I'm taking notes Ben and would like to share it with everyone here. I've been following you, hoping that I'll be able to do sub20 in 5km distance. I'm currently in a plateau with 22mins in 5km. Thank you for this Ben. Ben Is Running Beginner's 5km Program Summary: Session 1: 10 x 400m Rest: 1m30 Standing Target Pace: A little faster than 5km pace Session 2: 4 x 1km Rest: 2:00m Standing Target Pace: Goal 5km Race _____________________________________________ Ben Workout as 15min 5KM runner 20 x 400m Rest: 45sec Recovery Weekly Structure: Tuesday - Speed Session Saturday - Long Run Follow 80-20 Rule (The cherry on-top in Training) 80% Easy Running (Conversation Pace) 20% Speed Sessions / High Intensity Workout Tip #1: When Increasing training load/volume, add 10% each week. Ex. 30km in week 1, in week 2 increased to 33km Tip #2: Avoid doing race effort every week, it causes a lot of fatigue on the body and decremental of the training. Tip #3: Select 1 or 2 race every month, treat as an A race effort to avoid fatigue. Final tip: Don’t hesitate to do long runs more than your race goal distance, 5km running is 90% Aerobic and 10% Anaerobic. Any changes of your training plan you need to them gradually to avoid injury. Learning about what your body can take slowly adapting the training regime over the weeks and building up consistencies.
This is a great video. I’ve been running Parkruns for 7 years thanks to you and This messy happy I’m finally bringing my times down at Parkrun after years of trying doing it wrong. My all time goal is sub 20 parkrun. I’ve bought my times from 26/27 mins to 22/23 over the last few months thanks to you guys. I’ll keep pushing to achieve my parkrun goal! Thanks again!
I’m a newbie to parkrun and running/shuffling. Lost 8 stone and decided to change it up during the lockdown. Thanks Ben. I’m Really slow and it’s okay. My aims each week are to turn up and to keep going even when it’s tough. Not to stop. This will help. Did some Intervals on the treadmill this week and it felt good. Thanks for inspiring me to run.
@Estelle - in relation to running slow, it's not just 'okay' - it's great. Everybody goes too fast when they start out, and I think a lot of people end up associating running with suffering - and it absolutely doesn't have to be that way. Paradoxically, lots of easy miles is a great way of getting faster in the long run. Well done on finding a way to enjoy it - I hope that continues!! :)
Great video Ben! The number 1 tip I think to improving your 5k is to watch this channel. Started watching October last year when I was injured and since I came back in January I have gone from 21.34 to 17.55. Can’t wait for holiday as well, going up to Lake District to attempt Whinlatter Forest parkrun (3rd Toughest in the UK with the highest elevation)
hi mate, i did whinlatter fairly recently, least i can say is it’s absolutely brutal!! i normally do parkrun in 23/24 mins, but couldn’t even manage sub 30 at whinlatter 😂good luck to u
They're also free and the individual events are run by volunteers (if you attend a lot, please volunteer sometimes at least 1 in 6, there's a load of large runs that only need 10% of the people to volunteer weekly but always end up begging the regular volunteers every week).
You don’t understand how much this helps me and others that have become obsessed with this Ben thank you. I just started my long distance running journey in February training for a half marathon in April. I decided to run a 5K the week before to see how I would do I ran a 22:56, than the next week ran a 1:44. I did that just following a basic model of training for a half marathon. Now I thought I was terrible but people told me my times were great and I was like “what” 🤷🏾♂️ for a beginner. Now I started adding some speed work to my workouts since April and seen a change (I still don’t fully feel I know what I’m doing at times) I ran 5K PB in a 10K race in June at 22:24, then the following week I ran a 5K race and time went down to 20:38. So I feel I maybe on the right track but, I always look to you and the other Ben from “the messy happy” channel to get tips. Thank you for adding this so I can add to my workouts and also thanks for the adding gradually part because I got so obsessed with meeting my goal to run under 20 before this year is out I pushed from 3 to 4 days starting to a strong jump to 6 days a week of running and I feel run down and even injured my knee a bit so I cut down to 5 now we will see how it goes. Thank you for your work and effort. Maybe I will run a race with you sometime down the road. ✌🏾
My recent PB is 19:16 (last week) but really keen to get it down to the 17:00 to 18:00 range, thanks for the tips, will give these a try (especially the interval training).
The great thing about doing different park runs is that a variety of running environments really helps with motivation by keep things fresh 🙂 thanks for your posts Ben👍
I love that you mentioned Chalkwell Beach parkrun in Southend! I visited my family last weekend and took part in event #50. Shaved nearly 2 mins of my previous PB and ran the course in 34:09!! I'm excited to see how much I'll improve after I incorporate some speedwork into my training.
Awesome Ben. love the tip with regards to not going for a PB every week and how it can spoil future training. while i don't go for a PB every week i always but max effort to get a 20:?? time. resulting in Monday morning's long and slow run being hard work with a few long term injuries (calf & knee). Anyway on Saturday i took your advice. I ran and took photos for the parkrun (26+ min). Monday morning i ran the same 10km route i ran the week before with my laps been 15sec per km quicker (4:52min) and on strava effort was down from 74 to 64. my mates not happy as we seem to race each other each week. thanks Ben. top tip
Such an easy parkrun, I couldn't get confused! Though the headwind on the way back last week was refreshing in the sun, it definitely slowed me down when going for my PB 😂
These are such great tips. I think I knew most of them but I am 45 and have been running for years. I wish I saw your video a long time ago 👍 Something that really blew my mind when I was trying to go sub 20 was volume. I had a structured training plan that was 30 - 40k a week and I just couldn't dip under 20. As soon as I started doing 50 - 60k I saw huge gains. Something I just didn't think I needed at the time. Thanks for your videos I always enjoy them
Very Sensible and helpful tips Ben! It is an 8am start for a trail park run @ Mt Ainslie, Canberra, Australia for something different. Winter running at it's best at this time of year. Inspired. Thanks again!
Just catching up on your videos Ben, after a few months off running properly. This is actually a great video “refresher“ for 5k running as well as for beginners . Thanks very much , I’m going to add these sessions to my comeback training.
Storey’s Field in Cambridge has been rated 2nd fastest ParkRun course. It’s all tarmac so defo a quick course. I’ve run it three times and it’s my go-to course to see where I’m at with 5k. Great tips Ben
Phumb nail says 15.30 5k. everyone here knows that with a 5k plan Ben is easily sub 15 on road and like 14.50 on track. Just hasn't been focusing on it yet. These tips are some good stuff.
Be very interested to see how you get on at Great Yarmouth park run, if anyone can get sub 20 there I can imagine you’d be the guy for it! Have to make people aware when you’re planning it, I’m sure a seaside meet up wouldn’t go amiss!
Thanks for sharing all your knowledge Ben! You’re a star ! Very Important question: which Team Våga hat should I buy? Of course with your discount code 😃 so you can get a fee and continue to create great content… as Tesco’s would say: any little helps !
Your welcome! It certainly does mate! The short peak ones are great for the hot weather but the one I’m wearing in this video is probably my go too at the minute
I’ve only started Parkrun this year, I think it’s brilliant. I’m soooo close to sub 20 now 20:07 at the moment…might be too hot to push for it right now but should get it by the end of year!
Parkruns are still suspended in my country :-( but I do generic 5Ks. No real aim as yet, just starting out from "OMG I'm dying" to run walk run and shuffling along. Did a few of your and jog squad training tips (modified for shorty) and maybe one day I'll get to enjoy a parkrun!
The advice not to run a flat out Parkrun every week is something I've been looking for a while. It didn't seem the right thing to do but nobody ever mentions it. And of course it is what I've been doing flat out every week, even when I put a more structured training regime in place.
I’ve seen puresport products sprinkled in some of your videos, but have you done a specific review video for them before? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts/experience/routine with using their stuff. Thanks for the great content!
Not done a specific video but like you said featured in a fair few! Take the CBD and turmeric capsules daily and then apply the balm after big sessions/long runs
Hi I enjoyed your video 👍I've been running 2 to 3 times a week for the past 2 years how often do you take a break and for how long do you have off without losing your gains
I agree, but Ben, just tell the truth: If we talk about improving from 27min+ (as in the thumbnail), one word - MILEAGE!!! All those fancy workouts are nice and all, but we runners that are around the 30min mark should just run more. And crosstrain when you can't run more. After we get in the low 20 range we can add in some more complicated stuff. Until then the name of the game is volume.
I just have a general question, I hope you can answer it: since the marathon is a totally aerobic effort, it shouldn’t be necessary to improve your anaerobic energy production. That’s how I logically explained that to myself. But obviously kipchoge and every other ambitious marathon runner does these track sessions , surely being over the lactate threshold. I would say, that you’re only doing that to get the feeling for this speed and to get used to it. If I’m right, I wonder how exactly the marathon runners manage to get faster. (Sorry for the partly bad English, I’m German) Hopefully you can answer that. Thank you 🙏
By doing track sessions the aim is to increase your lactate threshold to a faster speed/ further distance so that when you race you can go faster without building lactate. This ultimate allows your body to stay aerobic at speeds that would previously have been anaerobic
