3 Workouts for a Fast 5K
So you want to jump into a 5k? If you’ve been running regularly and are eager to test our your fitness or shake things up with a 5K, there are three workouts that act as great tune-up to prepare you for a fast 5K.
Performing these workouts each week in the three weeks leading up to the race is a great way to prepare yourself to run well for 3.1 miles.
First you'll work on foot speed, getting legs to turn over a little faster. Then you'll push the pace with workout that forces you to find a new gear. Finally you'll hone your pacing skills with a race-pace workout. In each workout, longer rest allows you to run faster in each interval getting your body used to moving fast.
Week 1 : Workout 1
Your first workout will work on increasing food speed and turn over. Run these intervals at 5K effort or slightly faster. Warm up with one mile of easy running, head to the track and run two sets of 6x300 for a total of 12 x300. Rest between each interval for the amount of time it took you to run the interval, plus 30 seconds. So if you ran 300 in 1:15, you will rest for 1 minute and 45 seconds. This longer rest allows you to completely recover and run a faster interval. Take 5 minutes rest between sets.
To duplicate this run on the roads, run two sets of 6x1 min hard followed by 90 seconds of slow jogging or walking. Jog or walk between each set.
Conclude the workout with one mile of easy running.
Week 2 : Workout 2
In this workout you will work on going all out and finding a new gear. Warm up with one mile of easy running. Then run 1 x400 at all-out effort. Rest for 5 minutes and then run two sets of 4x200 at the pace you ran the 400m in. So if you ran 400m all out in 1:30, you would then aim to run each 200 in 45 seconds. Jog for 200m between each 200. Take a 5 min jogging or walking rest between sets.
To duplicate this on the road, run 1x90 seconds at max effort. Jog for 5 min. Run two sets of 4x45 sec hard, 1 min easy, take a 5 min jog break between.
Conclude the workout with one mile of easy running.
Week 3 : Workout 3
In this workout you will hone in on 5K pace and practice the feel of your effort. Begin the workout with a one mile warm up. Run two sets of 4x 600m at your 5K goal pace, rest for an equal amount of time as your 600 interval. Take five minutes rest between sets.
To duplicate on the road, run two sets of 3x3 minutes hard with 3 minutes of easy jogging or walking between intervals. Take five minutes rest between sets.
Conclude the workout with one mile of easy running.
Add these workouts into your weekly rotation after an easy run and follow up with an easy recovery run the day after.
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