This 5K #PARKRUN was also a 9K Tempo Run - Marathon Training Week 1 - RUN SDJ

Aug 13, 2025

This is a quick summary of “This 5K #PARKRUN was also a 9K Tempo Run - Marathon Training Week 1” from RUN SDJ. 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

Combine a 5 km Parkrun with a 9 km tempo run by adding a pre‑run warm‑up and post‑run cool‑down.
The core of the session is “Rolling 300s”: 8 repeats of 300 m fast (4:25 km⁻¹) followed by 300 m at a slower, steady pace (5:15 km⁻¹).
Planning your start time (arriving a few minutes before the Parkrun start) lets you fit the warm‑up, intervals, and cool‑down into the race without over‑training.
Keep the slower‑pace windows tight (5:15 km⁻¹ ± 5 s) and aim to hit the faster‑pace windows (4:25 km⁻¹) on at least half the repeats.

Workout example

Warm‑up – 3.2 km at a comfortable, conversational pace (≈5:30 km⁻¹).
Rolling 300s – 8 × {300 m @ 4:25 km⁻¹ → 300 m @ 5:15 km⁻¹}. Total ≈4.8 km, finishing just shy of the 5 km Parkrun distance.
Cool‑down – 1 km @ 5:15 km⁻¹, then the final 200 m of the Parkrun at the same 5:15 km⁻¹ pace.
Easy jog back – 800 m at an easy effort to get back to the car.

Practical tips

Time your start so you’re on the Parkrun start line a couple of minutes before the official 9 am start.
Use a GPS watch or the Pacing app to set exact 300‑meter splits; the short intervals make pacing sharp.
If the listed paces don’t match your current fitness, simply adjust the minutes per km while keeping the fast/slow ratio (e.g., 5% faster or slower).

Try this session today and feel free to customise the paces in the Pacing app to suit your own speed. Happy running!