5k faster plans

[Penguinita]

Can anyone recommend a plan to improve my 5k time? My park run has been stuck in a rut for a while and I need some motivation! Thank you.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

What’s your running looking like at the moment? I took a really big chunk off my 5k time when I started doing strength work with much heavier weights post injury. It was a nice bonus!

I haven’t followed a specific faster plan to recommend but generally, plans have some faster runs mixed into a background of mostly easy running, building distance into long runs, like on this Runner’s World example.

runnersworld.com/uk/trainin...

That looks really similar to the sort of thing that’s got my running a bit quicker. I like Nike Run Club guided runs for my speed runs, but the ones I’ve done are general (as part of their half marathon and 10k plans) rather than specifically targeted at 5k.

If you’ve got a garmin you might be able to use one of their plans for 5k with a time goal.

The other thing you could try is asking over on Fun Beyond 10k and Race Support-posters there may well have trained to run a quicker 5k race. Everyone is very friendly there!

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

My view is basically any plan you can follow consistently that has a mix of fast, long and easy running with some strength alongside will help improve your time. It’s just about what fits best with your life and the way you like to run.

Good luck with whatever you end up doing!

[Annieapple Administrator]

🍏 MissUnderstanding has given you some good ideas. I myself at the moment am using Nike Run Club 5K race Training & finding it very useful/helpful x

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

run slower but further👍🏽

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

Loads of great advice here and I with Tasha99 too... The further and slower you run, the mroe it evolves... core strength and stamina all improve... the pace and distances follow

[Freecloud Graduate10]

Runkeeper has good training guides with audio prompts. I'm currently trying it out for my marathon training and I like it.

[Penguinita Graduate10 in reply to Freecloud]

That looks promising, is it totally free or is there some paid content? Thanks.

[Freecloud Graduate10 in reply to Penguinita]

There's some paid content but some free ones as well. Try installing it to see, I can't remember.

[smokeysmoke]

I do the fartlek, speed or tempo runs sometimes on the NRC app and they have improved my running

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate10 in reply to smokeysmoke]

Thanks for the reminder, I need to go back to the tempo runs on NRC, I found them really useful when I did do them. I think its the dark nights that have put me off as I have a record of falling!!😁

[smokeysmoke in reply to Hedgehogs123]

😬

[Penguinita Graduate10]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I had downloaded the Nike app but mistakenly thought the 5k plan was a bit like couch to 5k. Looking again I see that I was wrong and it is probably just what I need to get faster (or try, anyway).

I tried a Garmin plan before for a 10k race and hated it. Perhaps I picked the wrong coach.