5K Training Plan Intermediate

12 weeks·4 days / wk·5k·intermediate

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Weeks: 12
Sessions: 48
Peak week: 20 mi; week 10
Long run: 6 mi; week 9
Taper: 2 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume an intermediate runner (VDOT 42). Enter a recent race to personalise them.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 3.5 mi	4 · 3 key	13 mi	Long run 3.5 mi
Tue Oct 6 Hill repeats 6 × 60 s 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 8 Easy run 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 9 Fartlek 5 × 1 min 3.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 5 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 11 Long run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 4 mi	4 · 3 key	14 mi	Long run 4 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 13 Hill repeats 7 × 60 s 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 7 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 15 Easy run 1.5 mi 1.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 16 Fartlek 6 × 1 min 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 18 Long run 4 mi 4 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
03	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 4 mi	4 · 3 key	14.5 mi	Long run 4 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 20 Hill repeats 8 × 60 s 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 8 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 22 Easy run 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 23 Fartlek 7 × 1 min 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 7 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 25 Long run 4 mi 4 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 3 mi	4 · 1 key	10 mi	Long run 3 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy + 6 strides 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 29 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 30 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 1 Long run 3 mi 3 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
05	Build: VO2max intervals + thresholdLong run 4.5 mi	4 · 3 key	15.5 mi	Long run 4.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 3 Intervals 3 × 800 m 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 800 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 400 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 5 Easy run 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 6 Tempo 15 min 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 15 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 8 Long run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
06	Build: VO2max intervals + thresholdLong run 5 mi	4 · 3 key	16 mi	Long run 5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 10 Intervals 3 × 800 m 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 800 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 400 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 12 Easy run 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 13 Tempo 15 min 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 15 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 15 Long run 5 mi 5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
07	Build: VO2max intervals + thresholdLong run 5.5 mi	4 · 3 key	17 mi	Long run 5.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 17 Intervals 3 × 800 m 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 800 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 400 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 19 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 20 Tempo 15 min 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 15 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 22 Long run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
08	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 4 mi	4 · 1 key	13.5 mi	Long run 4 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 24 Easy + 6 strides 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Nov 26 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 27 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 29 Long run 4 mi 4 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
09	Peak: 5K-specific paceLong run 6 mi	4 · 3 key	18.5 mi	Long run 6 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 1 Intervals 3 × 1000 m 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1000 m · @ race pace 7:27/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 3 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 4 Intervals 4 × 400 m 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 4 × 400 m · @ R pace 6:49/mi, 400 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Dec 6 Long run 6 mi 6 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
10	Peak: 5K-specific paceLong run 6 mi	4 · 3 key	20 mi	Long run 6 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 8 Intervals 3 × 1000 m 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1000 m · @ race pace 7:27/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 10 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 11 Intervals 4 × 400 m 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 4 × 400 m · @ R pace 6:49/mi, 400 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Dec 13 Long run 6 mi 6 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
11	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 4.5 mi	4 · 2 key	14.5 mi	Long run 4.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 15 Intervals 3 × 1000 m 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1000 m · @ race pace 7:27/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 17 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 18 Easy + 6 strides 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Sun Dec 20 Long run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
12	Race week — 5KRace 3 mi	4 · 1 key	7 mi	Race 3 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 22 Easy + 4 strides 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Dec 24 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 25 Easy run 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Dec 27 Race day: 5K 3 mi 5K — target 23:08 · even pace 7:27/mi; first mile no faster than goal pace

Your paces

Easy / long: 9:28–10:25/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 8:25/mi
Threshold (T): 7:53/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 7:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 6:49/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
5K race pace: 7:27/mifinish 23:08

The numbers

About this plan

This 5k training plan intermediate opens with 13 mi in week 1 and peaks at 20 mi in week 10. Halfway, week 6 carries 16 mi with a 5 mi long run. That is 174 mi over 48 runs for an intermediate 5K runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (10 mi) and week 8 (13.5 mi).

The long run tops out at 6 mi in week 9; 17 key sessions include 3 hill, 3 fartlek, 3 tempo and 8 interval workouts. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 55% of the 174 mi; 3 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. 5K pace, 7:27/mi, is rehearsed in intervals once the long run reaches 6 mi.

The 2-week taper takes race week to 7 mi, 65% under week 10's 20 mi, after 174 mi. Projected finish after 12 weeks and 174 mi: 23:08 for the 5K (7:27/mi).

4 sessions and 13 mi open this 12-week plan, topped by a 4 mi Tuesday.

The phases run base weeks 1–3 (13–14.5 mi), build weeks 5–7 (15.5–17 mi), peak weeks 9–10 (18.5–20 mi), taper week 11 (14.5 mi) and race week 12 (7 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 5k training plan intermediate?

13 mi in week 1, 16 mi by week 6 and 20 mi at the peak, week 10: 174 mi total.

How fast should easy runs be on the 5k training plan intermediate?

9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42, for 55% of 174 mi.

What is the longest run in the 5k training plan intermediate?

6 mi in week 9, up from 3.5 mi in week 1.

Can I run the 5k training plan intermediate on 3 days a week instead of 4?

At 3 days a week the 12-week plan has about 36 runs, not 48.

Keep exploring

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