How to set a realistic 5k goal time

How do you set a realistic 5k goal time? Especially if you haven't raced in a long time or you're already improving by leaps and bounds?

Jason Fitzgerald is a USATF running coach, 2:39​ marathoner, and the founder of Strength Running (one of the web's most popular running blogs and coaching businesses). A member of the Greatist Expert Network, he's also the 2017 Men's Running Magazine's Influencer of the Year and a contributor to Competitor Magazine, Active, Runner's World, Lifehacker, and other major media.

[johnsladeharris]

This is my first XC season and I tried the “Hang on for dear life” strategy today and broke 17 in the 5K for the first time

[giovanbattistafichera]

I was fatter and a smoker and I was struggling to finish a 5k in less than 30 minutes. As soon as I quit and started taking my training seriously, I raced a very surprising 25:30 5k in July 2017. Since then, in the span of 9 months, I have already shaved more than 2 minutes, with my current PB at 23:25 (Feb 10th 2018). All of this was the result of consistency and the addition of long runs to my speed and tempo training. All stuff I took off the internet. All this is to say that you can't set a realistic goal time unless you already know where your fitness is. Just go a race a few 5ks. Those will be your benchmark.

[roan]

Start running last year in June. 5K time was 32:00. Original goal was to get that under 30:00. Today I did 26:14.

[allisonscanlan]

I did the let Jesus take the wheel strategy today by accident and got my best time by 6+ minutes. But I've also been taking iron supplements

[barefootbeachrunner]

Thanks for this
One of ths best posts on improving speed ive seen
I was never really a runner in my younger years
I was a competitive swimmer and played water polo
In my later years around 40 years old i lost some weight and started to run
Im now 52 years old and since running ive run many races over the last 12 years ranging from 5k through to marathon distance
Ivwe also had some injuries including torn cartilage in my left knee and ankle ligament and fracture also in same ankle
Im recovered now and have been back running between 50-80 km per week and also walking at least another 40 km with what i do at work
My pb for 5k is 23:36 and im struggling to get back there
Im currently running around 24:30 every week at my local parkrun and regardless of what i do with my training i cant get any quicker
Very frustrating

[JS-vlqi]

I have just started training to incorporate running into my workouts in the past six months. For the first three I focused heavily on building aerobic base through running biking and swimming 5-6 days a week, and taking time out of the weight room. The last three months have been translating that volume into exclusively running and bringing up the mileage. I have seen my 5k time drop from 33:30 to 26 minutes already with an average of only 10-15 quality running miles a week. I plan to keep building this up to 20 miles a week and doing more 5k specific workouts to get down to sub-20!

[Loppy]

Video doesn't answer the question, here's the answer: Run 1k as fast as you can, add 30s to your time, and use that as the pace for your 5k. eg if you run 1k in 4:30, then your 5k pace should be 5 min/km, so you should target 25 minutes.

[Shevock]

'Let Jesus take the wheel." This encapsulates the 5k. Lol.

[candacerunning]

I've been trying to hit a sub-30 for the last 2 years, in between rehabbing ITBS, but like your tip on trying different strategies for racing 5k's.  I tend to start out slow because I worry about crashing.  I usually always have enough left in me to do a nice kick at the last k, so I think I'm going to try your "come to Jesus" strategy and just start out fast and hang on.   I'm also going to try the track workout doing the three 1 milers with a minute recovery in between.

I recently turned 56 and sometimes I think, "Well, you're getting older, so don't assume you can hit that sub-30!"  But then, I see even older women hitting sub-30's & faster and figure it's still possible for me.

[levisaude]

I ran a personal eat of 18:11 last year and I was a freshman, it was my first year ever doing xc and for my sophomore year I want to run a 17:20 or better.

[closmasmas]

Getting ready for a cross country season if I have one

[nerdymidwesterner]

For me, I don't really care what's realistic, I just want a fast time. Setting a ridiculous goal is my cup of tea for cross country. My PR as a freshman is 18:58, and I wanna run a sub 17 next season. Dedication will help me reach my goal. I'm going for sub 16 as a junior, and then sub 15 as a senior. Seems ridiculous, but I'm dedicated

[yannickm]

I am a 20 year old man with a weight of 80kg at a height of 179cm. I don't really have the build of a runner because i have big calves and also do weight training.
And in the past i did some cycling and (still do some times).
I am actually thinking of picking up speed skating.

For the last 7 months i ran about 15km a week (some times 20km).
I mostly run 3 times a week.
And most of the times these runs are simply 5 km's in around 25min.
I also some times swap one of my 5 km's with a ten km or run 1 day more.
But i can not keep this up because my calves will start hurting.
I started out with a time of 22.15 min.
After a month i used the going out hard tactic and got down to 20.15 min.
Not much later i got a time of 20.01 min.
But just last week i again used the going out hard with a first km of 03.33 min i got a time of 19.38 min.
Does anyone have any tips for me?
My next goal is sub 19 min 5k.

[closmasmas]

I need some 5k specific base building workouts hopefully I can break 17 (or 16:30) in my senior year

[bear]

I was athletic at school and I just started running again 3 months ago and my 5k is at 20:14 so what would should a 5k goal for me look like?

[fajwolbert]

Want to hit the 15:00 barrier within 2 years, but don't know if its feasible. Started running a few months ago with a time of 19:10 for the 5K. I'm now at 17:45 but feel I should be able to go under the 17:00 within a few months. Then the difficult part starts i guess... Of course I will still be able to shave of some time by doing proper training, but this won't be 2 minutes. So my 'secret weapon' is weight loss. Currently 82kg. while being 186cm and want to bring it down to 75-76kg. Hopefully that should do the trick ;-)

[rogercook]

Great video. I am 58 years old and have been running 5k since 2004. Over the years my times have gotten slower. 2014 do to injury I couldn't run at all. I had a torn meniscus in my right knee. I never got an operation it healed on its own. when I started back running in May 2015 I ran my first 5k of that year in June needless to say it took me 42 minutes and some seconds to finish it. by the time November rolled around that year I ran that particular 5K in 29 minutes. I run a average of 20 miles each week in 4 days. My longest run is 5.5 miles. What is considered a good time in a 5k race for a man my age ?

[chasesview]

I’m trying to shave off 3 minuets by the end of my season

[dewknow]

I did a 10k with little to no training only training for less then a month and did it in 52:52 with a 8:32 pace per mile . I in my early 30s and have really ran since high school like 2002 lol . Now I been training with a sold plain and got a 30k trail race in 30 days or so and a 50k in march and doing my first ultra marathon 100 mile race in October of 2019 in Arizona and it going to be 90 degrees. Anyone can do this that my point you just have to want it.

[adamkid]

I Run 5K 27 minutes but it’s all hills so if I was on flat road I think I would do it in 23 minutes