5k Race Pace Sharpener
Workout - 5k Race Pace Sharpener
- 15min @ 6'00''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 100m @ 3'30''/km
- 10 lots of:
- 400m @ 4'25''/km
- 1min rest
- 4 lots of:
- 20s @ 5'00''/km
- 12min @ 6'00''/km
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Intro: Here’s a breakdown of HOW TO RUN A FASTER 5K (5 TIPS) from The FOD Runner. The video is worth watching; the key tactics are below so you can put them into practice this week.
Key points
- Hill strides on a gentle slope (4 x 20 sec at ~95% effort with an easy jog back) build leg turnover and prevent the “jelly legs” feeling.
- Ramp session duration over the block. Start with shorter, harder efforts (8 x 400m + 4 x 2000m, 75s rest between), then add reps as you approach race day (14 x 400m with 45s jog recovery).
- Build weekly mileage carefully. The author went from about 55 mi/week to 69 mi/week, giving the body room to adapt without overreaching.
- Vary paces across the week: marathon-pace runs, half-marathon efforts, 10K repeats, and dedicated 5K sessions to balance aerobic fitness with speed.
- Line up multiple races. Two primary goal races (one mid-block, one at the end) plus a couple of secondary races give you race sharpness training can’t fully replicate.
Workout example
- Opening weeks: 8 x 400m at 5K race pace + 4 x 2000m at a slightly slower pace, with 75s recovery between the 400m repeats.
- Closer to race day: 14 x 400m with 45s easy jog recovery, at race pace throughout.
- Hill strides: 4 x 20s uphill at ~95% effort, then jog or walk back; scale up to 6–8 reps in later blocks.
Closing note: Use these five ideas in your next 5K block, adjusting paces with the Pacing app to match where you are now.
Watch the original video for the complete explanation.
References
- HOW TO RUN A FASTER 5K (5 TIPS) - YouTube (YouTube Video)