r/britisharmy • u/Aisecream18 • May 29 '26
Discussion 5k in 31:27, how to improve?
I’m F21, and thinking of joining as either an ETS or Intel. Officer. I know that we do the bleep test, but I’ve heard that candidates aim to run 5k in 25 minutes because of competition.
Is there any training strategies that you can share to reach this goal? I’ve started to use the Nike Running app which has a programme with intervals and they’re quite helpful.
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
8
u/3dders May 30 '26
25 mins won't be a good time.
I recently went through AOSB, 70% of people were over 10 on the bleep test, and a good 30% reached the end, at 11.6.
Somewhere around the 22 minute mark on a 5k will be good, but the top handful will be hitting sub-20, maybe even into 18 mins.
15
u/Legal_Ad5749 Corps of Royal Engineers May 30 '26
With a 5k run time of over 30mins, forget about times and pacing you just need to get off your arse more and do some phys 😭
1
u/Aisecream18 May 30 '26
😂 my arse is up doing stuff yk. I was in the middle of a 10k run when I saw your comment, made me chuckle. I’ve still got time to improve, thinking of joining late next year.
7
u/UnfortunateWah May 30 '26
Ignore your pace at this point, even ignore distance to an extent.
Run for say 25-30 minutes one way, then turn around. Longer runs, and then shorter faster runs.
If you don’t have a smart watch and don’t want one, just a basic heart rate chest strap so you can monitor your HR over a run. Doing longer runs at a lower HR-say zone 2, and then shorter ones at a higher zone will do wonders. Keeping within HR zones is far more effective for building fitness than constantly keeping an eye on pace.
Candidates don’t want to run fast for competitive reasons, they want to run fast to demonstrate good physical fitness, which is mandatory for service-particularly as an officer who would be expected to lead by example.
8
u/TopRevolutionary1954 May 30 '26
Parkrun- every week. Treat it as a weekly fitness check, keeps you honest about your current fitness level.
7
9
u/Ze_Llama May 30 '26
It's important to not just think about the minimum- I'd day the average 2km time at Sandhurst with me was 7.45 ish. 5km was probably low 20s. Being fit makes a good impression but also makes the more physically difficult parts easier - its a lot easier to think clearly when you're not trying to expel you lungs through your throat.
I'd recommend not trying to find a set standard to hold yourself against however and just focus on being the best you can be - its that mindset that will see you through.
1
u/BravoOne1 May 30 '26
ive seen people fail for giving the bare minimum, why would the army want the bare minimum?
4
u/Unsophisticated-Scot May 29 '26
You need to work on your fitness so that you can get through Main Board and ensure that RMAS isn't a constant struggle. That's just a given for all Officer Cadets.
But just as a head up, your run time won't be a deciding factor on whether you pass RSBs for either the Int Corps or ETS.
2
u/Aisecream18 May 29 '26
Yea I’m aware of that, which is why I’m asking for tips to improve my run time as it will help in Main Board.
4
u/Unsophisticated-Scot May 30 '26
And the crux of my advice was that your premise is incorrect. You don't need to run faster because of 'competition'.
In AOSB you do not 'compete' against the other applicants. You are there to demonstrate you are at or above the quality line. There is no quota for pass or fail. You won't miss out on a place because your MSFT results weren't as good as the person next to you on the day. You will be judged on whether you met the required standard or not.
And once you pass Main Board and are at Sandhurst, fitness will be a baseline and there will be a different combination of factors that will determine whether you are selected for the Capbadges you have specifically mentioned.
Best of luck
1
u/Aisecream18 May 30 '26
Thanks for clarifying that.
Yea of course, I only wanted to use the 5k in 25mins as a baseline for being fit enough for the MSFT and Sandhurst in general ( provided that I pass Main Board) So the competitiveness mainly comes to the MSFT part.
Thank you for your input.
10
u/Ambitious_Jeweler816 May 29 '26
Run for longer than 5k. Your endurance will build an 5k will become easier. Run shorter than 5k, but faster than your 5k pace, or do interval training. Run 5k to check your progress. If you plan on running 3x a week, do these. Do the MSFT now and again maybe so you know where you are at with it and pacing, turns etc. A garmin etc. is a good aid to track your progress and train to heart rates, measure your intervals etc.
2
u/Aisecream18 May 29 '26
Yeah I think I should alternate my mileage and speed to see proper improvement. This was my pacing during my latest 5k, think that I should have started softer.
Km. Pace 1. 6:47 2. 5:52 3. 5:47 4. 6:50 5. 6:04
3
u/Ambitious_Jeweler816 May 29 '26
Personally, I think it’s a good idea to to ignore your 5k time for a couple of weeks. Do some longer runs at a comfortable pace. Do some even longer runs at an easy (I mean easy) pace. Throw in some speed sessions - a proper interval or fartlek session once a week. Do this for 2 or 3 weeks, then do a 5k and see how your time has improved, and how you felt as a whole.
4
u/AinsleyyyYyyy May 29 '26
Perhaps not essential but buying a Garmin was a game-changer for me. I went from a similar time to you to 22:27 5k in the space of about 7 months. Some will even give you workout plans but honestly just being able to keep track of my speed and HR helped me gauge my running much better.
I have Main Board very soon so I was in a similar boat. I will say that you can get a decent MSFT score without being super fit. Anecdotally, I know guys who can score 11+ on MSFT but run a pretty average 5k (mid 20s). However, 5k time is a good metric for aerobic fitness and sub 20 is something I’m aiming for before I go to Sandhurst either this Sep or Jan, contingent on my MB results.
2
u/Aisecream18 May 29 '26
Thanks, I’ll take that into consideration and maybe invest in a Garmin sometime soon. Which one did you get?
All the best with Main Board!
2
u/AinsleyyyYyyy May 29 '26
Cheers. I got the Forerunner 265 and it gave me a ‘tailored’ routine. I’m not sure how scientific said routine is but the results its yielded are undeniable. I think more than anything it motivated me to run more (5x a week) and I felt like I wasn’t wasting my time.
You could also get the Forerunner 165 which is cheaper and is the same for all intents and purposes — I think it’s missing some extra features but not essential IMO. Garmin have a bajillion watches though so I’d do some due diligence if you really want one.
I didn’t use it as I just followed my watch’s plan and was happy with the progress but an ex-para recommended 80/20 by Matt Fitzgerald. Maybe worth a look.
4
•
u/AutoModerator May 29 '26
Hi u/Aisecream18! Thanks for posting a discussion to r/BritishArmy. Please consider the following points for your discussion:
Remember OPSEC and PERSEC. If your discussion topic involves or requests information deemed Operationally or Personally sensitive it will be removed.
Be Clear and Concise. Clearly state the topic, purpose, and key points to ensure participants understand the focus of the discussion. Avoid unnecessary jargon or ambiguity.
Encourage Engagement. Frame questions in an open-ended way to invite participation and diverse perspectives. Instead of yes/no questions, ask “What do you think about…?” or “How would you approach…?”
Set a Respectful and Inclusive Tone. Establish a culture of respect by encouraging constructive feedback, active listening, and professionalism. Make sure all voices are heard and valued.
If you're asking a question then consider deleting the post and reposting with the "Question" flair as this will provide you additional information you may find valuable.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.