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.
Hi, sorry if this is a really obvious question but I have no real knowledge on this and want to give the plan a proper go.
1. How does one know they are running 4.00 per km or 3:12 per 800 when actually running?
2. Is this something that can be done in real time with a GPS watch? If so, can anyone recommend a good watch that won’t break the bank?
3 .Can the watch be setup to notify you when you’ve completed each km and do you then just use the timer for the easy 90 seconds?
I am clueless so thanks in advance for any guidance provided.
Hi Kev, no worries. To know what pace you are running, ideally you would make use of some sort of GPS watch or have access to a running track. If you have neither you could always use mapmyrun.com to plot out a 400/800/1km route near your house that would enable you to do some interval training with a simple stop watch.
There are some mega expensive GPS watches out there, but you can pick one up relatively cheaply if you are prepared to get a second hand one. I personally use an old Garmin 310xt which I got off eBay for about £70 and I’ve had it for years. With a GPS watch like this you can set it up to alert you when you have completed each km and then use the timer for the easy 90secs.
Hope that helps and good luck with your training.
For the sub 20 5k training plan, on the 4th week tempo run, should I run at a 6:40 pace for 3 miles?
Hello this seems to be an excellent plan .
By 30 min easy ranning you mean 4.30 min / km pace? And that would be 7 km ?
This what i understood after reading soma replys correct if wrong
Excited to start this soon
Hi Dhairya, yes that is correct. Try and make sure it is no faster than this. Good luck with the plan and let us know how you get one.
Hello Matt,
I have another question. On the 4th. week in the cyckle, you have a lot of time reserved for rest or cross-training. How many days on this week you would consider cross-training and how many days resting? Because otherwise it would seem like too much resting.
Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
Magnus.
Hi Magnus, much of this would be down to personal choice, based upon how you are feeling and your familiarity with focused and high intensity training. The emphasis for this week is to allow your body to recover and ease any potential niggles that you may have. I don’t like too many idle days so I would probably only have two or three ‘off’ days in the week. I would always try to have a block of two days off completely though. Cheers.
Hi Matt,
Thanks for the program, looking forward to seeing how I go. Current PB is 21:41. I’ve just completed the first week (with the exception of the long run tomorrow) and the intervals were a bit of a killer but feeling good so far. Maintained the pace for the first two 1k intervals then slowly regressed for the last 3 ;). Did a lot better on the 800m and maintained pace for 5/6. Will keep you posted on the results.
Zavia
I had a very disrupted last two weeks of the program for a variety of reasons including a cold/flu in the last week which disrupted a lot of the training. Gave myself an extra couple of weeks off to ensure I was recovered and had a crack at a 5k last Saturday. Didn’t get sub 20 but did reduce my PB from 21:41 to 21:11. Keen to hit the program again in the new year.
Hi Matt
I don’t know if you have answered this already but is there a link to the full plan from week 1 to week 4 or do we just keep repeating the same thing over because I noticed on the top of the training program is says week 1
Sorry Matt just realized ho to do it