5km Run for time

Strategy/pacing. Use the running from the past weeks as a gauge for your pacing. You should have built up an understanding of what type of pace you think you can hold for the test. A good target would be the same pace as 1km intervals last week.

You can approach the 5km in (at least) three (3) ways:
1) Even splits (aim for each 400m lap or 1km split to be the same)
2) “Go hard and hope to survive” (start hard, RPE 8/10 or so and hope to hold on until the end)
3) Negative splits (Run the final 2.5km or each 1km faster than the previous one)

Checkpoints (for “even splits”/”go hard and hope to survive” strategies).
@ 1000m – Focus on running as relaxed as possible while still holding a good pace to hit your target lap times
@ 2000m – You should feel like you might just be able to keep the pace until the end but it’s going to suck. If it’s feeling a bit easy, pick up your pace.
@ 3000m – You should be digging deep to maintain, if you can pick up the pace at this point, you started too slow, time to make up for it.
@ 4000m – You should be barely holding on to your pace, time to FIGHT for it
@ 4600m – Only one round (or 400m) left. Pick up your cadence (leg speed) and give it all you’ve got

For “even splits.”
If you have someone to help you (and running around a track), write down your goal split times for each 400m and have the person tell you each round if you are on pace, in front or behind for your target time. For example: If you pass the 1600m mark at 7:35 you will be 5-seconds in front of your 24-minute goal.

Instructions:
– 5000m is 12.5 rounds on a normal 400m track
– If you don’t have the opportunity to run on a track you can also do this on an air runner or just outside (road or forest path). If you decide to test outside you should find a set starting point and an endpoint that is close to 5000m, and as flat as possible.

Feel. This is your opportunity to test your running capacity = you should feel like you are going as hard as you can for the 5k.

Debrief.
– How was your pacing? Did you go for a negative split (aim for faster 2nd half of the run), even splits, “go hard and hope you’ll survive” or something else?
– What two (2) things can you be proud of in this session? What one (1) thing must you improve?

Movement options.
If running is not an option, you can do a 5k Row or SkiErg time trial OR 10k BikeErg time trial.