Running an under 30 minute 5k is a great goal to keep runners active and motivated to keep improving their running fitness and times. Today I want to share my top workouts to help you achieve this 5k goal in under 30 minutes.
To be able to run a 5k in 30 minutes or less, you will need to maintain a pace of 9:40 minutes per mile or 6:00 minutes per kilometer.
Weekly Mileage
Even though running a 5k can feel like a sprint, it’s important to remember that it’s also an endurance event where your aerobic system does most of the job. Even a mile is considered an endurance event.
That’s why it’s crucial to have a strong weekly mileage base to run a fast 5k in under 30 minutes.
You should shoot for at least 20 miles a week of easy running before thinking of adding some speed workouts. At this point, your pace doesn’t matter. The goal is to run at least 20 miles.
Adding Speed Sessions to Your 5k Training Program
Once you run at least 20 miles, the more you run, the better. You can start adding 1-speed session a week.
When you can hit the prescribed paces for one of the following workouts, you can add a second speed session during your week.
Stay at that point, doing 2 speed sessions a week, with at least 20 weekly miles, for four weeks, and then try to run your Under-30-Minute 5k.
Under 30 Minute 5k Speed Workouts
Ok, now let’s talk about four different speed workouts you can do to achieve your goal of running a 5k in 30 minutes or less.
Before each workout, I recommend doing a 10-15-minute warm-up.
Workout #1
Run 10x one minute. One minute rest jogging.
Pace: 8:10 per mile or 5:00 per kilometer
Workout #2
Run 4x one kilometer. Three minutes rest jogging.
Pace: 8:45 per mile or 5:30 per kilometer
Workout #3
Run 2x 1 mile. Two minutes rest jogging.
Pace: 9:40 per mile or 6:00 per kilometer
Workout #4
Run 3x one kilometer. Two minutes rest jogging.
Pace: 8:45 per mile or 5:30 per kilometer
Conclusions 5k Under 30 Minutes
After four weeks of doing two speed sessions per week and achieving the prescribed paces above, I’m confident you will be able to run an Under 30 Minute 5k
If you can’t run as fast as the workouts, your running fitness may not be there yet. In that case, I recommend you do workout #1 with the number of repetitions you can maintain the pace. The following week try to do one more repetition, and eventually, you will get to 10. It may be just one at first, but you will achieve your 5k goal with patience and consistency.
Finally, getting a running coach may be the fastest way to achieve your goals.
