A Quick Story
I had a lot of ideas floating around for a post today. You know, something in the ‘norm’ for End of Three Fitness. However, I hate that there is a norm…Did you know I think of 90% of my posts while working out? There is a lot to be said about having a muse.
Anyway, tonight I was returning some vanilla that I had borrowed from a neighbor for a paleo pancake recipe (that I will be sharing tomorrow), and I had an epiphany. I haven’t been out of my comfort zone in a while. Yea, I have been flat on my back gasping for air and have even collapsed once this week from my legs giving out on me due to muscle fatigue, BUT that doesn’t mean I have been out of my comfort zone.
What caused this epiphany? Greg.
Greg hangs out in a place I like to call endurance eliteville. His lungs are a lot like the honey badger, they don’t give a s***!! I’ve seen this dude run a freaking 5 minute mile AFTER a two mile warm-up run, 4×400 sprints, 4×800 sprints, then he did a fast sprint mile. Crazy!
Back to they story, I was at his house and I said, “Greg give me 5 tips for a sub 20 minute 5K”. Without hesitation and a mere look to the sky he spit out some pretty impressive tips in about 22 seconds. You know how I know this means he knows what he is talking about? Albert Einstein.
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”
-Albert Einstein
It is only the people who can quickly and simply explain something to you that are the ones who know what they are talking about. If I asked that question to some mediocre endurance athlete I probably would have got an answer like “Well it depends…blah, blah, blah”.
5 Tips to Take Your Fun Run to the Next Level
1.) Hydrate
- A lot of people think the 5K is such a short race that hydration is not as important. Wrong! Hydration for even the shortest races is still important. Especially is you want to get to that sub 20 minute level we are talking about. Make sure you are drinking enough water days before the race. Need some more info on hydration? Check out the article below.
- How Much Water Should I Drink for CrossFit? For Life?
2.) Negative Splits
- Another big issue with people wanting to run a fast 5K is going too fast too early. People feel like they can just kill the race and they try to keep a ridiculous and unachievable pace for the full 5K. This will only lead to burn out and it is not beneficial. Greg said learning how to effectively run negative splits in a 5K is key to getting that fast time.
- Runner’s World: The Positive of Negative Splits
3.) Run More Than the Race
- If you are training for a 5K that doesn’t mean run a 5K everyday, or worse, run less than a 5K and plan on the “X-Factor” making an appearance on race day. You need to mix it up with different distances, intervals, hills etc..But most of all make sure you can maintain an uncomfortable pace past the race distance. This will not only help out your conditioning a ton, but it will also help you mentally. Because if you have already been there you won’t be scared.
- Decent and Generic Tips for a 5K from Runner’s World
4.) Speed Work
- One of my favorites. Greg has dabbled in a lot of different training programs and he has found speed work, if done correctly, is one of the most beneficial. I have actually covered this one with Greg before. He gave me the ultimate speed workout so make sure you read the post below.
- The Speed Workout for Any Distance: “Gutsâ€
5.) Have Fun
- Last but not least, have fun. If you can’t find any fun in what you do you will soon despise what you do. Make sure you have a good time when you are running a race. Get a free t-shirt, take some good pics, and have a great time!
Race tips? Questions for Greg? How do you have fun in a race? Add it to comments!