If you are not quite there yet then take a look at the 24 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: 22 minute 5k
| Pace per Mile / Km | Treadmill Pace | 400m / 800m Splits | 5km Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 / 04:22 | 8.5 mph / 13.7 km/h | 1:44 / 3:29 | 21min 50s |
Your 22 minute 5k training plan
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Rec. Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 30min easy | 30min easy | 30min easy | Rest/Cross-train |
| Tuesday | Reps@4:23 per km/ 7:03p/m (90s rec.) | Reps@1:42s per 400 / 6:50p/m (60s rec.) | Reps@4:23 per km/ 7:03p/m (90s rec.) | Rest/Cross-train |
| Wednesday | 30min easy | 30min easy | 30min easy | 30min easy |
| Thursday | (200m jog rec.) | Fartlek Examples | Examples | Rest/Cross-train |
| Friday | Rest/Cross-train | Rest | Rest/Cross-train | 30min easy |
| Saturday | 30min easy | (200m jog rec.) | 30min easy | Rest/Cross-train |
| Sunday | Long run | Long run | Long run | Long run |
22 Minute 5k Training Plan Components
Breakeven Sessions – 22 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 09:00 p/m, ideally aim for somewhere around 09:00-09:30 p/m.
- Long Run – slow & steady, this should be less than 1 hour.
- Fartlek – unstructured training. Example Fartlek sessions.
Breakthrough Sessions – 22 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 6:50 p/m pace (1:42 per lap) with a 60sec standing recovery.
- 800m Reps – should be reps at 7:00p/m pace (3:29 per 800m) with a 200m jogged recovery.
- 1km Intervals – hit 7:00p/m pace (4:22 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 22 minute 5k plan you should already be able to run at a target race pace of 07:03 minute for at least a mile (4:22p/km) and/or have a PB under 24 minutes.
The core work for the 22 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 2/3 months of using the training plan that you take a break and treat yourself to a couple of weeks of low-key training. This should start with 2-3 day's off from running completely and continue with a nice short easy run every other day.
Hey Matt,
Really enjoying this running plan – I feel like I am not out of my comfort zone doing this but I am seeing real improvement in my running speed.
I plan to do 2-3 cycles and then aim to hit the 22:00 target. I would then like to progress to ultimately hitting a 20:00 5k, although I am not sure whether to jump from 22:00 to 20:00 training plan or maybe try and hit 21:00 first then 20:00 – thoughts?
My ultimate goal is to try and achieve a 40:00 10k, ambitious I know. I am not sure on how to progress from what I am doing now to make sure I am on track to do this. Should I try get a 19:00 min 5k and build my endurance after? Should I jump to 10k after doing a 22:00 5k? Unsure on how to get there – again, thoughts?
Finally, due to where I live I am not near any hills- is there anything you can think of as an alternative to this?
Thanks in advance. You are always responsive and informative to all questions ask, so on behalf of everyone, thank you and keep it up as we all really appreciate your help.
Hey Matt, still yet to hear anything. Don’t want to be “that guy” but would be great if you could get back to me 🙂
Hey Matt, still waiting for a response. I hate to be “that guy” but would really appreciate it if you could get back to me :).
Hi what day in the plan is race day? Is race day supposed to be the last day of rec. week, or is it supposed to be Monday on what would be week 5? Or have I missed it completely?
Am trying to plan for a race 🙂
Thanks
Hi Maddie, I generally make the Sunday of week 3 race day. Depending on how much of a taper you like to have you could move the hill session to earlier in the week to give you a longer gap between that session and race day. If you do prefer a longer taper and don’t like the idea of doing high intensity sessions in the week of the race you could opt for race day as end of week 4 but personally I think it works better at end of week 3 as you are in the training groove at that stage.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Hi, really eager to follow this plan. I took a break from running and I am currently at 22:45 with just 5-10 km a month. I’m planning to get back and this plan looks perfect. I was wondering how long the long runs must be if I want to break the 22 min barrier?
Hi Alex, the long run requirement can vary slightly depending on what other training you are doing which is why it’s a little vague in the plan. If you are focusing solely on 5k’s then I don’t think the long run needs to be any longer than an hour and a half max. Because the week’s sessions can be quite intense my focus is to just enjoy the slower steady pace of a long run and whether than is for 60 mins or 90 mins it’s not an exact science. Personally my long run is an hour, when I’m 10k training as well I’ll go a bit longer. Good luck.
Any thoughts on what type of warmup/cool down is needed? I’ll typically do some light static stretching, along with 5 minutes of dynamic stretches before a run. Should I be thinking of jogging for any period of time before or after any of the workouts?
Thanks.
The steady run should be no quicker than 7:45 but no slower than what pace? The long run should be less than 1 hour but at what type of pace range?
Hi Steve, just make the steady and long runs comfortable. I think it’s important not to make it quicker than 07:45 but no need to get bogged down with a ‘no slower than’, just run naturally.
I run a 5k in 23:07 minutes I’m also 14 and had done it for a year then quit for a year but I’m hoping i will be just as fast , my mummy is a runner a team GB gold medalist at the European masters and I hope to be just like her .
That’s great – but no one asked. How does that help anyone on this site?
Wow. What an a$$hole you are Lucidinterval789. Don’t care that it’s an old post, feel someone had to say it.
Seconded!