If you’ve been lifting weights and restricting your running to only a few hundred meters at a time – but feel like you’re ready to take on some longer distances, five kilometers (5k) serves as a great introductory distance! This is a great distance – not just  for the beginner racer or people who are new to running but even for experienced runners, who can use it as a good test of strength and speed.
Like any other sport though, following a structured training plan will help you train smarter to achieve your goals. Coach Ryan Hall has put together a 10-week plan that takes you through warm ups, drills and training all of which will cumulate with your first 5k race! You may however need to adjust it a bit if you are above 60.Â
10 Week 5k Training Plan
| Week 1 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 8-16 by 200 meters at mile goal pace (or about 20 seconds per mile faster than 5k goal pace. Take 60 seconds rest between each. Then a 10-20 minute cool down. |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 4-8 by 800 meters at current 5k fitness pace (the pace you would race a 5k at today) with 90 seconds-2 minutes rest between each. Then a 20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 mintue easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with your body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be significant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintain the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threshold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 2 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute warmup plus drills and strides. Then 6-12 by 400 meters at goal 5k pace with as much time as you need (but as short as possible…it’s ok to take more rest as the workout progresses and you get increasingly tired) in order to recover and be able to hit your pace. Then a 20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then a threshold run (see definitions below) of 2-4 miles. Then a 10-20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 3 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 10-18 by 200 meters at mile goal pace (or about 20 seconds per mile faster than 5k goal pace. Take 60 seconds rest between each. Then a 10-20 minute cool down. |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 3-5 by 1200 meters at current 5k fitness pace (the pace you would race a 5k at today) with 90 seconds-2 minutes rest between each. Then a 20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 4 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute wamup plus drills and strides. Then 8-14 by 400 meters at goal 5k pace with as much time as you need (but as short as possible…it’s ok to take more rest as the workout progresses and you get increasingily tired) in order to recover and be able to hit your pace. Then a 20 mintue cool down.  |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute wamup then drills and strides. Then a threshold run (see definitions below) of 3-5 miles. Then a 10-20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 5 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 12-20 by 200 meters at mile goal pace (or about 20 seconds per mile faster than 5k goal pace. Take 60 seconds rest between each. Then a 10-20 minute cool down. |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 3-5 by mile at current 5k fitness pace (the pace you would race a 5k at today) with 90 seconds-2 minutes rest between each. Then a 20 minute cool down. |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 6 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute wamup plus drills and strides. Then 10-16 by 400 meters at goal 5k pace with as much time as you need (but as short as possible…it’s ok to take more rest as the workout progresses and you get increasingily tired) in order to recover and be able to hit your pace. Then a 20 mintue cool down.  |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute wamup then drills and strides. Then a threshold run (see definitions below) of 5-6 miles. Then a 10-20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 7 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 14-22 by 200 meters at mile goal pace (or about 20 seconds per mile faster than 5k goal pace. Take 60 seconds rest between each. Then a 10-20 minute cool down. |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 4-6 by mile at current 5k fitness pace (the pace you would race a 5k at today) with 90 seconds-2 mintues rest between each. Then a 20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 8 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute wamup plus drills and strides. Then 16-24 by 400 meters at goal 5k pace with as much time as you need (but as short as possible…it’s ok to take more rest as the workout progresses and you get increasingily tired) in order to recover and be able to hit your pace. Then a 20 mintue cool down.  |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute wamup then drills and strides. Then a threshold run (see definitions below) of 6-7 miles. Then a 10-20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
| Week 9 | |
| Day 1 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 14-22 by 200 meters at mile goal pace (or about 20 seconds per mile faster than 5k goal pace. So we are reducing your volume as we begin to taper. Take 60 seconds rest between each. Then a 10-20 minute cool down. |
| Day 3 | 30-60 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | 30-60 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter hill sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 5 | 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 4-6 by mile at current 5k fitness pace (the pace you would race a 5k at today) with 90 seconds-2 minutes rest between each. Then a 20 minute cool down.  |
| Day 6 | 60-90 minute easy long run |
| Day 7 | rest |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
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| Week 10 | |
| Day 1 | 30-40 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter sprints run at 90% max sprint speed |
| Day 2 | 10-20 minute wamup plus drills and strides. Then 6-12 by 400 meters at goal 5k pace with as much time as you need (but as short as possible…it’s ok to take more rest as the workout progresses and you get increasingily tired) in order to recover and be able to hit your pace. Then a 20 mintue cool down.  |
| Day 3 | 30-40 minute easy run |
| Day 4 | Pre race workout: 10-20 minute warmup then drills and strides. Then 4 by 400 at goal 5k pace with 90 seconds rest between each. Then 3 minutes rest. Then 2 by 200 meters at goal mile pace or 20 seconds per mile faster than goal 5k pace. Then a 10-20 minute cool down. |
| Day 5 | 40 minute easy run |
| Day 6 | 30 minute easy run plus drills and 6 by 50 meter strides (about 90% max sprint speed).  |
| Day 7 | 10-20 minute warmup with the last 2 minutes of your warmup a little quicker to get your legs going. Then drills an strides. Then 5k race. Then a 10-20 minute cool down.  |
|
Helpful Links: Drills and strides demo What to do before you run Running form demo Core strength for runners |
Definition of terms: Easy run: These should be conversational pace. You should not feel like you are trying to move along or trying to hit a certain pace. Connect with yoru body and run the effort you need to in order to recover. These should never be signficant efforts. And remember: it’s ok to feel tired on these days. You should be tired if you are hitting the hard days hard.  Threshold runs: Run the effort you can maintane the pace for 1.5 times the distance you are prescribed to run. So if we are doing a 2 mile threhsold run run at the pace you can sustain for 3 miles but stop at 2 miles as prescribed.  |
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