5km to Marathon and Ultra "Speed Training" Workouts and Consideration in Running Plan: Sage Canaday - Vo2maxProductions

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of 5km to Marathon and Ultra “Speed Training” Workouts and Consideration in Running Plan: Sage Canaday from Vo2maxProductions. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Speed training means high‑intensity interval sessions (track repeats, hill repeats, tempo runs) that are faster than your goal race pace. If you want to dive deeper into the science behind these workouts, you can learn more about Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
For 5K‑10K and half‑marathon runners: aim for very high heart‑rate zones (90‑100% of max) and work at 80‑85% of top‑end speed. This often involves a mix of short (400 m) and longer (1 km) repeats. For more detailed strategies, check out our guides on Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time and Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
For marathon/ultra runners: focus more on longer intervals (e.g., 5 × 1 km, 8 × 1 km) and limit speed sessions to once a week; combine with tempo/threshold work.
Tempo runs: 20‑minute run at 80‑85% max heart‑rate (≈10‑15 s per mile or 6‑10 s per km faster than goal marathon pace). Works for all distances and improves leg speed and efficiency.
Frequency: 2 quality speed sessions per week at peak for 5K‑10K; 1‑2 sessions for marathon/ultra, balanced with longer runs and recovery.

Workout Example

For 5K/10K focus

Warm‑up: 10‑15 min easy jog.
Strides: 5 × 100 m relaxed sprints, 20 sec each, full recovery.
Main set:
- Option A: 6 × 400 m at 90‑95% max HR, 2‑3 min jog recovery.
- Option B: 4‑5 × 800 m at projected 5K pace, 2‑3 min jog recovery.
Cool‑down: 10 min easy jog.

For Marathon/Ultra focus

Warm‑up: 10‑15 min easy run.
Main set: 5‑8 × 1 km at 15 s per mile (or 10 s per km) faster than goal marathon pace, 3‑4 min easy jog recovery.
Tempo: 20‑minute run at 80‑85% max HR (≈10‑15 s per mile faster than marathon pace).
Cool‑down: 10‑15 min easy jog.

Closing Note

Give these speed workouts a try and tweak the paces to match your own training plan in the Pacing app. You’ll be faster, stronger, and ready for any distance—keep pushing forward