5 Ways to Get Faster at a 5K
Is one of your first goals in 2023 to beat your 5K PB, do a hard effort for 5K and see where you are and how far you can go in 2023 or even run your first 5km? This blogs will dive into 5 reasons why you should look at getting faster and 5 ways how to get faster!
Why run faster?
Why do we want to run faster? Running faster does not have to running the world record 5k (or even close) or finishing first at your Parkrun. It is about running faster than yourself, it is about pushing yourself that little bit more than you did in your last hard effort. We have 5 reasons why you may want to be faster:
1. To get a faster 5km PB!
Setting yourself to run sub 30min 5k or sub 20 min 5k and achieving that after training towards this goal for months is an amazing feeling! Who doesn’t like ticking off a goal? Or getting a new Parkrun PB?
You may have thought, ‘Gosh, I could never run a 5k in under 30 minutes!’ and then within a few months, you are running a 5k in 28 minutes!!
2. Making yourself more economical at long distances
Training for to get a faster 5km will help you when it comes to long distances. You may have signed up to a half marathon or marathon 6 - 12 months away, working on your 5k for a few months is a brilliant way to prepare yourself ahead of HM / Marathon training.
3. It’s fun!
Training towards a goal can be so much fun, especially when you get a variety of sessions and you do not need to plan each week. Coopah does it for you!
You may be training with a group of colleagues or friends, this helps with motivation as you support each other and get to run together.
Unlike marathon training, you do not have to be continuously running for 2 - 3 hours every week. It is quicker and shorter sessions which makes it easier to fit into your schedule.
4. Challenge yourself
Pushing yourself that little bit extra than usual is hugely rewarding!
“When was the last time you did something for the first time.” -Anonymous
Challenging yourself in a run is not only benefitting your running but also many other areas of your life as when you find yourself, you can look back at previous times when you have faced challenges and you will have the mental strength to move forward and resolve the problem in front of you.
5. Variety in training
Training to run faster, requires variety in your training, meaning you will no longer be running the same route at the same pace every time you go out for a run. This makes running much more exciting and it will push your body in different ways unlike before.
Coopah creates a personalised training plans for all individuals which is tailored to their running ability and target goal. Coopah then provides you with your own training plan and gives you different running sessions that will allow you to achieve your running dreams.
How to run a faster 5k?
1. Track work or harder surfaces - Harder surfaces absorb significantly less energy than softer surfaces which means more energy returns to the runner, and results in faster times.
2. Using hills - Improves leg-muscle strength and quickens your stride.
A study, published in International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance in 2013, had runners perform six weeks of high-intensity uphill running intervals. Researchers discovered that not only were the runners’ running economy (energy expenditure) improved, but they were also 2% faster, on average, in 5K time-trial performances.
3. Interval training - Interval training allows you to spend more time at higher intensities than your race pace in comparison to continuous hard efforts. Your race pace is the fastest pace you can go for the duration of a race. If you break up your efforts into shorter sections with recovery in between, you can work harder than your race pace for longer. Which causes your body to react and get faster, so you can race faster.
4. Fartlek Running Sessions - By forcing your body to keep running in the slower parts of your workouts (even if it’s at an easier pace) without stopping, fartlek can train your body to reuse lactate as your fuel source, improving performance significantly.
5. Strides - Helps you work on your running mechanics and get used to running faster.
All these types of running sessions are available within your Coopah Training Plan. Coopah provides each runner with the specific pace they need to run at as well as for how long and how far.
Download Coopah today so you can train smarter and run faster!
