5K Training Program
When planning out a training program, the first and easiest step is to designate the time period to train, which is usually decided by when the race will be run. After that, key factors to consider in order to maintain a safe yet difficult schedule are rest days, easy to moderate to hard days, and cross training days. It's very easy to tire out your body too quickly and then get injured if you start out too difficult, but it is also important to have some difficult workouts to become better.
The calendar month below was designed for someone who decided to run a 5K with only the month of June to train with a goal to run the race in 20:00 minutes. This month would be recommended for someone who has been consistently running and already in good shape with a history of hard training without injury. For most, however, it would be recommended to add easier days as well as to cross train 1 or 2 times per week rather than run for every workout (ie. bike or swim). This would be done to primarily avoid any injury while still building the body's cardiovascular endurance.
June 2013 |
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S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
2 REST |
3 Goal: 3 mi @ 7:30 pace |
4 Goal: 4 mi @ 8:00 pace w/3 2-min pick-ups @ 7:30 pace |
5 Goal: 1 mi @ 6:40 pace 2 mi @ 8:00 pace |
6 Goal: 3 mi-repeats @ 7:10 pace |
7 Goal: 3 10-min-repeats @ 8:00, 7:50, 7:40 |
8 Goal: 5 mi @ 7:45 pace |
9 REST |
10 Goal: 3 mi @ 7:05 pace |
11 Goal: 4 mi @ 7:55 pace w/3 2-min pick-ups @ 7:10 pace |
12 Goal: 1 mi @ 6:15 pace & 2 mi @ 8:00 pace |
13 Goal: 3 mi-repeats @ 6:50 pace |
14 Goal: 3 10-min-repeats @ 7:50, 7:40, 7:30 |
15 Goal: 5 mi @ 7:40 pace |
16 REST |
17 Goal: 3 mi @ 6:45 pace |
18 Goal: 4 mi @ 7:50 pace w/3 2-min pick-ups @ 6:50 pace |
19 Goal: 1 mi @ 5:50 pace 2 mi @ 8:00 pace |
20 Goal: 3 mi-repeats @ 6:30 pace |
21 Goal: 3 10-min-repeats @ 7:40, 7:30, 7:20 |
22 Goal: 5 mi @ 7:35 pace |
23 REST |
24 Goal: 3 mi @ 6:30 pace |
25 Goal: 4 mi @ 7:45 pace w/3 2-min pick-ups @ 6:30 pace |
26 Goal: 3 mi-repeats @ 6:26 pace |
27 Goal: 3 10-min-repeats @ 7:30, 7:20, 7:10 |
28 Goal: 3 mi @ 7:30 pace |
29 5K Race Goal: 6:26 pace |
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