HOW TO RUN A FAST 5K | 2 Key 5km Workouts - That Running Guy

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of HOW TO RUN A FAST 5K | 2 Key 5km Workouts from That Running Guy. 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 work is essential for faster 5 km races; add interval sessions after building a solid aerobic base.
Start with a tempo run, then a threshold run, before moving into speed intervals to avoid injury.
Use a recovery interval that matches your fitness level – start with 2‑minute recovery and adjust to 3 minutes if needed.
For 5 k pace, run the intervals 10 seconds per km faster (or slower for the final set) to improve race speed.

Workout Example

Workout 1 – 2 km Repeats

4 × 2 km repeats
Pace: 5 k pace minus 10 seconds per km (faster than race pace)
Recovery: 2 minutes easy jog (or 3 minutes if needed)

Workout 2 – 1 km Ladder (3 × 1 km) with Variable Paces

1 km @ 5 k pace + 10 seconds per km
200 m jog recovery
1 km @ 5 k pace
200 m jog recovery
1 km @ 5 k pace minus 10 seconds per km
Repeat the entire 3‑interval set (you can do 2–3 rounds depending on fitness)

Practical Tips

Adjust recovery time based on how you feel; a 200 m jog may be just over a minute, not a couple of minutes.
If you can’t complete the full set, start with fewer repeats and build up.
Use the Pacing app to input your own 5 k pace and let the app calculate the exact target paces.

Closing Note

Give one of these workouts a try this week and tweak the paces to fit your current fitness in the Pacing app. You’ll be faster and more confident for your next Parkrun or 5 k race. Happy running!

References

HOW TO RUN A FAST 5K | 2 Key 5km Workouts - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - 5k Speed Ladder

12min @ 7'30''/km
4 lots of:
- 100m @ 4'10''/km
2 lots of:
- 1.0km @ 5'10''/km
- 200m @ 7'30''/km
- 1.0km @ 5'00''/km
- 200m @ 7'30''/km
- 1.0km @ 4'50''/km
- 3min @ 7'30''/km
12min @ 7'30''/km