Can I REALLY run 5k in under 30 minutes as a slow runner?

Join me on my journey to run my first sub 30 minute 5km! As a slow runner, this was always something that felt impossible. Watch to see if I manage to do it!

Links:

[melissabarrett]

Thank you for representing the slow runners. It’s so hard not to compare yourself to others in this type of sport. My current 5K time is around 38 minutes. I feel your pain, every time I try to increase my pace I feel like I can’t breathe. The one thing that I do enjoy about running is that it’s me against me and I can always make goals for myself. I can do it! I just found your channel and I’m loving the content. Keep the videos coming 😊

[monkeyx]

running a year but cant do a sub 30min 5k? who cares man, your doing what you can do. more than other people

[sockpuff]

Well 50 secs of your pb is MASSIVE!! The great thing about running is there is endless next times, sub 30 will come! Thanks for making such positive running content, keep going!! x

[lmaoo]

I just turned 14 and got into running about a year ago. I’ve been able to get my distance up, but have really struggled to get my time up. My average time for a 5k was 45 mins about half a year ago(and often times worse than that). I remember looking at these videos and getting kinda frustrated when these people would call themselves “slow, ” meanwhile I struggled running a 45 min 5k. Over the summer, I started taking running more seriously and joined cross country for freshman year. Since then, I’ve gone on a run pretty much every single day and worked my butt off for this sport even though I’m not naturally a good runner at all. I’m not a very emotional person, but I decided to try a 5k again last weekend and nearly cried when I saw my time was 28 mins. This is why I run.

[ft]

i've run 3 marathons, many half marathons, and have never broken 30 mins on my 5k. i felt every single damn moment of this run with you!

[julialedra]

"I'm not failing, I'm trying" was such a powerful statement!
I've always judged myself so hard when I didn't reach my goals and I think I'm going to adopt this new mentality from now on 💛💛

[lauraknapp]

It’s so refreshing to hear 5k is a hard distance bc IT IS!!!!

[TAGyourit]

2 months ago i didnt run, 6 months ago i didnt workout regularly, 2 years ago i was 50 pounds heavier, 6 years ago i was still recovering from a very long illness and its after effects.

2 months ago i decided to make running a 5k my stretch goal and started doing short runs and researching how to get there. Right now doing a 5k in 30min is the moon to me, i cant hold a run for longer than 4-5 minutes at the very most. Heres my plan though, 2-3 times a week (on non resistance training days) i go hit the treadmill for an hour. During that hour i spend a short period of time at a comfortable running pace, this means it doesnt make my legs burn quickly and i can hold it for atleast 3 minutes and then come down to a walking pace. week 2 i did this once per hour, week 4 i managed twice and a partial, week 5 (Current) i managed to get 5 in.

all of this to say, im working my way up to a 30minute 5k too.

[OriginalRoadWarrior]

Some advice from someone who used to run quite fast. Think of training in terms of months and years, not weeks - it takes a long time for your body and mind to adjust to running, and especially to running fast. As an example, it took me 10-12 years to reach my final PBs. As others have said, find a local flat parkrun - running with other people will make you faster. And on the same principle, find a local running club - training with others always helps with motivation.

[claricee]

Thank you for this<3 It's so demotivating hearing others go on a "slow, easy run" that happens to be 2-3 min/km faster than my best

[jamezday]

Parkrun is pure vibes, you should go 🤩 You can run whatever you want there, no one is going to judge you

[virtuocitygowf]

Stumbled across your account. Great vid and nice to see someone grafting as hard as you did and not running a 20 min 5km as if it were a jog- keep representing the quiet majority of runners!

[severiner]

Well done on your pb! I've not actually broken 30' either yet so I'm going to be working on that. Next time, ZERO talking, you can get your lovely team mate to talk at you and pace you. You are going to get it done. Go girl!

[peacemker]

interesting, how different people are. I just looked up your time in the Marathon series and you finished 3 minutes faster than me last year. At that time, my 5k PB (I also did an 8-week 5k plan before) was at 26:32 (now I am down to 24:23 and I aim for a sub 24 this year), which is easily below your goal. I am pretty sure, you can get to the sub 30. This time, it was maybe a bit too much talking during the run. On a marathon it's easy to do that, as you are slower. But on an all-out 5k, I guess, no talking could have given you a sub 30 here.
Keep going!

[christinaclementson]

You will absolutely break 30 mins if you consistently train. I started running in 2013 age 42. I ran a 30:48 5k. Now age 53 I run 21:30. Your fitness will just keep on improving and you will surprise yourself with what you can achieve. Keep going 💪💪🤩🤩 Congratulations on a PB 🎉

[charlietwotimes]

Been running since 1978. Run thousands of 5km runs. Run marathons, half marathons, ultras, 10km, 5km...

Have NEVER cared about the time. Running gets me away from production, commodification, the capitalist needs to quantify everything. I run for it's purity, simplicity & the sheer joy it brings. That natural high NEVER gets old.
Do what you love because you love it. I used a wearable but I'm not a slave to it. Just run for the joy of running & you'll never be disappointed.. it's an escape - not another room in the prison that is modern life.

^ old man yelling at clouds..

Edit: subscribed because you're a newish runner who still finds joy in running. Hope that carries on cos it just makes everything in life better. It's therapy, respite, unbridled joy, time out. Running is the only believable god.

[stupedcraig]

Finally, someone relatable! So many videos are like "Gonna do my slow pace at 9:10" Thanks for posting

[crazynai]

As a fellow slow runner, I felt your pain in this but you smashed it. You're so close to that sub 30!
I'm so grateful for your videos. I find it so hard to see what feels like everyone else doing their 'easy runs' at a pace I couldn't manage for more than about 400m. I'm doing a Runna plan and yesterday my run was 1km conversational pace, 2 mins walking. And it was SO hard. Some days are just so much harder. My HR was 175 even though I was doing >7:30/km pace. A few years ago I could do 6-6:30/km pace relatively easily. Hard not to beat yourself up but getting out there and doing it is the most important thing.
Well done 👏

[Sunflowrrunner]

Great job on the PB, and thanks for taking us with you. I really enjoy seeing other normal runners achieve their goals more than elites win big races.

And I hate the middle distances. Running a fast 5k is torture to me!

[chrissieclips]

Massive congratulations, that was epic! You did the hard thing and overcame all your own doubts! I’m also quite a new runner, I’ve never ran a marathon and I think you are super inspiring! Please do give parkrun a try, its the thing that got me from someone who runs sometimes to a “runner” it’s really my happy place. ❤