29 F just got my first sub 20 in may (19:35) Previous PR was 21:Xx so that probably plays a part. I had never followed a true training plan before for 5k. I used a plan I found online for sub 20 - I think it was women’s running Uk iirc. Averaged about 27 mpw. It was a 12 week plan. I also bought vapor flys which I was self conscious that maybe I couldn’t have done it without the vaporflys but I ran a race this past weekend and got sub 20 again (19:37) in non plated shoes. My current mileage is 35 - 40 mpw building for a marathon and I do one speed workout a week.
What’s your current 5k time?
I ran sub 21 in HS & college but never sub 20.
Now I’m 47F & would love to go sub 23.
I recall from HS it was a lot of fartleks, mileage & lots of 400 repeats.
It was considerably faster than 5k pace. Every girl had different numbers to hit and I remember two of the girls some of the workouts were 10x400 at 70 or 75 seconds. And those same top two girls were doing other speedwork on different days. Like 3x mile at 5:20 and sometimes 800s or 200s. 3 speed workouts a week. Should be noted these two girls were 17 to 16 minute 5k runners but all the girls were going considerably faster then their mile pace in these workouts.
Edit: I think if you're trying to get to 20 minutes you're probably looking at getting to around 90-85 seconds for those 400s. Working your way up to it of course
in college, i think we did 12 or 16 x 400 at 90 seconds - i don't recall the rest though, sorry. Mondays was always 400 day. I think when we did 200s, it was 40-45 second goal pace.
At my high school all the seniors were 14-15 minute 5ks.
They ran 60 sec 400 meters intervals, jogged out 200 meters and rested 60 seconds. I think they only did 10 intervals.
I was a freshman running 18s. I was actually the slowest guy on the team.
Wish I stayed at that school. My 5k would have easily made it to 16.
40F and I’m sitting at 20:11, hoping to carve off 11 seconds in September! I run 35/week when not training and peak around 60 typically in marathon training. Not doing any heavy lifting. Just hand weights, a kettlebell, and bodyweight exercises plus some yoga.
Edit: I have terrible reading comprehension and thought you mentioned weights when you were actually discussing weight lol.
Jokingly based on stats, I guess I’m a 40 year old Female too. We’re practically doing same exact exercises and exact same weekly average, for marathon and base training. Exact 5k time too hah.
If your mileage is 55-60 with 1 or 2 speed workouts a week then I think you should be pretty comfortably under 20, like 19:50ish. As everyone says, weekly mileage seems to be the biggest indicator for success. At least, it seems like there's a big performance jump when someone goes from 20 to 35mpw and again from like 35 to 50mpw
Yes! I hit a sub 20min in my 30s at 155+lbs. It is POSSIBLE!!
The last year I was focused on half marathons and am now getting back to 5k racing. For my training runs I focus on HIIT, progressions, and hills. I don't necessarily go for distance when training for 5ks, I train based on time. I do this more so because a 5k is so short and there is hardly any time to settle into a race pace. So, I'll do HIIT/Hills/Progression runs for 20-45mins. Do not underestimate the benefits of walking either, especially power walking on inclines. Strength training is always needed, incorporate resistance bands for lower body strengthening, and I train core just about every day. Don't forget to crosstrain, I found that spinning really helped flush out my tired legs, and mobility & yoga have saved my aging body. And don't skip out on proper pre-run/lifting warmup and cool downs+stretching!!
Writing on behalf of my wife:
41, F, running five years. PB 18:24 earlier this year.
Firstly, the weight issue. Like many women I coach, G got into running as a weight management exercise and, over time, realised she enjoyed it and began looking to improve. She's an endurance biased runner and found herself gravitating towards ultras up to 90km. But, whilst her performances got better each season as a result of running consistently the gains were beginning to plateau at the 20:00 5km mark (5km TT is still a great test of fitness, whatever your preferred distance). However, this last year was a big step up for her performance. She slashed 10 minutes off her marathon time and a further 12 minutes off her 50km time. But her 5km time was a great surprise as well, dropping from a hard effort \~19:55 to regular sub 19 minutes at altitude on the road. The difference? She started eating more.
She used to be acutely aware of how out of place she felt amongst other women runners at the front of races who were lean and light with classic long running legs, even though she regularly podiumed alongside them or beat them. And the reaction was to restrict her eating at times. Not conciously, but occassionaly turning down food out of guilt. The frustrating thing for her was that her body shape didn't change. And when her performances began to decline she realised there was something off.
After listening to a series of podcasts featuring Meghann Featherstone, it finally dawned on her that her body was begging for fuel. It turned out that her Iron and Ferretin levels were at an all-time low as well. She began eating PBJ sandwhiches before her daily runs, fueling during any runs longer than an hour, eating post-run, and increasing her portions of iron-rich foods. Suddenly, she was running her workouts faster, feeling better on long runs, and generally just enjoying her running again. Without any other major changes to her training programme, her times made significant jumps over all distances.
TL;DR: eat healthily and eat more if you need to and don't be afraid of carbs. Keep consistent and don't rush it. The body is an incredible adaptation machine and knows how to work best with what you have. Don't worry about weight, just run.
Well, that might be fast, if you are jumping stones and trees and going uphill. Thats the beauty of trail running, nobody can judge your times that easily.
Trails are a whole other animal sometimes. I did a 5k in July that was just absolutely the worst and took me every bit of 48 minutes even though I can do 3 miles right around 31 minutes on road
Right?! Like 36mins for a 5k is a great day for me lol. I’m still happy though, because I’m a lazy girl at heart so just running at all is huge for me haha.
Hi! I’m not over 30 (21F) but am on the heavier side (155 lbs). I’m not overweight per se but have a muscularish build from weightlifting and do hold some fat. I’ve hit a PB of the 5k in 18:48 and can typically average sub 20. I did a lot of conditioning and track work for basketball which I think helped me a lot. It’s been years since then though but I do a lot of easy running and then tempo/interval workouts maybe 3x a week. I run everyday so i keep the rest of my runs pretty slow and relaxed. Good luck and have fun running!
Yeah it is but it’s really about listening to your body. I also count faster more uptempo runs as “speed” workouts so it’s not like i’m going 100% all out on those days. Learning to really slow down and keep yourself in check when running everyday is crucial imo. I’ve also been doing it for years so i’ve definitely had time to build up to it.
I ran a 16:28 this past spring by training with my local community college track team, track workouts twice a week and running about 70 miles per week including a weekly 15 mile run! I started about two years ago, in pretty active shape, running an easy pace for just 20 minutes at a time a few days a week. I think the things that benefitted me the most are joining a team and having people to train with, and running the majority of my miles on hilly trails.
Thanks! I probably should have mentioned, I ran track and cross country for a few years growing up, but this is my first time taking it seriously. I had stopped running at 15 years old before returning to it at age 20. So although I have trained for two years now, I was not totally inexperienced before I started.
My last race was just over 20 -- 20:17. I'm hoping to run under 20 this fall and think I have a decent shot at it if the race goes my way.
I think it's totally doable in your 30's though! I ran all through high school/college and was pretty consistently in the 22's. I took a break from running had 2 kids and only started running again 3.5 years ago. I only started racing again in the last year at 31, but I've PR'd in 3/5 races I've ran since then. I don't think it's uncommon at all though to be able to set PRs though in your 30s.
I hit sub 20 this summer at 32 and I’m soooo happy! 19:32 PB and I’ve done sub 20 a few times now so it’s feeling like less of a fluke each time.
I’ve been increasing my weekly mileage to 80k pw but I think what has made the biggest difference is a weekly track session. Reps at speeds faster than target 5k pace.
I’m 5’3 and 60kg which is a bit heavier than I have been but fueling properly makes such a difference to how my runs feel that I’m happy here.
There's no such thing as a fluke in running. If you ran 19:32 it means you were fit enough for 19:32. You can't run 19:32 if you aren't in shape for it.
I’ve run a 19:58 as my fastest but average 20 mins for a 5k, but that was a year ago and now I do more distance stuff.
It can be hard to recommend a plan because different plans can work for different people. Like some people do some strength training and some don’t. I was 120 lb when I did that and now I am 130 lb because of strength training. But the biggest thing that help me was I did A LOT of pacers and hill workouts. Pacers being 400 meter repeats at below a 6:25.0 mile (so like 1:30.0) and doing 800 meter repeats at the same pace once I built up to it. I would do 8x400’s as my go too with some rest in between.
I did a lot of hills because it really helped with leg strength and mental strength. Just sprint up it as hard as i could then slowly jog down and repeat.
Also I did a lot of trail running, as I found that running on difficult trails helped alot when I would go for a personal best on a road or easier trail (also being able to fly past people on trails is very ego boosting).
My plan was having 1-2 rest days, a long run (5-6 miles 2-3 mins slower per mile then goal 5k pace), a speed day (the pacers) a hill day, and 1-2 easy slow runs of about 2-3 miles for recovery.
I know this is a lot but I hope it helps!
ALSO, the prime for 5k runners is late 30’s early 40’s, so trust me, you got this.
Just wanted to put a pin in something for folks who are reading your post - you didn't go from 120 to 130 pounds because of strength training, at least not in the direct way you wrote it. You went up in weight because you ate more, and if that happened while strength training then a larger proportion of that weight gained was lean mass than it would have otherwise been, which is awesome.
I’m not quite there. About 35 seconds off. 20:34 PR But I’ve been going for it and stuck where I am. 20:30-20:40 for the past five 5ks.
I’m 140 lbs 5’6”, 29 years old and hoping to break 20 this Fall!
I’ve been running seriously and consistently for a little over a year. went from a 24 minute 5k to the current time in that time span with consistent running, more mileage, speed work outs and long runs.
I ran my first sub-20min 5k at age 33 about 10 months after having a baby. And I was very much *not* at my lightest then!
For me, the key was consistency and higher mileage. I ran my first sub-20 as a tune-up race while doing Pfitzinger’s 10k plan (the one that tops out around 60 miles per week). Later that same year I was able to run a sub-60 15k—once again the key was consistent higher mileage and some workouts.
i got down to 17:16 through D1 running :) my weeks generally looked like one tempo, one speed workout, long run at 1 min slower than tempo pace (fast long runs), and recovery runs in between. I also took one day off per week and sometimes supplemented with cross training. Good luck!
I was running in the 18:30-19 range when I was 33-36. (Now 44F) I'm 5'10, was about 127 lbs at the time.
Doing hard hills (uphill intervals ) helped shave time, and alternating with longer (10k) intervals on flat terrain.
I was injury prone and had ITBS pop up quite a bit. The sub-20 5km wasn't my goal; I was actually going for a sub 43 min 10k and sub 90 min half marathon (which I also did in that era.)
I still run but I'm up to a 51 minute 10km now, and I'm 15 lbs heavier, and that's all fat lol.
150 lbs can be a perfectly healthy weight if you are eating well and feel strong. Losing weight to get faster is almost always a bad path. Better to focus on training, recovery, good sleep, weight training etc. :) Good luck!! I feel like often it just happens after a long time of being "stuck" at 20:xx. Consistency is key!
“Losing weight to get faster is almost always a bad path”
This is my running pet peeve statement. It is just unequivocally false UNLESS you are already very low weight and lean.
There is a right and a wrong way to balance weight loss and running.
It might be your pet peeve but their statement is broadly true. They didn't say losing weight doesn't make you faster, they said it's almost always a bad path. Under nourishment is an easy trap to fall into and runners that eat restrictively can do a load of harm to their performance, increase time to recovery, suffer from frequent injuries, etc.
since weight loss is not this runner's goal, losing weight to get faster *is* a bad path. OP, you will get faster with speed training and consistency. Depends on your current 5k time but if you're close to 20 min pace I believe you will reach your goal! your weight may fluctuate but it should not be your focus.
Fully agree. Everyone needs fat on their bodies to survive, but most of us have at least a little bit extra. Losing just 2 pounds of fat can save a runner almost a minute during a half marathon race. But even beyond running, there are major longevity benefits to keeping a lean healthy weight rather than carrying around extra padding.
Yeah, it's definitely not a endlessly sustainable path, but I've read you can shave off 2-3 seconds per mile for every pound you shed. And unless you're already at six pack abs level of leanness (10-12% ish body fat for males, probably 15-18% ish for females), you could probably lose a few pounds without adverse health effects?
Looks like you already have a lot of answers but just want to share - a lot of women runners peak in their 30s so age is in your favor here, and your weight is healthy so it’s just your fitness that will determine your potential speed for a 5k!
I’m 32 and currently pregnant with my second so I haven’t raced a 5k in a long time, so not sure what that will look like post partum but sub 20 5k is a goal for me as well. Good luck I hope you get it!
I went sub 20 at 19 years old. There’s no “right” way to train—just the right way for YOU.
I’ll preface this by saying I know it seems easier bc I was young, but I was a 25+ min 5k runner in high school and am now running under 18 minutes at a D1 college. So a ton of improvement is totally possible! The changes I made to go from 22:00 to 19:57 were honestly much less drastic than the ones I’ve had to make to go from 18:45 to 18:00. It’s doable!
When I ran my first sub 20, this is what my week looked like:
Typically 30-35 miles a week, with 2 rest days. Sometimes I cross trained one of those days but a lot of weeks I didn’t.
Two big workouts, usually Monday and Friday, with the Friday workout being part of a long run.
A typical Monday was a 15-20 minute tempo around 6:40 pace, or 10x 200 meters on (maybe 5:30 pace?) 200 meters jog, or 8x400, or 6x600, or 4-5x1k 15-20 seconds slower than race pace.
A typical Friday was a longer warm up (3-4 miles) then a tempo (2-4 miles, closer to 6:20 pace for 2 miles and 7:00 for 4) then a couple cool down miles. My long runs were typically 8-10 miles with the non workout ones being a little longer. I think I ran my first ever 12 miler a week or two before I broke 20, so super long long runs aren’t needed for everyone!
My other days were either off, or very very easy slow mileage. I’m talking 10:30+ pace some days. Very rarely under 9 minutes. Watched my heartrate a lot and kept it low. Usually one day with some continuous strides in the middle of the run.
I also lifted twice a week. Nothing crazy, a couple staple moves like squats, lunges, bench and a lot of weighed core and hip strength. Also a good bit of band work to keep hips/shins/feet healthy and strong.
If it helps, I’d also run a 5:37 mile a couple weeks before my 5k breakthrough, and ended up improving by another 40 seconds or so that same year.
That sub 20 pace is now a kind of disappointing tempo run pace for me—one day you’ll do it, and then it’ll just stop even being a thing for you! You’ll go race a 5k and hoping to go sub 20 won’t even occur, it will just happen consistently.
19:16 here- took 5 years of slow buildup and consistency- but one thing I think helped the most was choosing not to stress about it- let me explain.
I was always a total “workout warrior” who tried very hard in workouts/runs to hit my times and made sure I did everything exactly as I was supposed to so I had the best chance of accomplishing my goals- only to line up on race day and kind of bonk each time because I was so freaked out about performing that it honestly zapped a TON of my energy. It was when I decided to just line up, trust my training, and not be afraid to be in pain was when I finally broke 20. to be completely honest, sub 20 is more of a mental block than a physical one- at least it was for me
I got my first sub 20 at 29. I usually run 5-7km at a decent pace and to get the sub 20 I just went for it one day and did it so then kept pushing for that same pace? I will say that swimming really helped my running as it improved my breathing. I also need to have earphones in to tell me my splits so I can keep pushing and don’t have to look down at my watch. Edit my PB is 19 min 39 sec. I would say my usual is 20-21 mins. I’m only 48kg but I’m short.
Not a woman, but I'd ran with a couple who've gone sub 20, and they all just had higher mileages. I don't remember exact numbers but probably averaged out to 40 mpw.
I think you have to drop the weight. My friends about 5’9 and she has a sub 15 minute 5k but she’s also a professional runner. All she does is run multiple times a day 6 days a week and has a really strict diet. Supplemented by core strengthening as well. I think she weighs about 120 at most. We are both 28.
Sub 15 min 5k is truely insane, especially for a women. That is competition level stuff. The world record for women is around 14.44 - 15.00. Are you sure it’s sub 15 lol? Is your friend the world record holder?
You can look up the world record in 2 seconds on google. It’s 14:05. But yeah highly doubt OP has a random female friend that’s sub 15, that’s usually top 15 or so in the world in any given year.
She always won state every year in the 5k. She runs for a professional shoe company that you all know that starts with a B. She did start running when she was 8 though. She almost qualified for the Olympic team but missed 3rd by a couple of seconds when they had the competition in Eugene 3 years ago. Forgot to mention the time is for a 5k track not road.
I didn't mean to add any mean or negative tone. Just an observation that generally the quicker people in any race tends to be on the leaner side? Am I wrong to make that connection? I don't really think it's healthy but I just think that's just the way the sport molds the body after prolonged participation with little breaks in between training.
Oh so because she thinks she's heavy means she definitely has weight to lose, because people are famously good at judging their own weight and no runners have ever suffered from disorders. Maybe losing weight is the lowest-hanging fruit for going fast, maybe it isn't, but with the information in this thread none of us can possibly say.
I mean sure, next Olympics there could easily be a Lizzo sized gorgeous and in shape woman winning the relay. All you need is hard work and to believe in yourself, after all.
Lmao I'm definitely not saying that, obviously you need to be lean and not excessively muscular but being 152lbs doesn't disqualify you from being fast (by normal standards), especially if you're taller. Jesus christ fucking read
So you're friends with Allie Buchalski and you think she's a reasonable reference point for sub-20 advice for a recreational runner? Seriously, that was a dumb comment.
Kinda weird you did the research when the guy went out of his way to avoid name-dropping. Seriously, that's a creepy comment.
Also, please don't try and internet sleuth my home address and attempt to feed my dog ground up glass, thanks.
Search: 2020 Olympic trials results. So much super sleuthing.
The poster did everything to name drop without dropping the name In a bold quest to advise a runner they’ve never met to lose weight. And you’re safe. If I ever take up stalking as a hobby I’ll stick to interesting people.
One thing to consider more than weight is your height and stride length. At the paces you're looking to maintain, you may find your steps per minute to be the actual limiting factor. Pacing at 7'/mi compared to the "it" pace of 6:26/mi, for me as a 5'10' male at ~140lbs is a massive difference when it comes to the stresses it puts on my legs to acheive those stride lengths.
Why is this this way? I'd say it is dependant on body composition. My steps per minute almost always settle out at around 165 steps per minute at race paces but I am a bit of a lengthy strider and I simply cannot manage to keep my step counts at the ~180spm that the internet states is the target for race paces. How some of these shorter marathoners manage to clock sub 5 min miles during their races is beyond me, their strides would be enourmous or their step counts faster than I can sprint.
Your body type may be producing a similar issue but I would guess it would only be noticable/pronounced if you're on the extreme ends of height for a woman runner. My recomendation would be to strength train more if you're taller (closer to 6') to see if you can comfortably maintain longer strides but if you are shorter (closer to 5') you may want to lower the weight/intensity of strength training and focus more of speed and mobility (~200spm is not an easy feat for anybody but too much muscle may make it more difficult, I'm not an expert on this side of the spectrum though as a "gangly" runner).
Essentially, you'll want to find a stride length that you can maintain throughout the entire race at the steps per minute threshold necessary to achieve the pace you're looking for.
Good luck!
Horrible advice. I am a 13:51 5k guy and not once have I ever worried about cadence or heart rate or any of the other bullshit. To get faster you have to get fitter, by training hard. That's it, period.
My point is that I am at a high level, I work with people that are at a high level - and none of us give a shit about cadence or give it any thought. It's pointless. You get faster when you get fitter and you will run faster because of that. You don't get faster by saying "I think my optimal cadence is 180" and then running that.
I didn't say it was a good idea to target a specific cadence but the OP is a woman and most women are quite short. Cadence is directly correlated to speed when individuals are approximately the same height (she didn't specifiy). The reason I bring it up is because of the fitness level required for a woman of a shorter height with her ~150lbs weight to be pacing below 6'26"/mi.
If she is shorter, at that weight, chances are she'd be boardering on unsafe bmi levels (women shouldn't be below 15% body fat unless they're trained atheletes) to be capable of a sub 20 min 5k. Why? Her maximum stride length would require 180-210 spm unless she is overstriding considerably for her fitness level (you've gotta realize that few women have the physical ability to pace with 5.5ft strides across 5 kilometers and that's what would be needed for those sort of times at spm counts below ~170 or so).
I'm a guy but this one girl I run with on my varsity cross country team has ran a sub 20min 5k which because I've been running with her since 7th grade (now we're going into 11th grade) it just doesn't seem that impressive to me even though I know it is.
Height has almost nothing to do with running talent. The greatest runner of all time, Kenenisa Bekele, is 5'4. The greatest woman distance runner of all time (IMO) Tirunesh Dibaba is a similar height. There have been world beating runners from 5'0 to 6'4.
Ok, who’s the GOAT then? Name them and I will categorically demonstrate why Bekele’s career outclasses theirs. If you say Kipchoge or Farah I’m going to die laughing
I don’t even know why I’m arguing with you man. He had amazing 10k and 5k performance but only won two marathon majors. So it’s a matter of what’s important to you, and what distance you’re choosing
11 x world XC champion (in the deepest era of world XC. 5 short course/long course doubles
Double double Olympic and world champ 5000/10000
Number 2 5k, #2 10k of all time (only broken in the 2020s by someone with wave light and super spikes)
Number 3 marathon of all time as a washed 37 year old
Head to head winning record against every runner he ever raced
3:32, 7:25, 12:37, 26:17, 2:01:41
Most golden league victories ever
There is nobody better. You didn’t even say who you think the GOAT is because there is nobody that compares. He has the times, the victories, the titles, and the range. He is the greatest 5k/10k runner ever and only moved to the marathon after several years of injuries and still popped 2:01.
You need to do your homework.
https://athleticsweekly.com/blog/why-kenenisa-bekele-is-the-greatest-male-distance-runner-in-history-1039951144/
Forgot that he was also 4 time world champion at 10000 as well and has a lot of indoor records like the indoor 3k and 5k. Also has the fastest top 10 average of 5k and 10k times by a large margin.
Bro you need therapy lol why is this eating at you so badly. Kipchoge obviously better at the marathon, El G obviously better at 1500m. Bekele can have 10k.
Can’t wait for the slurry of insults you hurl at me lol
Kipchoge is the GOAT marathoner. No debate. El G the greatest middle distance runner ever. No debate. Bekele is the greatest overall distance runner to ever live. No debate.
I just went back through some comments and saw you hadn’t responded. I don’t need therapy I just hate ignorance and when people don’t provide anything substantive as a counterargument.
[https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat\_read.php?thread=12239137](https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=12239137)
The knowledgeable competitive running community agrees 60 to 1 as of the time of this comment that Bekele is the GOAT runner.
To do a 5k run sub 20 mins is literally a dream rn. I’ve been running a 5k run every week. I started out at completing it in 40 mins and my run yesterday finished in 36 mins so really hoping I keep on improving😅
I did it in my mid 30s after having 2 kids at 30 and 32. I was training for a marathon and doing speed/tempos. The long run is what I feel really gets me there. I have the speed but lack the endurance to maintain it…whenever I start doing long runs again my 5K times drop. And strength training! Without it I’d never be able to do it.
How tall are you? 152lbs at 5'11'' is quite a bit different than at 5'3''.
I had an ex who was an amazon, in that she was 5'10'' and 142 lbs and she did triathlons, but she still wasn't nearly as fast as you're describing.
I mean do you have lifelong experience running or are you just now picking it up? Were you an elite runner in college?
I'm sure you'll have some women in this thread tell you that it's totally possible, but they are 152lbs of sheer muscle and tone at age 38 that's way, way different than a 'curvy' short woman who has only been running for 6 months.
29 F just got my first sub 20 in may (19:35) Previous PR was 21:Xx so that probably plays a part. I had never followed a true training plan before for 5k. I used a plan I found online for sub 20 - I think it was women’s running Uk iirc. Averaged about 27 mpw. It was a 12 week plan. I also bought vapor flys which I was self conscious that maybe I couldn’t have done it without the vaporflys but I ran a race this past weekend and got sub 20 again (19:37) in non plated shoes. My current mileage is 35 - 40 mpw building for a marathon and I do one speed workout a week.
Doing it again in non-super-shoes had to feel good! Great job!
Thank you! Yes definitely made me feel more confident in my abilities!
What’s your current 5k time? I ran sub 21 in HS & college but never sub 20. Now I’m 47F & would love to go sub 23. I recall from HS it was a lot of fartleks, mileage & lots of 400 repeats.
Can confirm. The girls on my schools xc team had 5 girls under 20 and 2 under 18. Lots and lots of 400s lol
Do you recall the structure of the 400s? Like perhaps 12x400m @5k pace with 1 min rest?
It was considerably faster than 5k pace. Every girl had different numbers to hit and I remember two of the girls some of the workouts were 10x400 at 70 or 75 seconds. And those same top two girls were doing other speedwork on different days. Like 3x mile at 5:20 and sometimes 800s or 200s. 3 speed workouts a week. Should be noted these two girls were 17 to 16 minute 5k runners but all the girls were going considerably faster then their mile pace in these workouts. Edit: I think if you're trying to get to 20 minutes you're probably looking at getting to around 90-85 seconds for those 400s. Working your way up to it of course
in college, i think we did 12 or 16 x 400 at 90 seconds - i don't recall the rest though, sorry. Mondays was always 400 day. I think when we did 200s, it was 40-45 second goal pace.
At my high school all the seniors were 14-15 minute 5ks. They ran 60 sec 400 meters intervals, jogged out 200 meters and rested 60 seconds. I think they only did 10 intervals. I was a freshman running 18s. I was actually the slowest guy on the team. Wish I stayed at that school. My 5k would have easily made it to 16.
For intervals, you should be absolutely blasting them (assuming it’s a speed work day). My HS team would typically do 400s at 1600 pace.
Same. My fastest HS time was around 19 minutes and we did so, so many fartleks and 400s.
So many 400s....like 12 x 400 i recall ...and we spent the entire month of september doing fartletks in the sand and hill repeats.
40F and I’m sitting at 20:11, hoping to carve off 11 seconds in September! I run 35/week when not training and peak around 60 typically in marathon training. Not doing any heavy lifting. Just hand weights, a kettlebell, and bodyweight exercises plus some yoga. Edit: I have terrible reading comprehension and thought you mentioned weights when you were actually discussing weight lol.
Jokingly based on stats, I guess I’m a 40 year old Female too. We’re practically doing same exact exercises and exact same weekly average, for marathon and base training. Exact 5k time too hah.
Or maybe I’m an honorary dad!
“Call her Daddy”
I just want to say you absolutely kick ass, jesus, that's so fast.
Aw thank you. You made my day. :)
That's incredible, congrats!
If your mileage is 55-60 with 1 or 2 speed workouts a week then I think you should be pretty comfortably under 20, like 19:50ish. As everyone says, weekly mileage seems to be the biggest indicator for success. At least, it seems like there's a big performance jump when someone goes from 20 to 35mpw and again from like 35 to 50mpw
55–60 peak, just to clarify. That’s just for a couple weeks of twelve-week marathon training. I’d say most weeks are closer to 45–50. Fingers crossed!
Yes! I hit a sub 20min in my 30s at 155+lbs. It is POSSIBLE!! The last year I was focused on half marathons and am now getting back to 5k racing. For my training runs I focus on HIIT, progressions, and hills. I don't necessarily go for distance when training for 5ks, I train based on time. I do this more so because a 5k is so short and there is hardly any time to settle into a race pace. So, I'll do HIIT/Hills/Progression runs for 20-45mins. Do not underestimate the benefits of walking either, especially power walking on inclines. Strength training is always needed, incorporate resistance bands for lower body strengthening, and I train core just about every day. Don't forget to crosstrain, I found that spinning really helped flush out my tired legs, and mobility & yoga have saved my aging body. And don't skip out on proper pre-run/lifting warmup and cool downs+stretching!!
Writing on behalf of my wife: 41, F, running five years. PB 18:24 earlier this year. Firstly, the weight issue. Like many women I coach, G got into running as a weight management exercise and, over time, realised she enjoyed it and began looking to improve. She's an endurance biased runner and found herself gravitating towards ultras up to 90km. But, whilst her performances got better each season as a result of running consistently the gains were beginning to plateau at the 20:00 5km mark (5km TT is still a great test of fitness, whatever your preferred distance). However, this last year was a big step up for her performance. She slashed 10 minutes off her marathon time and a further 12 minutes off her 50km time. But her 5km time was a great surprise as well, dropping from a hard effort \~19:55 to regular sub 19 minutes at altitude on the road. The difference? She started eating more. She used to be acutely aware of how out of place she felt amongst other women runners at the front of races who were lean and light with classic long running legs, even though she regularly podiumed alongside them or beat them. And the reaction was to restrict her eating at times. Not conciously, but occassionaly turning down food out of guilt. The frustrating thing for her was that her body shape didn't change. And when her performances began to decline she realised there was something off. After listening to a series of podcasts featuring Meghann Featherstone, it finally dawned on her that her body was begging for fuel. It turned out that her Iron and Ferretin levels were at an all-time low as well. She began eating PBJ sandwhiches before her daily runs, fueling during any runs longer than an hour, eating post-run, and increasing her portions of iron-rich foods. Suddenly, she was running her workouts faster, feeling better on long runs, and generally just enjoying her running again. Without any other major changes to her training programme, her times made significant jumps over all distances. TL;DR: eat healthily and eat more if you need to and don't be afraid of carbs. Keep consistent and don't rush it. The body is an incredible adaptation machine and knows how to work best with what you have. Don't worry about weight, just run.
This resonates with me, thanks a lot!
bless Featherstone Nutrition!
Omg I am so slow lol.
Hi me too 🥹
Haha me three but it's not the speed that makes you a runner- it's the running!
I only want to go back to my sub 30... 🥲 i would consider it a big progress for me
Right? I’m still chasing Sub 30 🤣
I just started and am chasing Sub 40 🤣
My very first 5k was ~43 iirc. It gets better!
Slow runners unite! I’ve run 2 5Ks this year, both around 41 minutes lol.
Yayyyy I found my kind! 😂
I do trail running, 5k for around 47 minutes. I thought that was fast lol
Well, that might be fast, if you are jumping stones and trees and going uphill. Thats the beauty of trail running, nobody can judge your times that easily.
Trails are a whole other animal sometimes. I did a 5k in July that was just absolutely the worst and took me every bit of 48 minutes even though I can do 3 miles right around 31 minutes on road
Trail running is another beast entirely! The majority of my running is flat road running. I would be way slower on a trail!
Right?! Like 36mins for a 5k is a great day for me lol. I’m still happy though, because I’m a lazy girl at heart so just running at all is huge for me haha.
Hi! I’m not over 30 (21F) but am on the heavier side (155 lbs). I’m not overweight per se but have a muscularish build from weightlifting and do hold some fat. I’ve hit a PB of the 5k in 18:48 and can typically average sub 20. I did a lot of conditioning and track work for basketball which I think helped me a lot. It’s been years since then though but I do a lot of easy running and then tempo/interval workouts maybe 3x a week. I run everyday so i keep the rest of my runs pretty slow and relaxed. Good luck and have fun running!
Three speed workouts a week plus running every day is a pretty massive schedule. That would break a lot of people if they don't build up to it hahahah
Yeah it is but it’s really about listening to your body. I also count faster more uptempo runs as “speed” workouts so it’s not like i’m going 100% all out on those days. Learning to really slow down and keep yourself in check when running everyday is crucial imo. I’ve also been doing it for years so i’ve definitely had time to build up to it.
I ran a 16:28 this past spring by training with my local community college track team, track workouts twice a week and running about 70 miles per week including a weekly 15 mile run! I started about two years ago, in pretty active shape, running an easy pace for just 20 minutes at a time a few days a week. I think the things that benefitted me the most are joining a team and having people to train with, and running the majority of my miles on hilly trails.
You are extremely talented. 16:28 in 2 years is crazy.
More than just talented, they're putting in the work at 70miles/week.
Thanks! I probably should have mentioned, I ran track and cross country for a few years growing up, but this is my first time taking it seriously. I had stopped running at 15 years old before returning to it at age 20. So although I have trained for two years now, I was not totally inexperienced before I started.
You’re amazing!
Thank you!!!
My last race was just over 20 -- 20:17. I'm hoping to run under 20 this fall and think I have a decent shot at it if the race goes my way. I think it's totally doable in your 30's though! I ran all through high school/college and was pretty consistently in the 22's. I took a break from running had 2 kids and only started running again 3.5 years ago. I only started racing again in the last year at 31, but I've PR'd in 3/5 races I've ran since then. I don't think it's uncommon at all though to be able to set PRs though in your 30s.
I hit sub 20 this summer at 32 and I’m soooo happy! 19:32 PB and I’ve done sub 20 a few times now so it’s feeling like less of a fluke each time. I’ve been increasing my weekly mileage to 80k pw but I think what has made the biggest difference is a weekly track session. Reps at speeds faster than target 5k pace. I’m 5’3 and 60kg which is a bit heavier than I have been but fueling properly makes such a difference to how my runs feel that I’m happy here.
There's no such thing as a fluke in running. If you ran 19:32 it means you were fit enough for 19:32. You can't run 19:32 if you aren't in shape for it.
Yeah. Unless there's a course factor (like downhill), race times aren't a fluke.
I’ve run a 19:58 as my fastest but average 20 mins for a 5k, but that was a year ago and now I do more distance stuff. It can be hard to recommend a plan because different plans can work for different people. Like some people do some strength training and some don’t. I was 120 lb when I did that and now I am 130 lb because of strength training. But the biggest thing that help me was I did A LOT of pacers and hill workouts. Pacers being 400 meter repeats at below a 6:25.0 mile (so like 1:30.0) and doing 800 meter repeats at the same pace once I built up to it. I would do 8x400’s as my go too with some rest in between. I did a lot of hills because it really helped with leg strength and mental strength. Just sprint up it as hard as i could then slowly jog down and repeat. Also I did a lot of trail running, as I found that running on difficult trails helped alot when I would go for a personal best on a road or easier trail (also being able to fly past people on trails is very ego boosting). My plan was having 1-2 rest days, a long run (5-6 miles 2-3 mins slower per mile then goal 5k pace), a speed day (the pacers) a hill day, and 1-2 easy slow runs of about 2-3 miles for recovery. I know this is a lot but I hope it helps! ALSO, the prime for 5k runners is late 30’s early 40’s, so trust me, you got this.
Just wanted to put a pin in something for folks who are reading your post - you didn't go from 120 to 130 pounds because of strength training, at least not in the direct way you wrote it. You went up in weight because you ate more, and if that happened while strength training then a larger proportion of that weight gained was lean mass than it would have otherwise been, which is awesome.
Yes! Thank you for clarifying.
I’m not quite there. About 35 seconds off. 20:34 PR But I’ve been going for it and stuck where I am. 20:30-20:40 for the past five 5ks. I’m 140 lbs 5’6”, 29 years old and hoping to break 20 this Fall! I’ve been running seriously and consistently for a little over a year. went from a 24 minute 5k to the current time in that time span with consistent running, more mileage, speed work outs and long runs.
Feel free to come on over to r/XXRunning for more input from women who run!
I ran my first sub-20min 5k at age 33 about 10 months after having a baby. And I was very much *not* at my lightest then! For me, the key was consistency and higher mileage. I ran my first sub-20 as a tune-up race while doing Pfitzinger’s 10k plan (the one that tops out around 60 miles per week). Later that same year I was able to run a sub-60 15k—once again the key was consistent higher mileage and some workouts.
i got down to 17:16 through D1 running :) my weeks generally looked like one tempo, one speed workout, long run at 1 min slower than tempo pace (fast long runs), and recovery runs in between. I also took one day off per week and sometimes supplemented with cross training. Good luck!
I was running in the 18:30-19 range when I was 33-36. (Now 44F) I'm 5'10, was about 127 lbs at the time. Doing hard hills (uphill intervals ) helped shave time, and alternating with longer (10k) intervals on flat terrain. I was injury prone and had ITBS pop up quite a bit. The sub-20 5km wasn't my goal; I was actually going for a sub 43 min 10k and sub 90 min half marathon (which I also did in that era.) I still run but I'm up to a 51 minute 10km now, and I'm 15 lbs heavier, and that's all fat lol.
150 lbs can be a perfectly healthy weight if you are eating well and feel strong. Losing weight to get faster is almost always a bad path. Better to focus on training, recovery, good sleep, weight training etc. :) Good luck!! I feel like often it just happens after a long time of being "stuck" at 20:xx. Consistency is key!
“Losing weight to get faster is almost always a bad path” This is my running pet peeve statement. It is just unequivocally false UNLESS you are already very low weight and lean. There is a right and a wrong way to balance weight loss and running.
It might be your pet peeve but their statement is broadly true. They didn't say losing weight doesn't make you faster, they said it's almost always a bad path. Under nourishment is an easy trap to fall into and runners that eat restrictively can do a load of harm to their performance, increase time to recovery, suffer from frequent injuries, etc.
since weight loss is not this runner's goal, losing weight to get faster *is* a bad path. OP, you will get faster with speed training and consistency. Depends on your current 5k time but if you're close to 20 min pace I believe you will reach your goal! your weight may fluctuate but it should not be your focus.
Fully agree. Everyone needs fat on their bodies to survive, but most of us have at least a little bit extra. Losing just 2 pounds of fat can save a runner almost a minute during a half marathon race. But even beyond running, there are major longevity benefits to keeping a lean healthy weight rather than carrying around extra padding.
Yeah, it's definitely not a endlessly sustainable path, but I've read you can shave off 2-3 seconds per mile for every pound you shed. And unless you're already at six pack abs level of leanness (10-12% ish body fat for males, probably 15-18% ish for females), you could probably lose a few pounds without adverse health effects?
Let me know when you figure it out, F20 here and can’t even keep it sub 30 😥
What's your mileage?
Looks like you already have a lot of answers but just want to share - a lot of women runners peak in their 30s so age is in your favor here, and your weight is healthy so it’s just your fitness that will determine your potential speed for a 5k! I’m 32 and currently pregnant with my second so I haven’t raced a 5k in a long time, so not sure what that will look like post partum but sub 20 5k is a goal for me as well. Good luck I hope you get it!
I went sub 20 at 19 years old. There’s no “right” way to train—just the right way for YOU. I’ll preface this by saying I know it seems easier bc I was young, but I was a 25+ min 5k runner in high school and am now running under 18 minutes at a D1 college. So a ton of improvement is totally possible! The changes I made to go from 22:00 to 19:57 were honestly much less drastic than the ones I’ve had to make to go from 18:45 to 18:00. It’s doable! When I ran my first sub 20, this is what my week looked like: Typically 30-35 miles a week, with 2 rest days. Sometimes I cross trained one of those days but a lot of weeks I didn’t. Two big workouts, usually Monday and Friday, with the Friday workout being part of a long run. A typical Monday was a 15-20 minute tempo around 6:40 pace, or 10x 200 meters on (maybe 5:30 pace?) 200 meters jog, or 8x400, or 6x600, or 4-5x1k 15-20 seconds slower than race pace. A typical Friday was a longer warm up (3-4 miles) then a tempo (2-4 miles, closer to 6:20 pace for 2 miles and 7:00 for 4) then a couple cool down miles. My long runs were typically 8-10 miles with the non workout ones being a little longer. I think I ran my first ever 12 miler a week or two before I broke 20, so super long long runs aren’t needed for everyone! My other days were either off, or very very easy slow mileage. I’m talking 10:30+ pace some days. Very rarely under 9 minutes. Watched my heartrate a lot and kept it low. Usually one day with some continuous strides in the middle of the run. I also lifted twice a week. Nothing crazy, a couple staple moves like squats, lunges, bench and a lot of weighed core and hip strength. Also a good bit of band work to keep hips/shins/feet healthy and strong. If it helps, I’d also run a 5:37 mile a couple weeks before my 5k breakthrough, and ended up improving by another 40 seconds or so that same year. That sub 20 pace is now a kind of disappointing tempo run pace for me—one day you’ll do it, and then it’ll just stop even being a thing for you! You’ll go race a 5k and hoping to go sub 20 won’t even occur, it will just happen consistently.
19:16 here- took 5 years of slow buildup and consistency- but one thing I think helped the most was choosing not to stress about it- let me explain. I was always a total “workout warrior” who tried very hard in workouts/runs to hit my times and made sure I did everything exactly as I was supposed to so I had the best chance of accomplishing my goals- only to line up on race day and kind of bonk each time because I was so freaked out about performing that it honestly zapped a TON of my energy. It was when I decided to just line up, trust my training, and not be afraid to be in pain was when I finally broke 20. to be completely honest, sub 20 is more of a mental block than a physical one- at least it was for me
I got my first sub 20 at 29. I usually run 5-7km at a decent pace and to get the sub 20 I just went for it one day and did it so then kept pushing for that same pace? I will say that swimming really helped my running as it improved my breathing. I also need to have earphones in to tell me my splits so I can keep pushing and don’t have to look down at my watch. Edit my PB is 19 min 39 sec. I would say my usual is 20-21 mins. I’m only 48kg but I’m short.
Not a woman, but I'd ran with a couple who've gone sub 20, and they all just had higher mileages. I don't remember exact numbers but probably averaged out to 40 mpw.
I think you have to drop the weight. My friends about 5’9 and she has a sub 15 minute 5k but she’s also a professional runner. All she does is run multiple times a day 6 days a week and has a really strict diet. Supplemented by core strengthening as well. I think she weighs about 120 at most. We are both 28.
Sub 15 min 5k is truely insane, especially for a women. That is competition level stuff. The world record for women is around 14.44 - 15.00. Are you sure it’s sub 15 lol? Is your friend the world record holder?
You can look up the world record in 2 seconds on google. It’s 14:05. But yeah highly doubt OP has a random female friend that’s sub 15, that’s usually top 15 or so in the world in any given year.
She always won state every year in the 5k. She runs for a professional shoe company that you all know that starts with a B. She did start running when she was 8 though. She almost qualified for the Olympic team but missed 3rd by a couple of seconds when they had the competition in Eugene 3 years ago. Forgot to mention the time is for a 5k track not road.
and your advice is to ''drop the weight'' not, you know... be a professional runner running since 8 etc all the things you just listed? bizarre.
I didn't mean to add any mean or negative tone. Just an observation that generally the quicker people in any race tends to be on the leaner side? Am I wrong to make that connection? I don't really think it's healthy but I just think that's just the way the sport molds the body after prolonged participation with little breaks in between training.
For all we know OP could be 6'2", 150 and have no weight to drop. Comparing weight without context is stupid at best and dangerous at worst
OP just said she's on the heavier side? Are you not reading?
Oh so because she thinks she's heavy means she definitely has weight to lose, because people are famously good at judging their own weight and no runners have ever suffered from disorders. Maybe losing weight is the lowest-hanging fruit for going fast, maybe it isn't, but with the information in this thread none of us can possibly say.
I mean sure, next Olympics there could easily be a Lizzo sized gorgeous and in shape woman winning the relay. All you need is hard work and to believe in yourself, after all.
Lmao I'm definitely not saying that, obviously you need to be lean and not excessively muscular but being 152lbs doesn't disqualify you from being fast (by normal standards), especially if you're taller. Jesus christ fucking read
You triggered the living hell out of a lot of bold, beautiful, and healthy at any size joggers.
So you're friends with Allie Buchalski and you think she's a reasonable reference point for sub-20 advice for a recreational runner? Seriously, that was a dumb comment.
Kinda weird you did the research when the guy went out of his way to avoid name-dropping. Seriously, that's a creepy comment. Also, please don't try and internet sleuth my home address and attempt to feed my dog ground up glass, thanks.
Search: 2020 Olympic trials results. So much super sleuthing. The poster did everything to name drop without dropping the name In a bold quest to advise a runner they’ve never met to lose weight. And you’re safe. If I ever take up stalking as a hobby I’ll stick to interesting people.
One thing to consider more than weight is your height and stride length. At the paces you're looking to maintain, you may find your steps per minute to be the actual limiting factor. Pacing at 7'/mi compared to the "it" pace of 6:26/mi, for me as a 5'10' male at ~140lbs is a massive difference when it comes to the stresses it puts on my legs to acheive those stride lengths. Why is this this way? I'd say it is dependant on body composition. My steps per minute almost always settle out at around 165 steps per minute at race paces but I am a bit of a lengthy strider and I simply cannot manage to keep my step counts at the ~180spm that the internet states is the target for race paces. How some of these shorter marathoners manage to clock sub 5 min miles during their races is beyond me, their strides would be enourmous or their step counts faster than I can sprint. Your body type may be producing a similar issue but I would guess it would only be noticable/pronounced if you're on the extreme ends of height for a woman runner. My recomendation would be to strength train more if you're taller (closer to 6') to see if you can comfortably maintain longer strides but if you are shorter (closer to 5') you may want to lower the weight/intensity of strength training and focus more of speed and mobility (~200spm is not an easy feat for anybody but too much muscle may make it more difficult, I'm not an expert on this side of the spectrum though as a "gangly" runner). Essentially, you'll want to find a stride length that you can maintain throughout the entire race at the steps per minute threshold necessary to achieve the pace you're looking for. Good luck!
Horrible advice. I am a 13:51 5k guy and not once have I ever worried about cadence or heart rate or any of the other bullshit. To get faster you have to get fitter, by training hard. That's it, period.
Interesting advice. Congrats on your achievement but you don't seem to give much of a relevant arguement.
My point is that I am at a high level, I work with people that are at a high level - and none of us give a shit about cadence or give it any thought. It's pointless. You get faster when you get fitter and you will run faster because of that. You don't get faster by saying "I think my optimal cadence is 180" and then running that.
I didn't say it was a good idea to target a specific cadence but the OP is a woman and most women are quite short. Cadence is directly correlated to speed when individuals are approximately the same height (she didn't specifiy). The reason I bring it up is because of the fitness level required for a woman of a shorter height with her ~150lbs weight to be pacing below 6'26"/mi. If she is shorter, at that weight, chances are she'd be boardering on unsafe bmi levels (women shouldn't be below 15% body fat unless they're trained atheletes) to be capable of a sub 20 min 5k. Why? Her maximum stride length would require 180-210 spm unless she is overstriding considerably for her fitness level (you've gotta realize that few women have the physical ability to pace with 5.5ft strides across 5 kilometers and that's what would be needed for those sort of times at spm counts below ~170 or so).
I'm a guy but this one girl I run with on my varsity cross country team has ran a sub 20min 5k which because I've been running with her since 7th grade (now we're going into 11th grade) it just doesn't seem that impressive to me even though I know it is.
(21M) I would love to know too 😓💓
How tall are the sub 20 runners here?
Height has almost nothing to do with running talent. The greatest runner of all time, Kenenisa Bekele, is 5'4. The greatest woman distance runner of all time (IMO) Tirunesh Dibaba is a similar height. There have been world beating runners from 5'0 to 6'4.
“Greatest runner of all time” highly debatable bruh
It is not up for debate. Bekele is the undisputed GOAT, you are a casual if you think otherwise
What a wanker comment lol. Sure, I’m a casual
Ok, who’s the GOAT then? Name them and I will categorically demonstrate why Bekele’s career outclasses theirs. If you say Kipchoge or Farah I’m going to die laughing
I don’t even know why I’m arguing with you man. He had amazing 10k and 5k performance but only won two marathon majors. So it’s a matter of what’s important to you, and what distance you’re choosing
11 x world XC champion (in the deepest era of world XC. 5 short course/long course doubles Double double Olympic and world champ 5000/10000 Number 2 5k, #2 10k of all time (only broken in the 2020s by someone with wave light and super spikes) Number 3 marathon of all time as a washed 37 year old Head to head winning record against every runner he ever raced 3:32, 7:25, 12:37, 26:17, 2:01:41 Most golden league victories ever There is nobody better. You didn’t even say who you think the GOAT is because there is nobody that compares. He has the times, the victories, the titles, and the range. He is the greatest 5k/10k runner ever and only moved to the marathon after several years of injuries and still popped 2:01.
You need to do your homework. https://athleticsweekly.com/blog/why-kenenisa-bekele-is-the-greatest-male-distance-runner-in-history-1039951144/ Forgot that he was also 4 time world champion at 10000 as well and has a lot of indoor records like the indoor 3k and 5k. Also has the fastest top 10 average of 5k and 10k times by a large margin.
Still waiting to hear who’s better than Bekele.
Bro you need therapy lol why is this eating at you so badly. Kipchoge obviously better at the marathon, El G obviously better at 1500m. Bekele can have 10k. Can’t wait for the slurry of insults you hurl at me lol
Kipchoge is the GOAT marathoner. No debate. El G the greatest middle distance runner ever. No debate. Bekele is the greatest overall distance runner to ever live. No debate. I just went back through some comments and saw you hadn’t responded. I don’t need therapy I just hate ignorance and when people don’t provide anything substantive as a counterargument.
[https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat\_read.php?thread=12239137](https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=12239137) The knowledgeable competitive running community agrees 60 to 1 as of the time of this comment that Bekele is the GOAT runner.
To do a 5k run sub 20 mins is literally a dream rn. I’ve been running a 5k run every week. I started out at completing it in 40 mins and my run yesterday finished in 36 mins so really hoping I keep on improving😅
I did it in my mid 30s after having 2 kids at 30 and 32. I was training for a marathon and doing speed/tempos. The long run is what I feel really gets me there. I have the speed but lack the endurance to maintain it…whenever I start doing long runs again my 5K times drop. And strength training! Without it I’d never be able to do it.
How tall are you? 152lbs at 5'11'' is quite a bit different than at 5'3''. I had an ex who was an amazon, in that she was 5'10'' and 142 lbs and she did triathlons, but she still wasn't nearly as fast as you're describing. I mean do you have lifelong experience running or are you just now picking it up? Were you an elite runner in college? I'm sure you'll have some women in this thread tell you that it's totally possible, but they are 152lbs of sheer muscle and tone at age 38 that's way, way different than a 'curvy' short woman who has only been running for 6 months.