the 5k pb thread

I'd be interested to know everyone's tips on how to get a 5K PB this weekend. Things like kit and tapering and tactics ie NOT training.

I've put my thoughts in this post: http://the5krunner.com/2011/06/18/5k-pb-how-can-i-get-a-parkrun-5k-pb-this-saturday/ 

But I'm sure there's more great ideas out there.

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Running 5k Better
More: http://the5krunner.com
Goals: 82% Age Graded 5k and an open water Triathlon. 

run faster than you have before

adopt the racing line strategy

figure out your current 5k race pace, and run slightly faster than that.

Find a flatter course.

Or maybe try some of these:

@Dave ... yep not training. Look at tapers for the weekend ahead ALL TAPERS will have you doing very little work for a 5k. They will try to maintain your freshness whilst allowing recovery (a taper!)

@Ricardo ...yep a racing line in a parkrun i reckon will save you a few 10s of metres that's worth quite a few secs.

@Lou, yep a flatter course...Bushy for Parkruns is good.

@everyone, run faster! yes but why didn't you do that last time? *HOW* do you run faster? more evenly? take caffeine? you can't always JUST run faster. 

Let's try and help people run faster  - and a few smart comments of course...I like the rocket shoes

Bump into faster runner and knock his bar code out of his hand. Pick it up for him and hand over yours instead.  Works best if its done on the start line as they count down. 

Carb load the day before on spam.

just AVIT and don't hold back.

Red shoes with gold-flecked laces.

Take a short cut?

i think i'll start a thread for wisecracks

much better reading than things to do with running!

Do parkrun every week the same one conditions will be different but you canget into the zone and carck your pbs hopefully week on week.

@brenda, yes that works for a while.

there are things you can do TODAY and for the next (up to) 6 days before your next parkrun that can make you quite a lot faster come the next parkrun-saturday...and extra training isn't one of them (honest!!)

5k, out of interest, what's your pedigree/experience, as I see you giving a lot of tips out.

6 weeks seems to be the time a lot of people give for training to come into effect for faster times, so I'm genuinely all ears what you think can make you "quite a lot faster" in a week's time.

things like taper, kit, caffeine, pacing, cetainly NOT training as you say for the reason you say.

here's my list of tips: http://the5krunner.com/2011/06/18/5k-pb-how-can-i-get-a-parkrun-5k-pb-this-saturday/

if you look at brianmac site, for example, from research he cites proper tapering for a week vs no tapering and the performance difference can be 22%...thats a lot isn't it?  Is it right? dunno, not my science.

Me giving out tips and answering questions..GUILTY ! None (or few) of us here are coaches or sports scientists. So we regurgitate the views of others OR we speak about our own personal experience. 

5k, I guarantee you that I wouldn't get a 5k pb within a week just based on those things.

Maybe someone who's been running 3months might, but you need consistent training over years to correct pace zones and luck with injuries to improve.

With your quick fix mentality you should actually work for RW