Beginners 5km Training Schedule
In this programme the Easy Run is an optional that one can undertake as an additional run each week. The focus of this programme will be more emphasis on Hard Runs & Quality Runs.
Please see the Key to these training schedules at the bottom of the page
| Week | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 | 4 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 2 | 4 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on flat course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 3 | 4 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 4 | 4 miles long run | 2 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on flat course | 2 miles easy pace | |||
| 5 | 5 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 6 | 5 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 7 | 5 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 8 | 5 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on flat course | 3 miles easy pace | |||
| 9 | 6 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 10 | 6 miles long run | 5 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 11 | 6 miles long run | 5 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 12 | 4 miles fast pace | 3 miles steady pace | 5K!! |
Intermediate 5km Training Schedule
This programme is designed so you can, with confidence, take part in a 5 Km race in 12 weeks time. It assumes you have successfully completed the 12 week beginners’ programme or can already comfortably complete the training set out in Wk 12.
Please see the Key to these training schedules at the bottom of the page
| Week | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 | 4 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 2 | 4 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on flat course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 3 | 4 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 4 | 4 miles long run | 2 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on flat course | 2 miles easy pace | |||
| 5 | 5 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 6 | 5 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 7 | 5 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 8 | 5 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | 3 miles hard run on flat course | 3 miles easy pace | |||
| 9 | 6 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 10 | 6 miles long run | 5 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 3 miles quality run | |||
| 11 | 6 miles long run | 5 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 12 | 4 miles fast pace | 3 miles steady pace | 5K!! |
At the end of this intermediate training programme you should be very strong and able to race 5 Km at a really quick speed whether the course be flat or hilly. You could even race hard off-road.
Advanced 5km Training Schedule
In this programme the various runs will be described in more detail and introduce the concept of repetition (reps) training. The hill reps are run very hard with slow jog back recovery. The speed work reps are run flat out with slow jog recovery. The training sessions assume the participant has completed the beginners & intermediate 5 Km programmes, or is already a relatively experienced runner who has successfully completed at least 3 races of 5 Km or longer.
Please see the Key to these training schedules at the bottom of the page
| Week | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 | 6 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | Hills 4x 150m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 2 | 6 miles long run | 3 miles quality run | Hills 4x 200m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 3 | 6 miles long run | 3x400m Quality Run | Hills 4x 300m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 4 | 6 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 5 | 7 miles long run | 4x400m - flat out | Hills 4x300m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 6 | 7 miles long run | 5x400m - flat out | Hills 5x300m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 7 | 7 miles long run | 5x400m - flat out | Hills 6x300m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 8 | 7 miles long run | 4 miles quality run | 4 miles hard run on hilly course | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 9 | 7 miles long run | 6x400m - flat out | Hills 7x300m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 10 | 7 miles long run | 7x400m - flat out | Hills 8x300m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 11 | 7 miles long run | 10x300m - flat out | Hills 12x150m (jog back to recover) | 4 miles quality run | |||
| 12 | 5 miles fast pace | 4 miles steady pace | 5K!! |
Note:
With the hill and speed work sessions (with 5 reps or more) you can usefully break them down into groups of 3 or 4 reps (called sets) and take a short rest of say 3 – 4 minutes. Take care not to get cold.
It is important to use the jog back recovery sensibly so you can always repeat the effort (and time taken) on each rep. The emphasis throughout is: work the rep very hard – recover & repeat. If you have access to an athletic track then its better to do the speed work reps there. The hill distances don’t need to be exact so long as the distance worked is about right.
