Maximize Your Running with Just 5K a Day: Quality Over Quantity Training - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Maximize Your Running with Just 5K a Day: Quality Over Quantity 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:

Run 5 km every day (or walk) to build daily discipline and consistency.
The week is built around two quality sessions: a mid‑week interval day (Wednesday) and a weekend long run (Sunday). All other days are easy or recovery runs.
Quality beats quantity: keep the total weekly volume around 35 km (5 km × 7 days) while focusing on effort, form, and recovery.
Adjust paces by time if you don’t have a set 5 km pace—aim for a slightly longer effort (e.g., 30‑35 min for 5 km) and let the long run be about 1 hour.

Workout Example:

Day	Run Type	Distance	How to Structure
Monday	Recovery run	5 km	Super‑slow, focus on form, easy breathing.
Tuesday	Easy run	5 km	Start easy, then at ~4 km include 8‑10 × 100 m accelerations (gradual pick‑ups).
Wednesday	Interval session	5 km total	Example: 20 × 250 m (or 25 × 200 m). Start with 250 m repeats, progress to 300 m, then 400 m (e.g., 12 × 400 m with 200 m easy jog between). Keep total 5 km.
Thursday	Rest day	–	Full recovery, no running.
Friday	Recovery run	5 km	Same as Monday – very easy, focus on feeling better after the interval.
Saturday	Easy run	5 km	Bridge run: easy pace, a short middle segment at race‑pace (≈4 km) and easy back‑off.
Sunday	Long run	10 km	Start with 3 km easy, then 4 km at target race‑pace, finish 3 km easy. If 10 km is too long, begin with 6 km and build up.

Practical Tips you can use right now:

Treat each 5 km day as a “training credit” – you can spend it on recovery, easy, or interval work.
Warm‑up with 5‑10 min easy jog before intervals; cool‑down with the same.
Use the 100 m accelerations on easy days to prime your legs for faster work.
Keep a simple “run‑feel” gauge: easy (conversational), moderate (steady), hard (just‑above‑comfort). Adjust effort, not exact speed.
After each run, note how your body feels (ankles, knees, hips, breathing) to reinforce good form.

Closing Note: Try the 5 km‑a‑day plan this week, swapping in your own paces via the Pacing app and watching how consistency fuels progress. Remember, the full video has extra nuances—give it a look, then hit the road and own your runs! 🚀