to right focusing on stride and keep 3/4 of a race pace. The last 400m you should go all out remember to stretch before and after running and stay hydrated. One last thing is start cross training doing crunches, push-ups, etc. Doing all of this has allowed me to run a 17:18 5k.