Top 3 Finisher in Clydesdale Division

I just set a PR by over 2:00 yesterday in a 5K at 24:09.  Are you doing any speed work in your run training?  I've found that's helped me a lot in improving my speed in running.  That and increasing my distance too.  I'm around 20 miles per week right now, and I try to have at least one session a week with some fast running mixed in, either mile repeats, strides, or a faster paced tempo run.

I have been doing a little bit of speedwork. I wouldn't really qualify it as speedwork. My real speedwork/track workouts start mid-June about 5 weeks before my "A" race.

I've been doing a handfull of 1 mile runs at just below my goal race pace of 8/mile. I usually do one or two of these in the morning and then a 4 or 5 mile run in the PM.

My PR was set in September at roughly 26 minutes. I ran that at about 245lbs. I've dropped close to 30 pounds since then. I'm hoping that once I start my speedwork (and drop another 18 lbs) I can get my time close to 23:30 or 24:00 minutes towards the end of July. I'll have to make sure to do a couple of bricks to make sure my 5K time hold up after the bike.

Yeah, looking at previous years race results that 25min 5K mark seems to be where the top Clydes sit... I am trying hard to get down to that 8min/mile mark but it is pretty hard as a true clyde.

Yep, I'd recommend a little speed work thrown in each week.  After doing that for about a month you'll be amazed at how your times come down.  Don't get discouraged, just keep working at it and you'll see improvements.  I'm 5' 11", 220, and my 5K PR is 22:46, and I usually run 8-8:30's for my Oly 10K's and I have a couple clyde friends who school me so us bigger guys can do it...just keep plugging away. 

Edited by Flyboy 2011-05-26 1:56 PM

I am getting much faster but STILL am not even close to where I need to be to place unless there are only 3 Athenas.  In my AG?  Forget it.  My runs are slow, my bikes are average and my swims are BOP.   I enjoy the sport so much and this yrea really want to excel.  I am gunning for an hour PR at the marathon and my HIM in September. 

I did my first race of the season this weekend (Bel Air Town Run 5K) and I did it in 30:58 which was a PR for me (down from 34:44). I have been doing run workouts with my Tri club once a week and we do speed workouts which I think have helped me alot. One drill we do is 200m easy (half of one lap) then 200m 5k pace (second half of lap) then 200m easy then the second half of the lap at 1mile pace, etc. I think it helped me alot with building speed and breathing. I am sure you will be able to get to that mark soon, just keep working on it. I am trying to get to your level now, I just need to keep practicing I guess.