Since we’ve been on lockdown and haven’t had access to the gym facilities, I’ve added a lot more running to my routine and I’m actually really enjoying it. There’s something about the grind and sense of accomplishment with completing long(ish) runs and beating your previous times that’s so addictive.
I created a super simple 3 x per week running program for myself with the goal of improving my 5K time and will share it with you all so that you can follow too. It’s quite a low volume of running compared to other running programs you might see but I believe it blends the right amount of distance and intensity for you to get that 5K time down no matter what your running level is.
I go for Monday-Wednesday-Friday runs, but just spread the runs out throughout the week to suit your own schedule.
Monday (5K Test)
- 5km run
- Timed – looking to beat previous week’s time
- This is the main day we can monitor progress on
Wednesday (Speed)
- 2 x 1km runs at faster than target time 1km splits – so if you’re looking to get a sub-30min 5km, you should be aiming to complete these 1km runs in under 6mins, or under 5mins if your goal is a sub-25min 5K, or under 4mins if your goal is a sub-20min 5K.
- Simply choose a point 1km from your house, walk there, time a run back to your house, repeat and then go for a cool down walk.
- The aim of this day is to get your body used to running at a quicker pace for a sustained period of time.
Friday (Endurance)
- 10km distance completed
- This can be completed at a run, a walk-run, or just a walk – depending on your fitness levels.
- The aim here is to build endurance to compliment your speed work in order to be able to maintain increased speeds over longer distances.
With these 3 highly specific running days, I guarantee you’ll be improving your fitness as well getting that 5K time down below your target! Plus, there will be plenty of recovery time with the rest days in between, or time to work on strengthening muscle groups either with home workouts or gym workouts (hopefully soon).
Any questions, feel free to comment or message me and if you’re trying this program, I’d love to hear your feedback!
MB x