The Perfect 5K Training Plan

the answers are easy.

We don't do 5000 all out in training because intervals make it possible to run more time at the specific pace and make recovery way easier to be able to work on other things that are important as well.

But when the main race is getting closer doing one or two preparatory 5000 before will help for sure. Because there is nothing like specificity.

6x1000 at 5k pace and 40 more miles have nothing to do with each other. As if anybody on earth would choose between either one solution or the other.

It is complemantary.

6x1000 is better than another easy run but 40 miles is better than 6x1000 because that 4/5 more runs.

And 6x3' at 5k is better than 10x3' at 10k to prepare the race but both should be done in the plan (10x3' is a lot, 8x is good for most)

Impala31 wrote:

the answers are easy.

We don't do 5000 all out in training because intervals make it possible to run more time at the specific pace and make recovery way easier to be able to work on other things that are important as well.

Of course. But now you are agreeing that less specific training is better than more specific training. Where to draw the line. You aren't going to be able to come up with research showing that 12 mins at 3k pace is better(or worse) than 18 mins at 5k or 25 mins at 10k pace. There just isn't a big enough difference. Most of the evidence I have seen suggest volume matters more than pace. 25-30 mins of high quality aerobic work is better than 15-20 mins of slightly harder work especially in well trained athletes.

king_chaz wrote:

Working Stiff - you are a legend.

Sitting on any sort of training schedules from elites you plan on posting?

Between you and @Han Solo - truly the best to ever do it on here.

Aww, thanks! :)

I feel that while running by effort is really important, I think there's a lot of value in doing a few sessions on the track at race pace closer to the goal race.

There might not be a physiological difference comparing 6x1k @5k pace vs 6x3 min @5k effort but just practicing running at goal pace helps psychologically.

why making it complicated when I'm only saying that you need to work on 5k pace, especially in the pre race phase, in addition to other paces around 5k pace (mile/3k and 10k/LT)?

Who seriously think one should never work on 5k pace when training for 5k?!?

Impala31 wrote:

why making it complicated when I'm only saying that you need to work on 5k pace, especially in the pre race phase, in addition to other paces around 5k pace (mile/3k and 10k/LT)?

Who seriously think one should never work on 5k pace when training for 5k?!?

I understand what you're saying. To be clear, since effort is a relative thing, with this plan you are very likely touching on 5K pace often. That 16 x 1 minute workout can get towards 5K pace fairly easy, the 1 minute hill reps are also sort of right up against the edge of 5K pace, and the surges at the end of workouts will probably be in that range from time to time when you're feeling tired.

As far as practicing often at goal race pace I think it's a case of different strokes for different folks. Some people would definitely benefit from having a precise pace goal, practicing that goal and trying to execute that pace on race day. For me, I find that focusing on effort in practice without worrying about exact paces helps me by not chaining me to that pace goal and letting my body do what it can on the day. I enjoy my racing a lot more when I'm in that mindset than when I've been constantly aware of my current pace and what my goal should be. My 5K PR came on a day I forgot my watch. I ended up just racing and it was awesome

Northern lights runner wrote:

Hi, and thanks for this training program. I spent a few winter months following it and I liked it.

Have tried a different training approach called the "Easy Interval Method" (there is a book available written by a dutch fellow, Klaas Lok), but found that the approach was wearing me down after a couple of months, so I think I'll move back to "The Perfect 5K Training Plan" again.

I was just thinking if one was to use this as a well-rounded, more 5/10K-focused program, how would I transition into training for longer distances, like a fall HM or marathon? I would assume that a similar structure could be maintained with more emphasis on keeping workouts longer and on the aerobic side. Would you care to elaborate, Working stiff?

You were going too fast!

The way you described breaking down is classic from training above your AerT everyday. That's the risk with Easy Interval Method, people are overly motivated. If you never went too fast and always erred on the slow side, you would succeed.

I'm an over the hill runner who still trains for 5k. I've used this plan for a while and it has a couple of positve attributes that have not been mentioned.

1 - sustainability - at an older age it is a bit more difficult to suffer. My training is for my own personal goals and there is no external pressure for me to acheive (track/cross country team, win road races). This training by feel is much less daunting than the "truth of the track". I feel like I'm progressing but don't compare my times to my younger self. This enables me to continue training for continuous spans while being able to stay quite motivated. This leads to long term success.

2 - variety of 30 minute efforts - in theory, most of these workouts are about 30 minutes of hard running, but due to the wide variety of intervals you naturally run each workout at different speeds. The goal is to run your fastest and finish the workout feeling exhausted but not looking for the trash can to throw up in. There's no way I could run for 30 continuous minutes at the same pace as running the 1 minute interval session.

I run easy on all other days and do an hour long hard run once/week. I try to add 2-3 core/plyo workouts on some easy days. This is a great program, imo, and should yield results for both beginners and advaced runners. Thanks goes out to the original poster! I'm quite greatful for your contribution and hope others can make use if this plan.

Always Building wrote:

You were going too fast!

The way you described breaking down is classic from training above your AerT everyday. That's the risk with Easy Interval Method, people are overly motivated. If you never went too fast and always erred on the slow side, you would succeed.

I think that's a correct assessment. Since I wrote this quite some time ago I revisited the EIM to get back in shape after an injury last fall, and found it to be working well for me for months and months and have stuck with it since. It has given me a few new PR (10k, 3000m). I go a lot more by feel now and take care to run the recoveries really slow. It's easy to become a slave to the paces prescribed (advised) in the book and try to force a progression. I think that's very much in line with the philosophy of Working stiff: go by effort, don't force the pace on bad days and don't limit yourself on good ones.

I very much enjoyed the schedule laid out by Working stiff and will probably come back to it at some point but for the time being I'll stick with EIM a bit longer.

I think the original plan could be simplified/condensed to alternating between these four workouts with as much easy running in between as necessary:

Short intervals with some threshold running at the end

Long tempo/hills

Long intervals with some 200’s at the end

Short tempo/hills

Don’t know about the two down weeks every 6 months though….maybe just wait until you need it.

So if I do this for 8 weeks, completing all workouts x2, then go into the pre-race substitutes for 4 weeks heading into goal race I should be good to PR amirite?

(base of 45 miles per week for last 7/8 months and a recent 17:59 pr)

Very relatable post. Going to try this for my next 5k block. Thanks, Working Stiff.

Without necessarily getting into exact paces or heart rates or anything. Is the vibe of the LT reps more at LT1 (which I think of as “steady”) or LT2 (starting to get tough)?

Maybe a good approach would be to start a the lower end and progress up the effort range throughout the workout?

The way I interpreted it, workouts #1 and #5 are how you suggested as a steady to threshold effort type progression. The shorter reps I'm planning on a threshold type effort throughout. As a general rule of thumb with any workout, I'd like to be able to finish the reps as fast/faster than I started as well. Hopefully that keeps the efforts honest.