The first edition of Track Tuesday is here! While I didn’t come up with the concept, I’ll be posting these weekly to help you become a stronger, faster runner. Don’t worry—these workouts don’t have to be done on a track. Just do the best with what you have, and you’ll see the benefits. For the first edition we will help out the 5k runners!
Who is This For?
This workout is for 5K runners looking to increase their speed. The 5K is a tricky event—roughly 88% aerobic and 12% anaerobic—so success requires a mix of long runs and speed-focused repetition or interval work.
I got this workout from Coach Mike Scannell and the Track All Access YouTube channel. Scannell is famously Grant Fisher’s coach and also coaches Hamilton High School in Arizona. I slightly adjusted the amount of 800s to be more manageable but overall the goal of this session is simple: build the speed you need to race fast in the 5K.
The structure is straightforward:
- Start hard with some challenging intervals.
- Middle section focuses on medium-effort intervals to maintain pace and form.
- Finish hard, pushing your speed to simulate the end of a race.
Speed Workout For 5k
Warm-Up:
- 400 M jog at a conversational pace to get the blood flowing in the legs.
Workout:
- 2000 M (Hard Effort)
- 2-4 x 800 M, Do two if you are newer to speed training, and do 4 if you can handle a little more (Medium Effort)
- 1600 M (Hard Effort)
Rest for 5-8 minutes in between sets, and rest for 2 minutes in between 800s or until you feel you can do another with a little fatigue.
Cool Down:
- 400 M jog at a very slow pace.
Tips For Success
- Make sure that you are hydrated.
- Make sure you get a proper warm up in to prevent injury.
- Allow yourself to get adequate rest in between reps and sets to get the most benefits.
- Make sure you do your cool down to prevent stiffness.
- I would recommend stretching before and after with a mix of dynamic and static stretching.
For more 5k training go check out my training plans or contact me for 1 on 1 coaching services!
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