5-K Training Guide: Advanced Day-by-Day

Copyright © 2002 by Hal Higdon. All rights reserved.

Hal Higdon has contributed to Runner's World for longer than any other writer, an article by Hal having appeared in that publication's second issue in 1966. Author of 34 books, including the best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, Hal also has written books on many subjects and for different age groups.

The following is a day-by-day training guide for the Advanced 5-K runner.

8 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: In this schedule for advanced runners, Monday is an easy day for recovery after the weekend's workouts. Run 3 miles. Run at an easy pace, just covering the distance. If you don't program easy days into your schedule--and at the right times--you increase your risk of illness or injury. Take these easy days seriously; your coach does! If you plan to do Strength Training, Mondays and Wednesdays are good days for it--after you run.

Tuesday: Today is your day for interval training, as you prepare for the 5-K. (In interval training, you first run a set distance hard, then jog or walk at an easy pace to recover. The workout gets its name because you control the "interval" between each hard run.) Interval training is best done on a track. Run 5 x 400 meters at about the pace you would run 1500 meters, or a mile. (If you run a mile in 8:00, your 400 time would be 2:00.) Jog or walk 400 meters between each fast repeat to recover.

Wednesday: Rest or do an easy run of about 3 miles today. This will be your standard workout for all but the final week of your 8-week 5-K training program. Although this seems like a "throwaway" workout, one that seemingly will do little to condition yourself, if you do run, take it seriously. Take 3 to 5 minutes to do some easy stretching before you begin. Check out the Five Fantastic Stretching Exercises by physical therapist Debbie Pitchford on my Web site.

Thursday: This day of the week is for tempo runs, which are best done on trails in the woods-although you can run them on the roads. Run for a half hour, building up to near the pace you run 10-K near the middle of your workout. To learn more about how to do a tempo run, check the directions on the introductory screen for advanced runners that preceded this one.

Friday: This 5-K training program for intermediate runners features six days of running and one day of rest. Friday is a good day to take off, since it also end the work week for most people. You want to make certain that you are well prepared for the harder training that you will do on the weekend.

Saturday: Run 4 miles today, but at a slightly faster pace than you ran the "easy" runs on Monday and Wednesday. You should finish this workout feeling refreshed, because I'm going to ask you to run long tomorrow. For the rest of this training program, Saturday is the day on which you will be asked to run "fast."

Sunday: Today you run long. Go for an hour. While 60 minutes may not seem "long" by marathon standards, you are training for a 5-K race, not a 42.2-K race. Don't worry about how fast you run. Simply pick a scenic course and enjoy the workout.

RUN FAST: The trick to running fast, claims world cross-country champion Lynn Jennings, is to make sure you run fast in training. Just covering the mileage won't do the job. You have to teach your body to run fast!

7 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: Run 3 miles. Are you tired after yesterday's hour-long run? If so, be sure to run at an easy pace. Don't hesitate to do some walking. Today is a recovery day. You may not think you need an easy day on Monday after 4 miles on Saturday and an hour run on Sunday, and maybe you don't. But your coach is trying to establish a regular pattern for you to follow in this 5-K training program for advanced runners. As we move closer to the planned 5-K, you will welcome this easy day.

Tuesday: For today's interval workout, shift to 200 meters for your fast runs and also 200 meters of jogging or walking for the interval between. Run the fast repetitions at about the pace you would run 800 meters. If you run the half in 3:00, for example, you would run each 200 in about 45 seconds. While interval training is best done on a track, you could also do this workout on a golf course fairway or on any straight-away. Measure off an approximate distance; it doesn't need to be exact.

Wednesday: The Wednesday workouts will not change. It's an option day: rest or an easy run. Wednesday is also a good day to do both Stretching and Strength Training, whether your run or not. The purpose of this easy day is to allow you to both recuperate from yesterday's speed workout and gather strength for the speed workout tomorrow. If you run too hard today, you can compromise both workouts.

Thursday: Today's tempo run is the same as last week: 30 minutes. But it doesn't have to be exactly the same workout. Consider picking an entirely different workout area. If you ran last week's tempo run in the woods, you might want to run today on a golf course or even on pavement. If you do choose a road course, however, pick some route where you won't see mile markers. Everything about a tempo run should be intuitive.

Friday: Today is a day of rest after the midweek training. It is also the beginning of your weekend "vacation" away from work or other duties. Relax this evening, but that doesn't mean hanging out in the bars until 2:00 in the morning. Your old friends may not understand why you glance at your watch and say you need to get up early to run tomorrow morning, but other runners know.

Saturday: Four miles fast. How fast is "fast?" That depends on you, since you are the one who sets the tempo. Move at a pace somewhat faster than you ran during the easy workouts earlier in the week. Hint: If you expect to run fast right out of the box, you probably need to warm up a bit. This suggests jogging a half mile or mile, then doing some stretching before setting out on your 4-miler. And maybe you might want to jog a bit after you're finished. This means you actually are going to be running somewhat farther than the scheduled 4 miles for today. That's part of the plan. (If you would like to use a 5-K race this weekend as your fast-4 option, you may do so.)

Sunday: Run 65 minutes, an increase of 5 minutes over last week. You are on your way to an ultimate workout of 90 minutes the weekend before your 5-K race. If you are used to training for marathons, a run of 65 minutes may not seem like much, but I'll remind you once again: you're training for a 5-K, not a marathon. If you want to run the last 10-15 minutes at an up tempo, be my guest. What do I mean by an "up tempo?" Not a flat-out sprint; a slight increase in speed will do nicely, thank you.

Interval training: Interval training has been proven as a way of improving running ability. It can strengthen you aerobically and anaerobically. It can strengthen your legs. It can strengthen your confidence. I've always felt that one of the greatest values of interval training is that it strengthened my ability to concentrate. It permitted me to maintain good form.

6 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: Three miles easy today to recover from the weekend. This third week of the eight-week 5-K program for advanced runners features a slight increase in distance and difficulty. For Tuesday's interval workout, you'll add another 400 to the number you did two weeks ago. The tempo run on Thursday also increases. This coming weekend, you'll be asked to run an extra mile further on Saturday and 5 minutes longer on Sunday. Small changes, admittedly, but it will get you in shape for your race.

Tuesday: Run 6 x 400 meters, which is one 400 more than you ran two weeks ago. Jog or walk 400 between. Don't fall into the trap of comparing your times this week with those two weeks ago. Conditions might differ, rendering comparisons meaningless.

Wednesday: Rest or do an easy run. Three miles would seem to be enough. If this workout seems boring, maybe it's because you're running the same route for all your 3-mile runs. Sometimes we do what seems convenient, but that may not always be the most fun. Feel free to explore by finding some other course in an area where you haven't run before. You don't need to measure the course. The distance does not need to be precise. Just do what seems reasonable to you.

Thursday: Add 5 minutes to your Tempo Run, doing 35 minutes. The pattern remains the same with the buildup in the middle to near 10-K pace. You can't conveniently time the fast portion of a Tempo Run, which is one of the advantages of this type of workout. You need to rely on your inner motivation to run this workout properly.

Friday: Take the day off so that you are well-rested for the weekend's double dose of training. It's not easy to fit running into a busy schedule that may include work, studies or raising a family. Ample rest time will help reduce the stress of trying to maintain all your activities.

Saturday: Five miles for today's workout. This is 2 miles further than the distance you plan to run in the 5-K race. Needless to say, you won't be able to run near your race pace. Don't worry about how fast you're running. Just get in the miles at a good pace.

Sunday: Seventy minutes for today's long run. The best way to do these long workouts is to start very slowly so that you're actually running faster at the end than at the beginning. And don't hesitate to stop 10 minutes or so into the run to do some easy stretching. Stretching works best when your muscles are already warmed up.

Stride on: Each runner has his or her optimum stride length at any given speed, depending upon leg length, muscular strength, and joint flexibility. Both understriding and overstriding are form faults.

5 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: An easy 3-miler. It shouldn't take you too long to run this far, so take time to do extra stretching. This week, I suggest that you consider doing a test 5-K, so keep that in mind as you train during the next few days. You don't necessarily need to taper for a low-key race, but you want to be reasonably well rested.

Tuesday: Back to the 200-meter distance for today's workout. Run 9 x 200, jogging or walking 200 between. If you're running on a track and the wind is blowing, make it easier on yourself. Begin on the side of the track that allows you to finish with the wind at your back. The extra push the wind offers, will allow you to finish each repetition at a fast pace, important for building confidence.

Wednesday: Rest or an easy 3-mile run. Let's talk briefly about shoes. Do you have a single pair of running shoes that you wear day after day after day after day? If so, you're probably not doing your feet or those shoes much good. If you want to consider yourself a serious runner, you probably need to own two or three pair of shoes, which allows you to alternate them from day to day. This, in turn, permits them to dry out between workouts, which will extend their life and also provide more cushioning, which is good for your legs.

Thursday: The time for today's tempo run is 35 minutes. Remember: the goal is to glide into the faster, middle portion of the run. The only way to do this is to start slowly and accelerate very, very gradually. Relax and try to focus on form. Let's talk some more about that extra pair of running shoes. If possible, go to a store that specializes in running as its main sales activity, rather than some discount store at the mall where you might pay less, but won't get as good service. A knowledgeable clerk who knows what brands and models work best for different runners can save you a lot of long-term grief.

Friday: Run easy or take an extra day of rest to prepare for the weekend, and if this opens a hole of extra time in your schedule, maybe you can use it to shop for those shoes mentioned earlier this week. Be fussy about the shoes you put on your feet. Make sure they fit well before you take them out of the store. They are going to carry you to victory in the 5-K. Consider also the possibility of a massage either before the race or after. Schedule your appointment early.

Saturday: I've programmed two rest days, because this is the week I've chosen for you to test your current level of fitness by doing a test 5-K. You can jog a little bit if you want either yesterday or today, if you feel like doing so. If the local race schedule features a 5-K on Saturday instead of Sunday, flip-flop your workouts accordingly.

Sunday: Time for a test. Race 5-K to see how your fitness is coming. I'm less concerned with how fast you run 5-K than how you feel while doing it. Test also all the systems you plan to use four weeks from now: your pre-race meals, your running shoes, your racing uniform, everything you do before, during and after the race. Don't leave anything to chance. Incidentally, there's nothing magic about the 5-K distance for this test race. If there's a race run at a different distance, do it--although I wouldn't race further than 10-K.

Adapt your muscles: Improving endurance requires muscle adaptations, claims William Fink of Ball State University. The key, says Fink, is producing more mitochondria, a subcellular organelle that makes adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy that fuels your muscles. "When someone exercises aerobically," Fink explains, "we see increased activity in a number of specific enzymes involved in the utilization of ATP. The muscle also develops more capillaries, which enhance the delivery of blood and oxygen to the muscle." When that happens, you develop an ability to run faster.

4 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: How did your race go yesterday? A little sore from the extra effort? You might want to take a day off. Schedule a massage. Getting regular massages is a good way to maintain muscle tone and prevent injuries. The best time for a massage is 24 to 48 hours after you race at about the time when muscle soreness peaks. You are now at the halfway point of the eight-week 5-K training program. Now is a good time to evaluate how you are doing, particularly after running a 5-K test run over the weekend. Is the training going well? If so, stick with what you're doing. If not, consider reevaluating your commitment and moving back to the intermediate program.

Tuesday: Interval workout on the track: 7 x 400, 400 jog between. Run these at 1500 pace. Another option for today's workout would be 3 x 800 at 5-K pace, jogging or walking 400 between, more if you feel you need added rest. The test race you did last weekend should give you a hint about the pace to run during these interval workouts.

Wednesday: Rest or an easy run of about 3 miles. Are you continuing to stretch to maintain muscle flexibility? Stretching after an easy workout often works better than before, because your muscles are warmer and a bit more limber. But some easy stretching before can help to get you moving. You don't want to overdo it, however, and stretch to the point of pain. That will hurt more than help.

Thursday: Tempo Run. Another increase of time: 40 minutes. As the total time increases, the time of each segment increases slightly too. You don't need to measure exactly when to accelerate and decelerate. Shifts in tempo should be subtle, not sudden shifts from easy to hard to easy.

Friday: Rest day to get you ready for some good workouts this weekend. Are you paying attention to good nutrition? The best diet for runners includes a mix of 55 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fats and 15 percent protein. Stay clear of fad diets that vary too much from this healthy 55/30/15 ratio.

Saturday: Five miles at a fast pace. You should run this workout a bit faster than your regular workout pace, though not so close to race pace for the 5-K that you finish exhausted. Warming up and stretching before this fast run will allow you to do it more comfortably. And don't forget to stretch afterwards too.

Sunday: Today's long run is 80 minutes. That's more running than most runners do in a single workout. If the weather is warm, consider taking some fluids during the workout. Plan your course so that you pass a water fountain, or carry fluids in a belt. Replacement fluids work better than water for long runs, not only to provide energy during the run, but to help you recover more rapidly after the run.

Variety is key: Russell H. Pate, Ph.D., director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of South Carolina, considers variety the key to any training program. Dr. Pate says: "I continue to be attracted to the concept of building on intensity as one works toward achieving a major goal in some particular competition. There is risk associated with high-intensity exercise. Experience indicates that such workouts are more demanding and stressful. Carrying on high-frequency training for prolonged periods is risky in terms of overtraining and even riskier in terms of injury."

3 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: With five weeks down and three weeks to go in your 5-K training program, you are now reaching the point where you will be making the most improvement in your fitness level. The next two weeks you will do the hardest speed workouts and hit the highest mileage as well. For this reason, don't push too hard if you choose to run 3 miles, and don't feel guilty about taking a full day off. You want to be well-rested for the rest of the week's workouts.

Tuesday: A fast interval workout: 10 x 200 meters with 200 meters between. Run these at about the pace you might run 800 meters. This is not an easy workout, but then this is not the easier novice or intermediate training schedule.

Wednesday: Run three miles today, and don't feel obligated to run it at a faster pace. The comfortable, conversational pace that you've been using for all of your "easy" days continues to work. Save some energy, so you can burn tomorrow's hard workout.

Thursday: A 40-minute tempo run. Remember that time--or even distance--is a poor measurement for the quality of this kind of workout. How hard you run depends as much on, well, how hard you run! By now, you are quite familiar with the pattern, but as a variation, consider doing what might be called a Camel Run. In other words, two humps. Reach peak pace about 20 minutes into the run, then slow the pace slightly for a minute or two, then back to peak again about 30 minutes into the run. Just a suggestion. See how you feel.

Friday: Your regular day of rest. Don't tough it out and think you might improve if you did some extra running today, meaning you run seven days a week. That's okay maybe for elite runners, but for most of us, more isn't always better.

Saturday: Six miles is the longest distance you will run on Saturdays during this 5-K training program. The day of rest you took yesterday may allow you to go somewhat faster than usual, however, don't overdo it. If you feel a 5-K or 10-K race this weekend might help your preparation, go for it.

Sunday: Your long run assignment today is 85 minutes. The general progression of these long runs has been to add 5 minutes a week. Don't be fussy and feel that you have to run that exact time. In other words, if you're 3 minutes from home when you hit 85, don't feel you suddenly have to stop. Do about the time I suggest each week. Less important than what you do in any one workout is what you have been doing for the full eight weeks.

Rebuilding: The reason for hard training is to break the body down so that it can be rebuilt stronger than before. Only when you fail to allow the body time to rebuild do you risk injury.

2 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: Only two weeks remain before your goal 5-K. This is the toughest week of your training, since next week I will ask you to begin tapering for the race. Three miles at an easy pace. If you want to take today off completely, be my guest. It is important to be well rested so that you can train hard during the remainder of the week. If you have been strength training on this and other days of the week, you might want to cut back somewhat on your workout. Lifting very heavy weights is never a good idea for a runner. In cutting back, both do less and lift less.

Tuesday: Your peak interval workout: 8 x 400 meters, 400 meters jogging or walking between. Do the fast repetitions the same as in your previous workouts featuring 400s, about 1500 pace. As you complete your eighth and final rep, visualize yourself finishing the 5-K.
Wednesday: Option day: Rest or an easy run. Unless you are feeling fatigued from yesterday's tough interval workout, consider running 3 miles at an up tempo. What do I mean by "up" tempo? I'm not exactly sure. You be the judge. You might want to do this as a mini-tempo run, starting and finishing at the same pace as Tuesday, but going a bit faster in the middle mile. Run easy, but with determination.

Thursday: Your tempo run today reaches a peak 45 minutes. Run this one hard. In the middle of the workout, while you are at maximum pace and effort, again visualize yourself running in the 5-K race. How does it feel to go this fast?

Friday: You definitely want to rest today, since Saturday and Sunday, you will do two more fairly hard workouts back to back. In building fitness, every day of this week was important. Think of them as an integrated whole.

Saturday: Six miles at a fast pace. You pick the speed. Let your body dictate exactly how fast you run. The worse thing you can do is plan to run this 6-miler at a specific pace, then try to hit it exactly on your watch. I would rather have you punch the buttons on your watch as you go, then only look at the splits after you finish. And don't worry if you go too fast or too slow. Exterior conditions (including the tough midweek workouts) can dictate how you fast you run or how good you feel in any specific workout.

Sunday: Ninety minutes for today's long run, the most you will go under this training schedule. Run conservatively for the first 75 minutes of the run, and see if you can pick it up for at least 10 of the final 15 minutes. I don't want you sprinting flat out, just going somewhat faster at the end. In the final 5 minutes of the run, cut back on the pace just like you do during a tempo run. Before you go to sleep tonight, reflect back on the week's workouts. This may have been the toughest seven days you ever have experienced as a 5-k runner. Congratulate yourself on having gotten through such a tough training program. But wait! You still have another week of running with a 5-K at the end!

Kaleidoscope: Running is like a kaleidoscope. It provides a continually shifting pattern of activities, both in training and in racing. Workouts vary from long runs to short runs to runs in between, done at fast paces and slow paces and even with walking in between. You can run on the roads, through the woods, on the beach or even on 400-meter tracks with soccer games in the infield and participants in other sports all around. You can run in races from 5-K to the marathon, or longer and shorter. This kaleidoscope of running is limited only by your own imagination and willing to experiment.

1 Week to 5-K

Monday: The final week of your eight-week training program for the 5-K begins has a drop in mileage from 3 to 2 for today. This is a "taper" week. The mileage drop is to make sure you are well rested for the race. You will rest or do an easy run on four of the seven days this week to insure you achieve peak performance. If you strength train, do very little. Don't overcompensate for the fact that you ran less by lifting more. The theme for the entire week leading up to the 5-K is rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest!

Tuesday: Today's interval workout is a cut-back off what you've been doing: 6 x 200 meters, jogging 200 meters between. Run the repetitions at 800-meter pace, as usual, but if you want to go a bit slower (1500 pace), that's okay too. By this point in your training program, all the hard work is done, and you're tapering for the race.
Wednesday: Move your tempo run up one day. Go 30 minutes. That's 15 minutes less than you did last Wednesday, but whether a tempo run is a hard workout or not depends less on how long you run and more on how you run. A good pattern for today's run would be 10 minutes easy followed by 10 more minutes of a gradual buildup to near 5-K speed--but don't hold that peak long--then gradually slow down during the final 10 minutes of your workout. You should finish feeling refreshed and ready to race this weekend. If not, you ran this run too hard.

Thursday: Rest or an easy run of whatever distance suits you at this point. And I would eliminate entirely any strength training afterwards. If you have been stretching as part of your workouts, don't overlook this. But also don't overstretch. Stretching should always be gentle, stopping well below the pain point.

Friday: Assuming your 5-K race is on Sunday, this is the first of two days complete rest. If your 5-K is on a Saturday, begin your two-day rest on Thursday.

Saturday: Another day of rest. In a race as short as a 5-K, carbo-loading is hardly necessary, but most runners like to have their pre-race pasta as part of the ritual. Before going to bed, make sure you have everything ready for race day. Lay out all your clothing--and don't forget your shoes! My race preparation routine includes pinning the number on the front of my singlet and draping it across a chairback with shorts on the seat of the chair and shoes and socks on the floor in front. It's almost like a firemen laying out his clothes, so he can jump to action. Sure, I know it's somewhat ridiculous, but it works for me.

Sunday: This is the day you've pointed toward for the last eight weeks. You're trained and tough and ready to blitz a fast 5-K. Now go and do it!

Records: You can't get where you're going unless you know where you've been. Record your training on a daily basis. In my office, I have a set of loose-leaf notebooks dating back to 1963. I record items such as the date, time, location, surface and conditions, and distance, along with my weight. I also record what I did to warm up and cool down, and any comments concerning the actual run. Various running diaries can be purchased at book stores. Or you can even record your miles on a simple calendar. After you race, you can look back on your training and figure out what you did wrong--or what you did right.

5-K Intermediate Program: How to Improve Your 5-K Times

Copyright © 2002 by Hal Higdon. All rights reserved.

IF YOU HAVE RUN A NUMBER OF RACES AT THE 5-K DISTANCE, you probably are not going to be content to merely finish your 5-K race. You'd like to finish it with grace, in style and maybe improve your time (known as setting a Personal Record, or PR). The following training schedule will take you to PR Territory. This Intermediate Program is one step up from the Novice Program, but not quite as difficult as the Advanced Program.

To set a PR, you need to improve your endurance and your speed. You can do this by (1) running more miles, (2) running faster, or (3) some combination of both. In order to achieve full benefit from this program, you probably need to have been running 3-4 days a week for the last year or two and averaging 15-20 miles weekly, It helps if you have an understanding of the concepts of speedwork.

Here is the type of training you need to do, if you want to improve your 5-K time:

Run: When the schedule says "run," that suggests that you run at an easy pace. How fast is easy? You need to define your own comfort level. Don't worry about how fast you run; just cover the distance suggested--or approximately the distance. Ideally, you should be able to run at a pace that allows you to converse with a training partner without getting too much out of breath.

Fast: For several of the Saturday runs, I suggest that you run "fast." How fast is "fast?" Again, that depends on your comfort level. Go somewhat faster than you would on a "run" day. If you are doing this workout right, you probably do not want to converse with your training partner, assuming you have one. It's okay now to get out of breath.

Long Runs: Once a week, go for a long run. Run 5 to 7 miles at a comfortable pace, not worrying about speed or distance. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you run; if not, you're going to fast. Don't be afraid to stop to walk, or stop to drink. This should be an enjoyable workout, not one during which you punish yourself.

Interval Training: To improve speed, you sometimes need to train at a pace somewhat faster than your race pace for the 5-K, about the pace you would run in a 1500 meter or mile race. Run 400 meters hard, then recover by jogging and/or walking 400 meters. Before starting this workout, warm-up by jogging a mile or two, stretching, and doing a few sprints of 100 meters. Cool down afterwards with a short jog.

Tempo Runs: This is a continuous run with an easy beginning, a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace, then ease back and cruise to the finish. A typical tempo run would begin with 5-10 minutes easy running, continue with 10-15 faster running, and finish with 5-10 minutes cooling down. You can't figure out your pace on a watch doing this workout; you need to listen to your body. Tempo runs are very useful for developing anaerobic threshold, essential for fast 5-K racing.

Rest: You can't train hard unless you are well-rested. The schedule includes two designated days for rest: Mondays and Fridays. The easy 3-mile runs scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays are also to help you rest for hard workouts on other days. The final week before the 5-K also is a rest week. Taper your training so you can be ready for a peak performance on the weekend.

Stretch & Strengthen: An important addendum to any training program is stretching. Don't overlook it--particularly on days when you plan to run fast. Strength training is important too: push-ups, pull-ups, use of free weights or working out with various machines at a Health Club. Runners generally benefit if they combine light weights with a high number of repetitions, rather than pumping very heavy iron. Tuesdays and Thursdays would be good days to combine stretching and strengthening with your easy run, however, you can schedule these workouts on any day that is convenient for your business and personal schedule. For some good routines, see: Stretch & Strengthen.

Racing: Some racing is useful in helping you to peak. Consider doing some other races at 5-K to 10-K distances to test your fitness. The following schedule includes a test 5-K race halfway through the program. You could race more frequently (once every two weeks), but too much racing is not a good idea.

The schedule below is only a guide. If you want to do long runs on Saturday rather than Sunday, simply flip-flop the days. If you have an important appointment on a day when you have a hard workout planned, do a similar flip-flop with a rest day. It's less important what you do in any one workout than what you do over the full eight weeks leading up to your 5-K.

Intermediate Training Schedule for the 5-K

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
8	Rest	3 m run	5 x 400	3 m run	Rest	3 m run	5 m run
7	Rest	3 m run	30 min tempo	3 m run	Rest	3 m fast	5 m run
6	Rest	3 m run	6 x 400	3 m run	Rest	4 m run	6 m run
5	Rest	3 m run	35 min tempo	3 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Test
4	Rest	3 m run	7 x 400	3 m run	Rest	4 m fast	6 m run
3	Rest	3 m run	40 min tempo	3 m run	Rest	5 m run	7 m run
2	Rest	3 m run	8 x 400	3 m run	Rest	5 m fast	7 m run
1	Rest	2 m run	30 min tempo	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

5-K Training Guide: Intermediate Day-by-Day

Copyright © 2002 by Hal Higdon. All rights reserved.

Hal Higdon has contributed to Runner's World for longer than any other writer, an article by Hal having appeared in that publication's second issue in 1966. Author of 34 books, including the best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, Hal also has written books on many subjects and for different age groups.

The following is a day-by-day training guide for the Intermediate 5-K runner.

8 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: In this schedule for intermediate runners, Monday is a day of rest to recover from the hard training you did over the weekend. If you don't rest frequently--and at the right times--you increase your risk of illness or injury. Take these rest days seriously; your coach does!

Tuesday: Run 3 miles today. This will be your standard workout for all but the final week of your 8-week 5-K training program. Although this seems like a "throwaway" workout, one that seemingly will do little to condition yourself, take it seriously. Take 3 to 5 minutes to do some easy stretching before you begin. Check out the Five Fantastic Stretching Exercises by physical therapist Debbie Pitchford on my Web site.

Wednesday: Today is your day for interval training, as you prepare for the 5-K. (In interval training, you first run a set distance hard, then jog or walk at an easy pace to recover. The workout gets its name because you control the "interval" between each hard run.) Interval training is best done on a track. Run 5 x 400 meters at about the pace you would run 1500 meters, or a mile. (If you run a mile in 8:00, your 400 time would be 2:00.) Jog or walk 400 meters between each fast repeat to recover. Over the next eight weeks, I plan to have you alternate between 400 meter repeats one week and tempo running the following week.

Thursday: As on Tuesdays, you will do a 3-mile run on Thursdays for all but the final week of your training program. Use this second 3-miler as a balance to the rest of your week's training. If you still feel strong after yesterday's speed workout, you run at a somewhat faster pace than you may have run on Tuesday. If you plan to do Strength Training, Tuesdays and Thursdays are good days for it--after you run.

Friday: This 5-K training program for intermediate runners features five days of running and two days of rest. Monday was the first day of rest; today is the second. You want to make certain that you are well prepared for the harder training that you will do on the weekend.

Saturday: This is the third day of the week that you are being asked to do a 3-mile run. If that seems repetitious, look at the full schedule and you'll realize that during the following weeks you will run increasingly harder workouts on this day, increasing alternately the length of your Saturday runs and the speed at which you run them. If this week's training seems easy, it is by design. The pace picks up somewhat next week.

Sunday: Today you run long. While 5 miles may not seem "long" by marathon standards, you are training for a 5-K race, not a 42.2-K race. Don't worry about how fast you run. Simply pick a scenic course and enjoy the workout.

RUN FAST: The trick to running fast, claims world cross-country champion Lynn Jennings, is to make sure you run fast in training. Just covering the mileage won't do the job. You have to teach your body to run fast!

7 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: With a 3-miler on Saturday and a 5-miler on Sunday, this past weekend's workout was probably not that hard, so you may not think you need a day of rest on Monday. Well, maybe you don't. But your coach is trying to establish a regular pattern for you to follow in this 5-K training program for intermediate runners. As we move closer to the planned 5-K, you will welcome this day of rest.

Tuesday: The Tuesday workouts will not change: 3 miles. This is one of the bookends around your speed workouts on Wednesday. Remember from my comments last week, Tuesday is a good day to do both Stretching and Strength Training. Don't dally during any segment of this workout. You should be able to complete it within the space of an hour.

Wednesday: Every other week on even-numbered weeks, you will do a tempo run. We start today with 30 minutes. In subsequent weeks, you will increase the time (and length) of your tempo run from 35 to 40 minutes, before dropping back to 30 minutes in the final week while tapering for the race. Tempo runs should be done intuitively and are best done on trails in the woods--although you can run them on the roads. Run for a half hour, building up to near 10-K pace near the middle of your workout. You won't be able to hold this pace long, so think of this workout as a gradual acceleration to a peak followed by a gradual deceleration.

Thursday: Another 3-miler. How did yesterday's speed workout feel? If you pushed hard, you may have some residual muscle soreness. This is normal, and today's relatively easy run can be used to help you partially recover. Remember: every time you run 3 miles on a Tuesday or Thursday, you are running near your 5-K (3.1-mile) race distance

Friday: Today is a day of rest after the mid-week training. It is also the beginning of your weekend "vacation" away from work or other duties. Relax this evening, but that doesn't mean hanging out in the bars until 2:00 in the morning. Your old friends may not understand why you might glance at your watch early and say you need to get up early to run tomorrow morning, but other runners know.

Saturday: Three miles, but with a twist. You'll notice that the schedule suggests "fast." How fast is "fast?" That depends on you, since you are the one who sets the tempo. Move at a pace somewhat faster than you ran during the 3-mile workouts earlier in the week. Hint: If you expect to run fast right out of the box, you probably need to warm up a bit. This suggests jogging a half mile or mile, then doing some stretching before setting out on your 3-miler. And maybe you might want to jog a bit after you're finished. This means you actually are going to be running somewhat farther than the scheduled 3 miles for today. That's part of the plan. (If you would like to use a 5-K race this weekend as your fast-3 option, you may do so.)

Sunday: Run 5 miles today for your long run. If you are used to training for marathons, that may not seem like much, but I'll remind you once again: you're training for a 5-K, not a marathon. Since this is the second 5-miler I've asked you to run in this program, if you want to run the last mile or 1.5 miles at an up tempo, be my guest. What do I mean by an "up tempo?" Not a flat-out sprint; a slight increase in speed will do nicely, thank you.

Interval training: Interval training has been proven as a way of improving running ability. It can strengthen you aerobically and anaerobically. It can strengthen your legs. It can strengthen your confidence. I've always felt that one of the greatest values of interval training is that it strengthened my ability to concentrate. It permitted me to maintain good form.

6 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: Today is a rest day after the hard work you did over the weekend. This third week of the eight-week 5-K program features a slight increase in distance and difficulty. For Wednesday's interval workout, you'll add another 400. This coming weekend, you'll be asked to run an extra mile further on Saturday and on Sunday. Small changes, admittedly, but it will get you in shape for your race.

Tuesday: Three miles run at an easy pace. If this workout seems boring, maybe it's because you're running the same route for all your 3-mile runs. Sometimes we do what seems convenient, but that may not always be the most fun. Feel free to explore by finding some other course in an area where you haven't run before. You don't need to measure the course. The distance does not need to be precise. Just do what seems reasonable to you.

Wednesday: After last Wednesday's tempo run, it's back to the track but with a slight nudge upwards. Run 6 x 400 meters, which is one 400 more than you ran two weeks ago. Jog or walk 400 between. Don't fall into the trap of comparing your times this week with those two weeks ago. Conditions might differ, rendering comparisons meaningless.

Thursday: Three miles at an easy pace. If you lift weights, today would also be a good day for a workout in the gym, maybe finishing with a swim or some pedaling on an exercise bike just to loosen up. But don't do so much cross-training that it detracts from your running.

Friday: Take the day off so that you are well-rested for the weekend's double dose of training. It's not easy to fit running into a busy schedule that may include work, studies or raising a family. Ample rest time will help reduce the stress of trying to maintain all your activities.

Saturday: Four miles for today's workout. This is a mile further than the distance you plan to run in the 5-K race. Needless to say, you won't be able to run near your race pace. Don't worry about how fast you're running. Just get in the miles.

Sunday: Six miles today is twice the distance that you will run in your 5-K. If you're looking for a difference between this 5-K schedule and some of the schedules I write for marathon runners, this is it. You actually do your long runs farther than race distance. (Few people would run 52 miles as a training run for the marathon.) But the purpose is the same: you're building endurance.

Stride on: Each runner has his or her optimum stride length at any given speed, depending upon leg length, muscular strength, and joint flexibility. Both understriding and overstriding are form faults.

5 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: Rest. Rest. Rest! Let's see: how can I best say this so you'll understand? Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest!Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Rest. Get the point?

Tuesday: Three miles run at an easy pace. Let's talk briefly about shoes. Do you have a single pair of running shoes that you wear day after day after day after day? If so, you're probably not doing your feet or those shoes much good. If you want to consider yourself a serious runner, you probably need to own two or three pair of shoes, which allows you to alternate them from day to day. This, in turn, permits them to dry out between workouts, which will extend their life and also provide more cushioning, which is good for your legs.

Wednesday: The time for today's tempo run is 35 minutes, a bump of 5 minutes from two weeks ago. Remember: the goal is to glide into the faster, middle portion of the run. The only way to do this is to start slowly and accelerate very, very gradually. At peak speed, you should feel the wind is at your back pushing you (even if you're running into the wind). Relax and try to focus on form.

Thursday: Three miles run at an easy pace. Let's talk some more about that extra pair of running shoes. If possible, go to a store that specializes in running as its main sales activity, rather than some discount store at the mall where you might pay less, but won't get as good service. A knowledgeable clerk who knows what brands and models work best for different runners can save you a lot of long-term grief.

Friday: A day of rest to prepare for the weekend, and if this opens a hole of extra time in your schedule, maybe you can use it to shop for those shoes mentioned earlier this week. Be fussy about the shoes you put on your feet. Make sure they fit well before you take them out of the store. They are going to carry you to victory in the 5-K. Consider also the possibility of a massage either before the race or after. Schedule your appointment early.

Saturday: I've programmed this as an extra day of rest, because this is the week I've chosen for you to test your current level of fitness by doing a test 5-K. You can jog a little bit if you want either yesterday or today, if you feel like doing so. If the local race schedule features a 5-K on Saturday instead of Sunday, flip-flop your workouts accordingly. Or, if there's a 5-K another week, juggle the weeks. Less important that what you do on any one day or during any one week is the overall pattern of your training. Consistency always bears rewards.

Sunday: Time for a test. Race 5-K to see how your fitness is coming. I'm less concerned with how fast you run the 5-K than how you feel while doing it. Test also all the systems you plan to use four weeks from now: your pre-race meals, your running shoes, your racing uniform, everything you do before, during and after the race. Don't leave anything to chance.

Adapt your muscles: Improving endurance requires muscle adaptations, claims William Fink of Ball State University. The key, says Fink, is producing more mitochondria, a subcellular organelle that makes adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy that fuels your muscles. "When someone exercises aerobically," Fink explains, "we see increased activity in a number of specific enzymes involved in the utilization of ATP. The muscle also develops more capillaries, which enhance the delivery of blood and oxygen to the muscle." When that happens, you develop an ability to run faster.

4 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: You are now at the halfway point of the eight-week 5-K training program. Now is a good time to evaluate how you are doing, particularly after running a 5-K test run over the weekend. Is the training going well? If so, stick with what you're doing. If not, consider reevaluating your commitment and moving back to the novice program.

Tuesday: Three miles run at an easy pace. Are you still sore from the extra effort put into the 5-K over the weekend? Consider a post-race massage. The best time for a massage is 24 to 48 hours after you race at about the time when muscle soreness peaks. Getting regular massages is a good way to maintain muscle tone and prevent injuries.

Wednesday: Interval workout on the track: 7 x 400, 400 jog between. Run these at 1500 pace. Another option for today's workout would be 3 x 800 at 5-K pace, jogging or walking 400 between, more if you feel you need added rest. The test run you did last weekend should give you a hint about the pace to run during these interval workouts.

Thursday: Another three-miler. Are you continuing to stretch to maintain muscle flexibility? Stretching after an easy workout often works better than before, because your muscles are warmer and a bit more limber. But some easy stretching before can help to get you moving. You don't want to overdo it, however, and stretch to the point of pain. That will hurt more than help.

Friday: Rest day to get you ready for some good workouts this weekend. Are you paying attention to good nutrition? The best diet for runners includes a mix of 55 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fats and 15 percent protein. Stay clear of fad diets that vary too much from this healthy 55/30/15 ratio.

Saturday: Four miles at a fast pace. You should run this workout a bit faster than your regular workout pace, though not so close to race pace for the 5-K that you finish exhausted. Warming up and stretching before this fast run will allow you to do it more comfortably. And don't forget to stretch afterwards too.

Sunday: Six miles today for your long run. That's the equivalent of a 10-K. Don't feel that you have to push the pace too hard. Just cover the distance. If the weather is warm, consider taking some fluids during the workout. Plan your course so that you pass a water fountain, or carry fluids in a belt. Replacement fluids work better than water for long runs, not only to provide energy during the run, but to help you recover more rapidly after the run.

Variety is key: Russell H. Pate, Ph.D., director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of South Carolina, considers variety the key to any training program. Dr. Pate says: "I continue to be attracted to the concept of building on intensity as one works toward achieving a major goal in some particular competition. There is risk associated with high-intensity exercise. Experience indicates that such workouts are more demanding and stressful. Carrying on high-frequency training for prolonged periods is risky in terms of overtraining and even riskier in terms of injury."

3 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: With five weeks down and three weeks to go in your 5-K training program, you are now reaching the point where you will be making the most improvement in your fitness level. This week you will do your longest tempo run and hit high weekend mileages as well. For this reason, today's rest day is very important. You want to be well-rested for the rest of the week's workouts.

Tuesday: Run three miles today, and don't feel obligated to run it at a faster pace. The comfortable, conversational pace that you've been using for all of your "easy" days continues to work. Save some energy, so you can burn tomorrow's hard workout.

Wednesday: A 40-minute tempo run, the longest in terms of time. But time--or even distance--is a poor measurement for the quality of this kind of workout. How hard you run depends as much on, well, how hard you run! By now, you are quite familiar with the pattern, but as a variation, consider doing what might be called a Camel Run. In other words, two humps. Reach peak pace about 20 minutes into the run, then slow the pace slightly for a minute or two, then back to peak again about 30 minutes into the run. Just a suggestion. See how you feel.

Thursday: After yesterday's hard workout, you may not be inclined to run today's 3-miler too fast. So don't! I consider the Thursday workouts as flexible ones, runs you can do at whatever pace seems comfortable based on how you feel. An easy jog will do, but if you're feeling good, don't be afraid to pick up the pace at the end. You have tomorrow to rest for the weekend workouts.

Friday: Your regular day of rest. Don't tough it out and think you might improve if you did some extra running today, meaning you run six or seven days a week. That's okay maybe for elite or semi-elite runners, but it says "intermediate" at the top of this training schedule. More isn't always better.

Saturday: Five miles is the longest distance you will run on Saturdays during this 5-K training program. But the directions for today say "run," whereas the directions for next week say "fast." This is a hint that you should just be running today's workout at a comfortable pace.

Sunday: Seven miles is also the longest you will run on Sundays during this 5-K training program. Keep the pace easy. The combined mileage (5 + 7 = 12) for both days is the key to building race fitness. This is much farther than you will run in the 5-K race, but the endurance you develop will also improve your speed. Less important than what you do in any one workout is what you have been doing for the full eight weeks.

Rebuilding: The reason for hard training is to break the body down so that it can be rebuilt stronger than before. Only when you fail to allow the body time to rebuild do you risk injury.

2 Weeks to 5-K

Monday: Only two weeks remain before your goal 5-K. This is the toughest week of your training, since next week I will ask you to begin tapering for the race. Thus, it is important to rest today so that you can train hard during the remainder of the week.

Tuesday: Three miles for today's workout. If you have been strength training on this and other days of the week, you might want to cut back somewhat on your workout. Lifting very heavy weights is never a good idea for a runner. In cutting back, both do less and lift less. But keep up the pace for today's 3-miler. Run easy, but with determination.
Wednesday: Your peak interval workout: 8 x 400 meters, 400 meters jogging or walking between. Do the fast repetitions the same as in your previous workouts featuring 400s, about 1500 pace. As you complete your eighth and final rep, visualize yourself finishing the 5-K.

Thursday: Three miles. Unless you are feeling fatigued from yesterday's tough interval workout, consider running today's 3-miler at an up tempo. What do I mean by "up" tempo? I'm not exactly sure. You be the judge. You might want to do this as a mini-tempo run, starting and finishing at the same pace as Tuesday, but going a bit faster in the middle mile.

Friday: This is the tasty part of the Oreo cookie. If you were able to follow my advice above, you ran two fairly hard workouts back-to-back. Now you rest. Saturday and Sunday, you will do two more fairly hard workouts back to back. In building fitness, these five days are key. Think of them as a whole.

Saturday: Five miles is what you ran last Saturday as well--but at an easy pace. Today, I want you to go the same distance at a "fast" pace. You pick the speed. Let your body dictate exactly how fast you run. The worse thing you can do is plan to run this 5-miler at a specific pace, then try to hit it exactly on your watch. I would rather have you punch the buttons on your watch as you go, then only look at the splits after you finish. And don't worry if you go too fast or too slow. Exterior conditions (including the tough midweek workouts) can dictate how you fast you run or how good you feel in any specific workout.

Sunday: A lucky 7 miles for your final long run leading up to the 5-K next week. If you ran hard yesterday, you probably will experience some extra fatigue. Don't fight it. Don't push. Run at a gentle pace. It's how far you go today that counts, not how fast. Before you go to sleep tonight, reflect back on the week's workouts. This may have been the toughest seven days you ever have experienced as a 5-k runner. Congratulate yourself on having gotten through such a tough training program. But wait! You still have another week of running with a 5-K at the end!

Kaleidoscope: Running is like a kaleidoscope. It provides a continually shifting pattern of activities, both in training and in racing. Workouts vary from long runs to short runs to runs in between, done at fast paces and slow paces and even with walking in between. You can run on the roads, through the woods, on the beach or even on 400-meter tracks with soccer games in the infield and participants in other sports all around. You can run in races from 5-K to the marathon, or longer and shorter. This kaleidoscope of running is limited only by your own imagination and willing to experiment.

1 Week to 5-K

Monday: The final week of your eight-week training program for the 5-K begins the way each of the previous seven weeks began: rest! This is a "taper" week. The mileage drops to make sure you are well rested for the race. You will rest on three of the seven days this week to insure you achieve peak performance.

Tuesday: Two instead of three miles for today's workout. If you strength train, do very little. Don't overcompensate for the fact that you ran less by lifting more. The theme for the entire week leading up to the 5-K is rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest!
Wednesday: Today's tempo run is 30 minutes, a slight drop from the 40-minute tempo run you did two weeks ago, but whether a tempo run is a hard workout or not depends less on how long you run and more on how you run. A good pattern for today's run would be 10 minutes easy followed by 10 more minutes of a gradual buildup to near 5-K speed--but don't hold that peak long--then gradually slow down during the final 10 minutes of your workout. You should finish feeling refreshed and ready to race this weekend. If not, you ran this run too hard.

Thursday: As with Tuesday, two instead of three miles for today's easy run. And I would eliminate entirely any strength training afterwards. If you have been stretching as part of your Tuesday/Thursday workouts, don't overlook this. But also don't overstretch. Stretching should always be gentle, stopping well below the pain point.

Friday: Assuming your 5-K race is on Sunday, this is the first of two days complete rest. If your 5-K is on a Saturday, begin your two-day rest on Thursday.

Saturday: Another day of rest. In a race as short as a 5-K, carbo-loading is hardly necessary, but most runners like to have their pre-race pasta as part of the ritual. Before going to bed, make sure you have everything ready for race day. Lay out all your clothing--and don't forget your shoes! My race preparation routine includes pinning the number on the front of my singlet and draping it across a chairback with shorts on the seat of the chair and shoes and socks on the floor in front. It's almost like a firemen laying out his clothes, so he can jump to action. Sure, I know it's somewhat ridiculous, but it works for me.

Sunday: This is the day you've pointed toward for the last eight weeks. You're trained and tough and ready to blitz a fast 5-K. Now go and do it!

Records: You can't get where you're going unless you know where you've been. Record your training on a daily basis. In my office, I have a set of loose-leaf notebooks dating back to 1963. I record items such as the date, time, location, surface and conditions, and distance, along with my weight. I also record what I did to warm up and cool down, and any comments concerning the actual run. Various running diaries can be purchased at book stores. Or you can even record your miles on a simple calendar. After you race, you can look back on your training and figure out what you did wrong--or what you did right.