How To Crush Your 5K Personal Best Without Complex Training? - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of How To Crush Your 5K Personal Best Without Complex Training? from Lee Grantham. 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

One focused interval session each week, lasting 5‑6 km total, builds speed‑endurance and mental toughness.
All reps are done with 60‑second rests to keep the heart rate elevated while teaching you to lower it quickly between efforts.
Rep length shortens each week, moving from long 2.5 km repeats to fast 300 m bursts, gradually sharpening speed.
Keep the effort controlled: aim for a pace between your 5K and 10K (or half‑marathon) pace early on, then progress toward true 5K pace as the weeks go by.

Workout Example (9‑week plan)

Week	Reps × Distance	Rest	Total Volume	Pace Guidance
1	2 × 2.5 km	60 s	5 km	Start at comfortable 5K‑10K pace, focus on breathing and heart‑rate recovery.
2	3 × 2 km	60 s	6 km	Slightly faster than 5K pace, still controlled.
3	4 × 1.5 km	60 s	6 km	Push a bit more, start feeling the 5K rhythm.
4	5 × 1.2 km	60 s	6 km	More rest intervals, keep control.
5	6 × 1 km	60 s	6 km	Aim for ~3 min/km (≈15 min 5K) if you can hold it.
6	8 × 800 m	60 s	6.4 km	Shorter reps, easier recovery, focus on quick HR drop.
7	10 × 500 m	60 s	5 km	Sharper, faster ground work.
8	12 × 400 m	60 s	4.8 km	Very fast, focus on control.
9	20 × 300 m	60 s	6 km	Test session – aim to hold 5K pace comfortably through most of the session.

Practical Tips

Keep the 60‑second rest strict; it trains your ability to drop heart‑rate quickly and stay mentally focused.
Treat each rep as a mini‑race: start strong, settle into a sustainable pace, and finish with a sprint if you can.
After each weekly session, reduce overall weekly mileage to allow recovery before the next key session.
Use the Pacing app to plug in your own paces (e.g., 5K pace, 10K pace) and let the app calculate interval times.

Closing Note

Give this 9‑week plan a go, tweak the paces to match your current fitness, and watch your 5K time drop. Customize the workout in the Pacing app, stay consistent, and get ready to crush that personal best! 🚀