To consider following this 16 minute 5k plan you should already be able to run at a target race pace of 5:10 minute for at least a mile and/or have a PB under 17 minutes
If you are not quite there yet then take a look at the 18 minute 5k training plan instead and then come back to this one once you are in a position to run at this pace.
Other 5k training plans: 16 minute 5k || 18 minute 5k || Sub 20 5k || 22 minute 5k || 24 minute 5k || 26 minute 5k || 28 minute 5k || Sub 30 minute 5k || Couch to 5k Training Plan
Please read before starting a training plan:
Frequently Asked Questions | Signs of Overtraining
Your Speed/Distance Training Zones: 16 minute 5k
| Pace per Mile / Km | Treadmill Pace | 400m / 800m Splits | 5km Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05:10 / 03:13 | 11.6 mph / 18.5 km/h | 77 / 2:34 | 16min 00s |
Your 16 minute 5k Training Plan
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Rec. Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 30mins easy | 30mins easy | inc. 3m @5:30 p/m | Rest/Cross-train |
| Tuesday | Reps@3:13 per km/ 5:10p/m (90s rec.) | Reps@74s per 400m / 5:00p/m (60s rec.) | Reps@3:13 per km/ 5:10p/m (90s rec.) | Rest/Cross-train |
| Wednesday | 30mins easy | 30mins easy | 30mins easy | inc. 3m @5:30 p/m |
| Thursday | Examples | Examples | Examples | Rest/Cross-train |
| Friday | Rest/Cross-train | Rest | Rest/Cross-train | 30mins easy |
| Saturday | 30mins easy | inc. 3m @5:30 p/m | 30mins easy | Rest/Cross-train |
| Sunday | Long Run | Long Run | Long Run | Rest/ Cross-train |
16 minute 5k Training Plan Components
Breakeven Sessions – 16 minute 5k training plan
These sessions are used for maintaining fitness & recovery. Preparing you for breakthrough sessions:
- Steady Run – this should be no quicker than 07:10 p/m, ideally aim for something in region of 07:10-07:40 p/m.
- Long Run – slow & steady run, this should be less than 1 hour.
- Fartlek – unstructured training. Example Fartlek sessions.
Breakthrough Sessions – 16 minute 5k training plan
These sessions are meant to be challenging intense efforts, treat them as mini-milestones towards your target:
- 400m Reps – these need to be at 5:00 p/m pace (74s per lap) with a 60sec standing recovery.
- 800m Reps – should be reps at 5:10p/m pace (2:34 per 800m) with a 200m jogged recovery
- 1km Intervals – hit 5:10p/m pace (3:13 per km) with a 90sec jogged recovery.
- Hills: Kenyans/ Hill Sprints – alternate between Kenyans and Hill Sprints to get a balance of power and endurance training. Example Hill Training Sessions.
About this Plan
Remember that to consider following this 16 minute 5k plan you should already be able to run at a target race pace of 5:10 minute for at least a mile and/or have a PB under 17 minutes.
The core work for the 16 minute 5k training plan is set over a 3-week period with the addition of 1 week’s recovery. At the end of the first 4-week cycle you can repeat and/or tailor the plan to your individual needs to focus on your particular 5k event.
It is recommended that after three months following the 16 minute 5k plan that you reduce your training for a period of one to two weeks to allow your body time to recover from the impact of running. This should mean more time cross-training with a couple of nice easy runs every few days to keep the legs ticking over.
@Tewis: You should never set limits or mental roadblocks for other people. To tell someone they are too slow when you don’t have a clue about their physiology is pretty ignorant. On my highschool track team I ran my first Mile race above 6 minutes. Then I trained really hard for two years and I dropped my time to 4:25. If I can drop a minute and a half on a Mile race then anyone can train hard enought to drop a minute or two on their 5k given they train their heart out and have a healthy diet. I think my first 5k was around 19 minutes. In two years I ran 6:19 on a very hilly 5k course. If you have never puked after a 5k or super intense training then it mean you have not trained or raced to your maximum potential. Ive puked a few times. If you are serious.. break down those marriers. My fried finished the last mile of a spartan Super (5-6 mile obstacle course race) with a grade 3 Ankle sprain. Every step his tendons were literally making a gross squishing sound. Im not saying I recommend doing that… but anything is possible.
Not everyone who runs is a young kid. The training threshold before injuries gets smaller as you age. For instance, I’m more likely to pass out and break my head open before I’d ever puke
No one should be encouraging people to train until they are vomiting during or after a workout! If you’re vomiting after a hard workout then you have either eaten too recently or have pushed your body too far!
Agreed, to achieve any PB in any distance you need to train hard and push your limits (within reason) to adapt and improve, but you’re doing your body more harm than good by pushing it to vomit.
Does the inc. 3m mean like incline at 3% ? And why is tempo run pace 15 seconds slower than race pace? Shouldn’t it be 25-30 seconds slower ?
Sir my pb 5k is 17.06 and i ran 120km per weak how can get in sub 16 in 6 months or 8months
i think you should remove discouraging comments like that made by Tewis. Completely unnecessary, and also not true (how can s/he comment on what is possible?).
I think Tewis is correct though. To drop 7 minutes in just 6 months would be unprecedented. I ran an 18:30 5k in 8th grade. I only got to 16:30 last weekend, which is almost 2 years later. The training plans I’ve seen on this website are not nearly intense enough, nor do they have enough mileage. I just don’t think to drop that far in 6 months is realistic.
my time for 5k is 23min and i am having intercollege race in october and to qualify that i need to run 5k in 16 or maybe in 15:45min plz make a routine so i can follow that plzz…
Hi Aditya, my advice would be to progress through the plans on the site. Start with the 22 minute plan and then work your way up through to the sub 16 minute plan. Good luck! Matt
sorry but your time is way too slow to improve by THAT much.
How are you doing so far?
Sir i need your help.
ok