Currently I am running 3 times a week: a tempo run (8-10k), a Zone 2 (10-15k) and a sprint session (Mona Fartleks where I max out at then end with 3:30/km sprints). I’m steadily upping my distances each week and trying to get more volume at slower speeds to increase my aerobic capacity. I made a post a while ago on here about how to train properly and this was the most popular advice by far, and it did really help.

I ran a 5k race in December and got my PB (21:10) and just did a 10k tempo at 47:58 which felt pretty good (my lifetime 10k PB is 45:49 but that was a long time ago). I did have a 2 month break for injury from Feb so progression halted a bit but feel back to form now. Just haven’t tested race pace for a while.

Found a race I want to try in August: how do you rate my chances to run a sub 20 5k given progression and assuming training stays consistent? For context I was running a 24:17 on the treadmill in October which felt like my max.

What advice would you give for extra training? I do some legs work at the gym but not too heavy also as not to fatigue my legs too badly. I eat pretty well and balanced. Would it be advisable to practice a race pace 5k a couple times for the race day?

I’m trying to balance two pretty different goals at once and would really appreciate some advice from people who’ve trained for both endurance and strength/hypertrophy before.

Current goals:

• Sub-20 minute 5k
• Build a noticeably bigger upper body (I’ve basically neglected upper body most of my life and still feel pretty weedy)
• Longer-term strength goals: 100kg bench and 200kg squat

I know these goals interfere with each other to some extent, so I’m mainly trying to figure out whether my current setup is sensible, inefficient, or actively counterproductive.

Current weekly structure:

• Monday = Lift Day 1
• Tuesday = Tempo/mid-distance run (~8 km)
• Wednesday = Lift Day 2
• Thursday = Fartlek/sprint session
• Friday = Lift Day 3
• Weekend = Zone 2 long run (10–15 km)

So I’m currently doing 3 lifting sessions and 3 runs per week.

Lift Day 1

• Barbell squat — 3x8–12
• Bench press — 3x8–12
• Face pulls — 3x10–16
• Curls — 3x10–16
• Skullcrushers — 3x10–16

Lift Day 2

• Hamstring curl machine — 3x8–12
• Barbell shoulder press — 3x8–12
• Lateral raises — 3x10–16
• One-arm dumbbell row — 3x8–12
• Assisted pull-ups — 3x8–12
• Rear delt flyes — 3x10–16

Lift Day 3

• Cable tricep pushdowns — 3x8–12
• Incline bench press — 3x8–12
• Hammer curls — 3x8–12
• Standing dumbbell rows — 3x10–16
• Lateral raises — 3x10–16
• Incline dumbbell curls — 3x10–16

A few things I’m unsure about:

• Am I doing too much volume overall considering the running?
• Is my lower body work too low for my squat goals?
• Is the upper body volume/frequency enough to actually put on decent size?
• Would I be better off moving to a more structured strength programme?
• Am I sabotaging recovery by doing the sprint session between lifting days?
• Is trying to improve running performance and upper body hypertrophy simultaneously realistic, or should I periodise goals more aggressively?

For context, running is currently the stronger side of my fitness and upper body strength and muscle mass is BY FAR the weak point. I’m not expecting elite numbers quickly I just want to make sure I’m not doin g anything woefully rubbish and counter productive. I've been doing progressive overload with the weight training.

Would really appreciate honest feedback, especially from anyone who’s successfully balanced running with strength/hypertrophy.