5K Training Plan

Questions:

The 400s are at 5k race pace? What kind of rest?

What kind of rest on the 1000s?

Why as short as 9 miles for a long run?

Can you walk me through the though process on (presumably) not touching anything faster than 5k race pace, and getting somewhere between 6 and 8 miles of that per week?

Do you plan on doing exactly the same workouts week after week for the next 10-12 weeks?

How and why are you training yourself? Does your college coach not training you during indoors?

Im running unattached for indoor

400's I do a 200m jog

1000's I do a 400m jog

The 9 miles for long runs is not usually touched, I usually hit around 12-13 miles.

Then the next part is what I was having questions about. Should I go faster than pace? And based on my highschool training we would do a hard day followed by a tempo then race later that week so the 1000's are in place for racing every week.

Should I do that ever week? I was planning on it.

Your goal is around my PR, so I'll give my $0.02.

Not sure I understand the point of two workout days in a row followed by two easy days in a row. I like back-to-back workouts on occasion, but I don't think I would do it every week. For that matter, I don't love the idea of doing the same thing week in and week out. I don't think I'd do three up-tempo days a week, either.

If it were me, I'd tweak the schedule to the following:

Monday: shorter intervals (5k pace or faster). 10x400 off 1:30 is a good one, but I'd mix in stuff like 3x(600 at 5k pace, 30 sec recovery, 400 at 3k pace, 2 mins between sets), or 10-12x200 at 3k-mile pace on alternating weeks. Or any other good quicker workouts you know/like, but nothing that blows the doors off (at least not more than 2 or 3 per training cycle).

Tuesday: easy/steady longish mileage - either a single 8-10 miler (assuming you're comfortable with 9-15 mile long runs), or something like am 3-5, pm 6-7

Wednesday: easy - am 4, pm 4-5, or pool

Thursday: tempo or longer intervals - 6x1200 "float" intervals a little faster than tempo, or a 4-6 mile tempo like you suggest, or a progression run working down from tempo to 10k pace over 4-5 miles. Every few weeks, keep the Monday session real light and do something like the 5-6x1000 at 5k pace you've suggested, but that's a tough session; I wouldn't do that more than once every 2-3 weeks.

Friday: easy - am 5, pm 5 or similar, or pool

Saturday: long run, 10-15, last few miles at a good strong pace if you feel good

Sunday: easy singles or doubles

(Shift it by a day if you prefer to do you long runs on Sundays.) Essentially I'm trading one of your three up-tempo days for another day of longer, steady running, and spacing out the intensity.

In hindsight the biggest thing that worked for me (although I wasn't great at actually following this in college) was no "magic" days - your faster days are no more important than the easy/steady miles you put in in between. Especially if you're not training and racing with a team you've got time to be patient, be consistent, and vary your training enough to touch all the systems at least a few times a month. Good luck.

Need to build up your endurance over the winter and do lots of mileage look up Arthur Lydiard.

Sunday build up to doing 2 hours steady

Monday am one hour easy pm one hour progressive run finish with strides

Tuesday am jog pm steady over a hilly course

Wednesday same as Monday

Thurs am jog pm hour steady and finish with 200m or 300m x 6 up a grassy hill

Fri same as mon

Sat am 1k x 8 up hill or six mile tempo pm jog