Your Speed/Distance Training Zones: 18 minute 5k
| Pace per Mile/ Km | Treadmill Pace | 400m / 800m Splits | 5km Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05:45 / 03:35 | 10.4 mph / 16.6 km/h | 86s / 2:52 | 17min 55s |
Your 18 minute 5k Training Plan
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Rec. Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 30mins easy | 30mins easy | Examples | Rest/ Cross-train |
| Tuesday | Reps@3:35 per km / 90s 5:45p/m (90sec rec.) | Reps@84s per 400m/ 5:35p/m (60s rec.) | Reps@3:35 per km / 90s 5:45p/m (90sec rec.) | Rest/ Cross-train |
| Wednesday | 30mins easy | 30mins easy | 30mins easy | to include 3miles @6:00 p/m |
| Thursday | Reps@2:49 per 800m /5:40p/m (200m jog rec.) | Examples | Examples | Rest/ Cross-train |
| Friday | Rest/ Cross-train | Rest | Rest/ Cross-train | 30mins easy |
| Saturday | 30mins easy | Reps@2:49 per 800m /5:40p/m (200m jog rec.) | 30mins easy | Rest/ Cross-train |
| Sunday | Long run | Long run | Long run | Rest/ Cross-train |
18 Minute 5k Training Plan Components
Breakeven Sessions – 18 minute 5k training plan
These sessions are used for maintaining fitness & recovery. Preparing you for breakthrough sessions:
- Steady/ Easy Run – this run should be according to how you feel, don't worry about the time, make sure it's no quicker than 07:45 p/m. Concentrate on recovery and form.
- Long Run – slow & steady run, this should be less than 1 hours work.
- Fartlek – unstructured training. Example Fartlek sessions.
Breakthrough Sessions – 18 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 5:35 p/m pace (84s per lap) with a 60sec standing recovery.
- 800m Reps – should be reps at 5:40p/m pace (2:49 per 800m) with a 200m jogged recovery.
- 1km Intervals – hit 5:45p/m pace (3:35 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 even consider following this 18 minute 5k plan you should already be able to run at a target race pace of 5:45 for at least a mile (3:35 p/km) and/or have a PB under 20 minutes.
The core work for the 18 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 18 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.
Could you send me a summer training plan to help run 17 on a 5k
Hi do you have 1 mile training plan
Hi Nirmal, no I’m afraid not, we only have 5k, 10k, HM Training Plans for now. Working on Marathon plans at the moment. Cheers
Hi Matt, I am interested in the motivation for the differences in the structure of the plans for different targets.
For example, each plan includes 2 sets of 1km intervals in the first and third weeks, but I don’t understand the fact that for 26/24/22 minutes the count is 3 and 3 (seems surprisingly small), for 20 minutes it is 5 and 5 (a big difference), and for 18 and 16 minutes it is 4 and 6 (introducing a new progression through the 3 weeks). I can understand there could be a reason for differences between them, but what are the reasons you made these choices?
[My last year’s PB is 22:20, so 22 minutes would be my next goal, with injury earlier this year giving me an excuse to put off a dream of 20 minutes until next year. I am not a youngster!]
you spelled “Hills” wrong. I’m 13 and even I noticed that.
Great! Now all you need is to develop some manners
good one WILL, we are runners not teachers.
I am a 16 year old rising (female) junior. My current 5k time is 19:30. I have 12 weeks to train – by the end of the summer, could I get somewhere close to 18 flat after 3 cycles of this training program? I really want to make it to state by the fall, and while XC is a team sport, as captain, I feel obligated to somewhat carry the team.
Yes you can absolutely do this. I’d doubt you’d even need a full 12 weeks to be honest. You can probably do it after 8 providing your diet is on point also and you sleep well. Good luck.
Hi Matt, I have recently achieved my goal of going sub 19 for 5k at the age of 55 having only returned to running last June after two years out with various illnesses. I came across your sub 18 training program and it appears to be just what I’m after to initially go sub 18:30 and eventually sub 18. I’ve noticed the easy runs are only 30 minutes long and the long run no more than one hour. On my build-up to sub 19, my easy runs were 45 minutes, and my long runs between 60 and 100 minutes. I know I should stay rigid to the plan but I’m just wondering what your view is on the impact if I was to continue with 45 minutes for easy runs and up to 100 minutes for the longer ones?
Hi Tony for me I have never concerned myself too much with the length of the easy run or long runs, just been really careful on observing my heart rate and making sure I listen to my body. As I progressed through the plans down towards the 16 I did need to do more in terms of both length of the long run and the easy runs to build the endurance required for the pace but I used my heart rate and how I felt to determine, not the suggested pace of the easy run or long run. Having said that Matt already does make this very clear that the pace isnt important. So for me main thing is listening to my body for both long run and easy runs.