It was another fantastic weekend of racing for Vale of York senior and masters athletes, with runners representing the club in pink and blue across multiple events. From Friday night’s EvenSplits 5K in York to parkrun on Saturday morning and the elite fields on Saturday afternoon at the Podium 5K in Leicester, our athletes showed up in force, supporting each other and putting in great performances.
At the Podium 5K in Leicester on Saturday afternoon, Will Haw took on a top-quality field and delivered a strong race, finishing just a second outside his PB with 15:03, edging ever closer to breaking the elusive 15-minute barrier. Watch Will in the video below leading the start line charge.
Earlier in the day, at York parkrun, Beverley smashed her parkrun PB with 26:31, helped along by the pacing efforts of parkrun aficionado Steve Middup, while Marrieanne Pal hit a double-digit milestone with her 10th parkrun.
On Friday night at EvenSplits York 5K, the club had a strong presence, with incredible support from the students at this sold-out event. Will Walker led the students home with a fantastic second-place finish and a 15:12 PB in a highly competitive field. Cameron Bryson continued his comeback, running a strong PB 15:33—proof that the hills of Huddersfield are working wonders. Harry Bromley and Sophie Bradford both put in great performances with PBs of 16:41 and 20:35, coming off last weekend’s PECO fancy dress race. Sam ran a controlled 15:58 as part of a longer 10K training effort, and Coach Ian had a brief moment of controversy when his gun time and chip time matched exactly—after a steward’s enquiry, his 18:02 was confirmed.
The Case for Training for Shorter Races
Performances like these highlight the benefits of training for shorter races, something that is often overlooked in senior and masters running. While many focus on half marathons and marathons as they age, shorter distances like the 5K, mile, and even 800m play a vital role in building speed, endurance, and racing skills. Training for these events improves running efficiency, boosts VO2 max and develops the kind of speed endurance and tolerance of pain that benefits runners at all distances.
Structuring Your Training
If you’re an adult runner looking to improve at shorter distances, consider a structured approach like this:
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Base Building (10-12 weeks)
- Gradually increase mileage
- Focus on aerobic endurance
- Include strides and hill sprints for speed development
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Race-Specific Training (12-14 weeks)
- Incorporate interval sessions and tempo runs
- Increase race-pace specific workouts
- Add sprint drills and plyometrics to build power
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Taper and Race (2-3 weeks)
- Reduce mileage while maintaining intensity
- Fine-tune your race strategy with shorter time trials
- Arrive fresh and ready for peak performance
A periodised training approach helps runners develop speed, endurance, and efficiency—whether for a new 5K PB or simply to boost fitness and combat the decline of age.
Join the Conversation
At Vale of York Athletic Community, we encourage runners of all levels to explore different distances and find what works best for them. If you’re looking to improve your 5K performance, why not join our weekly training sessions? Whether you’re targeting a faster parkrun or a new 5K PB, structured training can help you reach your goals.
What are your short-distance running goals? Let us know in the comments!
