5K Road/Track Race - 25:00-30:00 - Written by Joan Hunter
Plan Length: 4 Weeks
This plan is for the recreational runner who has been running 3-5 times a week, with runs of at least 25-30 minutes on those days.
First, some useful terminology:
Easy run pace: Usually about 2:30-3:00 slower than your 5K race pace. You should be able to carry on a conversation while running at easy run pace. Try to run your easy runs on a variety of courses. If your 5K race course has a lot of hills, it is important that you run some of your runs on hilly terrain.
Threshold pace: Usually about 30-45 seconds per mile slower than your 5K race pace. You would not want to talk very much at this pace, but could easily speak a sentence or two if someone asked you a question. Theshold pace is 'comfortably hard'.
Critical Velocity (CV) pace: Between 5K race pace and threshold pace, but the slower your 5K time, the closer CV pace is to 5K race pace.
Strides: Short bouts of running at faster paces than 5K pace. Often done after easy runs. Not sprints.
Here are some key paces for you, based on your current 5K pace.
25:00 5K pace guide:
race pace: 8:02
threshold pace: 8:30-8:45
CV pace: 2:01-2:04 400 meters, 4:03-4:09 800 meters
26:00 5K pace guide:
race pace: 8:22
threshold pace: 8:49-9:04
CV pace: 2:06-2:09 400 meters, 4:12-4:18 800 meters
27:00 5K pace guide:
race pace: 8:41
threshold pace: 9:08-9:24
CV pace: 2:10-2:13 400 meters, 4:20-4:26 800 meters
28:00 5K pace guide:
race pace: 9:00
threshold pace: 9:27-9:44
CV pace: 2:15-2:18 400 meters, 4:31-4:37 800 meters
29:00 5K pace guide:
race pace: 9:20
threshold pace: 9:46-10:03
CV pace: 2:20-2:23 400 meters, 4:40-4:46 800 meters
30:00 5K pace guide:
race pace: 9:39
threshold pace: 10:06-10:23
CV pace: 2:24-2:27 400 meters, 4:49-4:55 800 meters
Sample Week of Training
Below is a week of training from this plan which represents the type of workouts you will be doing.
Run - Easy run
Easy run 25 minutes. After the run, do 4x 20 second strides. Strides are run at a faster pace than your easy run. Try to run a little faster for these than you think your 5K race effort would be. They should NOT be a sprint- just find a pace that is 'feel good' fast. Easy jog 40 seconds in between each stride. If you are doing them in a field such as a soccer field, just jog back to where you started the stride, and that should be about the right amount of time.
Planned: 29:00
Walk - For those who have only been running 3 days a week prior to starting this plan
We want to try and get a little more time on your feet, eventually running 4-5 days a week, as we progress through this plan, but first we will start by adding a couple of walking days.
Walk 20-30 minutes today, at a brisk pace.
Run - Or Run/walk- for those who have been running 4-5 days a week
Easy 30 minute run, or you may run/walk. Easy run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute. Repeat this pattern till you get to 30 minutes.
Planned: 30:00
Run - Threshold effort/pace fartlek
Fartlek means 'speed play'. We are going to do a more structured fartlek where you run faster for a certain amount of time, then easier in between the faster parts. For this first week of training, we will go by effort and time instead of a set distance such as 800 meters.
Easy run for 8 minutes. Then do 6x 2 minutes at threshold effort/pace. Remember, threshold effort is 'comfortably hard' and you would not want to talk more than a sentence. In between the 2 minute threshold efforts, VERY easy jog 1 minute. If you haven't done this type of effort before or not for a long time, feel free to walk and jog for the 1 minute rest. After your 6th 2 minute rep, easy run 5-10 minutes. Total time for the workout is 30-35 minutes
Planned: 30:00
Rest Day
Walk - For those who have only been running 3 days a week
Walk 25-30 minutes at a brisk pace.
Run
Easy run 25 minutes.
Planned: 25:00
Run - Or Long Run/Walk
Easy run 40 minutes. If that is longer than you have run in the last 2-3 weeks, then do 40 minutes of run/walk. Run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute. Repeat until you get to 40 mins. If run 4mins/walk 1 min sounds too challenging, you can do a run 3 mins/walk 2 mins pattern instead.
Planned: 40:00
Rest Day
Other 5K & 10K Road/Track Plans
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