If you are training for a fast 5k, there are quite a few factors you need to consider. A fast 5k is not only a physical challenge it also requires quite a lot of mental toughness. It may be the shortest long distance race but it’s intense and requires both aerobic endurance and anaerobic fitness.
That said, each 5k training plan includes short reps, that are best run on a track and are quite a bit faster than goal race pace, longer intervals at race pace, longruns up to 15, maybe even 20 kilometers, easy runs and of course rest days.
The buildup
A perfect buildup for a fast 5k should take at least 6 weeks but in my opinion 8 weeks are best to get you race ready, not only physical but also mental ready for the task. Training will require some time, be prepared to run 5 days a week with two rest days: one the day after your longrun day and the other one after the tempo session. Don’t do consecutive hard days either, your body needs to recover from each hard day so you are rested and ready, when the next session waits.
Till now this article was not specific with times and workouts. Rather than training plans I want to tell you some more guidelines, that will help you achieve your goal and make you ready to run your fastest 5k. For a lot of runners 5k under 20 minutes is a big goal. Therefore I wrote an article with the title 5k under 20 minutes training plan, that is published on the hyve webpage.
If you have another time goal in mind you can also reach out to me and together we will put up a training plan, tailor made to your specific needs. Considering not only your running abilities but also the time you have to train.
The race
As for the race itself, it’s best to pick a flat course. It will be hard to get a perfectly flat one, well you could run a 5k time trail on a track, that is perfectly flat. But in a road race there probably will be parts of the course where there is a slight incline or decline. So during your training, especially during tempo runs you should find a stretch of road that will mimic the race course. The best option of course would be to do your tempo runs on the race course but that’s not always possible.
Another good way to achieve your goal of training for a fast 5k and running it is to run together with friends who have the same time goal. Not just the race, train together. If you are able to run the same paces during training and if you find yourself struggling during the race, knowing that you can run with them can be a major mental boost.
Don’t forget to warmup before the race. While running repeats or intervals you probably know, that the first two are probably the hardest and not the fastest. That comes down to the fact, that your body is not properly warmed up and ready to run fast. So before the race take time to warm up. A 15 minute easy run to start with, some dynamic exercises and strides to get your heart rate up to where it needs to be. Time your warm up so you finish just minutes before the start. You want to be ready to run fast when the gun goes off.
I hope this tips will help you to run your next personal best over the 5k distance.
Photo: Žan Tabak
