Your Speed/Distance Training Zones: 20 minute 5k
| Pace per Mile / Km | Treadmill Pace | 400m / 800m Splits | 5km Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:25 / 04:00 | 9.3 mph / 15.0 km/h | 96s / 3:12 | 20min 00s |
Your sub 20 5k training plan
| Day | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Rec. Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 30min easy | 30min easy | 30min easy | Rest/Cross-train |
| Tuesday | Reps@4:00 per km/ 6:25p/m (90s rec.) | Reps@93s per 400m/ 6:15p/m (60s rec.) | Examples | Rest/Cross-train |
| Wednesday | 30min easy | 30min easy | Fartlek Examples | inc. 3m @6:40 p/m |
| Thursday | Reps@3:12 per 800 / 6:25p/m (200m rec.) | Examples | Reps@4:00 per km/ 6:25p/m (90s rec.) | Rest/Cross-train |
| Friday | Rest/Cross-train | Rest | Rest/Cross-train | 30min easy |
| Saturday | 30min easy | Reps@3:12 per 800 / 6:25p/m (200m rec.) | 30min easy | Rest/Cross-train |
| Sunday | Long run | Long run | Long run | Rest/Cross-train |
Sub 5k Training Plan Components
Breakeven Sessions – Sub 20 5k training plan
These sessions are used for maintaining fitness & recovery. Preparing you for breakthrough sessions:
- Easy/ Steady Run – this run should be according to how you feel, don't worry about the time, make sure it's no quicker than 08:25 p/m. Concentrate on recovery and form.
- Long Run – slow & steady run, this should be less than 1 hour.
- Fartlek – unstructured training. Example Fartlek sessions.
Breakthrough Sessions – Sub 20 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 6:15 p/m pace (93s per lap) with a 60sec standing recovery.
- 800m Reps – should be reps at 6:25p/m pace (3:12 per 800m) with a 200m jogged recovery.
- 1km Intervals – hit 6:25p/m pace (4:00 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 Sub 20 minute 5k Training Plan
Remember that to consider following this sub 20 minute 5k plan you should already be able to run at a target race pace of 6:25 for at least a mile (3:59p/km) and/or have a PB under 22 minutes.
The core work for the sub 20 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 sub 20 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.
I did it! 19:58 all time PR today doing this plan for 3 months. My prior PR was 21:45 so this is a great improvement. Thank you @matt for putting this plan out. Now on to the sub 19.. woohoo
Well done, Gastón! Great effort to knock such a big chunk off your PR.
Excellent , I will use this program to trading x my next 5 k
Found this article after a quick search for a 5k training plan. I had been running just over 22 minute 5k’s before I had a back injury and had to take 2 months off for recovery/PT. Now I have an event in 3.5 weeks, and hoping to “fast track” my return to form – do you think I could pull off at least progress towards a <20' 5k within one cycle of this 4-week plan?
Got my PB sub 20 today after 1 cycle. Thank you so much!! 19.12, knocking over a minute off my previous. Big ❤
Well done, Kieran! Great effort and thanks for letting us know!
This plan looks great. I have a question about the plan- I just ran a 5k yesterday in 21:58. The description says that the plan is good if you can run a 5k under 22min and run 1km in 6:25. I can do both of those but running 5x1km at 6:25 would be a big jump and I don’t think I could do the workout with only 90s rest. I’m wondering how I should modify the plan? Do the reps at a slower pace and work up to 6:25 pace?
William regarding whether you could do the 5 x 1km you might surprise yourself! I thought exactly the same thing but actually was surprised when managed it! What I would maybe try is what I did and try the week with the 10 x 400m just for that week before starting the program proper and going into the 5x1km on week 1. This is what I did after finishing the 22 min plan and it worked for me. Cheers
You don’t need to modify the plan, just give it a go and you should be able to improve as time goes by. It is ok to start a bit off and push yourself towards the right place.
Loving the plan so far – only comment Is that a 90s jogged recovery is kind of a pain —too long for a 200m jog, too short for 300. How are others handling this?
Hey Matt again Matt who does the site would know best but I have never been too worried about what I do during the recovery period, more just that I get my heart rate down ready to hit the next interval. Tbh I completed the sub 20 plan after a couple of cycles mostly walking the 90 seconds between the intervals. I always have just concentrated on the quality of the interval itself and the timing of the recovery period.
thanks – thats exactly what I ended up doing. I am at ~21:30 right now so 20:00 is definitely a stretch goal. I ended up doing a standing rest and its actually perfect for me to be challenging but possible to hit that 4:00 on most intervals
Great! Keep going and let us know when you get there, you will defo do it!