How to Pace Your 5K: Become a FASTER Runner in Just 4 Weeks - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “How to Pace Your 5K: Become a FASTER Runner in Just 4 Weeks” 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

Controlled start: run the first 2 km at a comfortable 4:30 min/km, then accelerate in the third kilometer to faster than 4:00 min/km and hold around 3:50 min/km for the remaining distance. This teaches you to hold back early, then unleash a strong finish.
Progressive negative splits: start at 4:30 min/km for km 1, then drop 10 seconds each km (4:30, 4:20, 4:10, 4:00, 3:50). The race gets progressively faster, training you to finish strong while keeping energy under control.
Training frequency: use these pacing runs only every 3‑4 weeks, not every week, to let your body adapt and avoid burnout.
Incremental improvement: aim to shave 10 seconds per km (≈1 sec per 100 m) each week; over time this adds up to big time gains.
Mental benefits: mastering pacing builds confidence, helps you control effort in longer races, and makes the 5K feel less like a “war of attrition.”

Workout Example

Controlled‑Start 5K (Goal < 20 min)

km 1‑2 – 4:30 min/km (easy, “handbrake” feeling)
km 3 – push to ~3:50 min/km (use saved energy)
km 4‑5 – hold 3:50 min/km (finish around 20:30, then aim for sub‑20 by maintaining that pace)

Progressive Negative‑Split 5K

km 1: 4:30 min/km
km 2: 4:20 min/km
km 3: 4:10 min/km
km 4: 4:00 min/km
km 5: 3:50 min/km

Run one of these workouts every 3‑4 weeks, using the others for easy or steady‑state runs.

Closing Note

Give these pacing tricks a try this week, tweak the paces to match your current fitness in the Pacing app, and watch your 5K times drop. You’ve got the tools—now go out and run faster! 🚀