Free plan

Sub-25 5K in 8 weeks: free training plan

A straightforward 4-day plan for runners who are close: a current 5K of roughly 26 to 28 minutes and a goal of breaking 25:00 (5:00 per km, 8:03 per mile).

Before you start

You can run 30 minutes without stopping.
You've been running at least 3 times a week for the past month or two.
You're healthy and not carrying a niggle. (Running through pain is the fastest way to miss your race.)

Your paces

These are set for a runner currently around 26:30. If your current 5K is different, put it into the training pace calculator and use your own numbers.

Easy6:41–7:20per km · 10:45–11:49/mi

Tempo5:34–5:41per km · 8:58–9:08/mi

Interval5:08per km · 8:16/mi

Goal pace5:00per km · 8:03/mi

The weekly pattern

Mon: rest
Tue: speed session
Wed: 30–40 min easy, or 20–30 min strength and mobility
Thu: tempo or steady session
Fri: rest
Sat: optional 20–30 min very easy, or rest
Sun: long easy run

Every speed or tempo session starts with 10–15 minutes of easy running plus a few strides, and ends with 5–10 minutes of easy jogging. Easy runs are at 6:41–7:20/km (10:45–11:49/mi): you should be able to talk in full sentences.

The 8-week schedule

Week	Tue: speed	Thu: tempo/steady	Sun: long run	Notes
Week 1: settle in	5 × 2 min at interval pace, 2 min easy jog	15 min easy + 4 × 20 s strides	35 min easy	Base week. Everything should feel controlled.
Week 2: build	6 × 2 min at interval pace, 2 min jog	3 × 6 min at tempo pace, 2 min jog	40 min easy	Tempo should feel "comfortably hard", never all-out.
Week 3: build	5 × 3 min at interval pace, 2 min jog	20 min continuous tempo	45 min easy	Longest week so far. Sleep and eat well.
Week 4: lighter week	4 × 2 min at interval pace, 2 min jog	25 min easy + 6 strides	35 min easy	Cutback week (about 20% less) to absorb training. Optional: 5K time trial instead of Tuesday if you feel fresh.
Week 5: race-pace focus	5 × 1 km at goal pace 5:00/km, 90 s jog	2 × 10 min at tempo pace, 3 min jog	50 min easy	First real taste of 25:00 pace.
Week 6: peak	6 × 800 m at interval pace, 2 min jog	22 min continuous tempo	50 min easy	Hardest week. If you're run-down, drop one rep, not a whole session.
Week 7: sharpen	3 × 1.6 km (1 mile) at goal pace, 2 min jog	15 min tempo + 4 × 200 m relaxed and quick	40 min easy	Volume drops; quality stays.
Week 8: race week	Mon/Tue: 4 × 400 m at goal pace, full recovery	Thu: 20 min easy + 4 strides	Race day: 5K at 5:00/km	Rest Fri. Easy jog or rest Sat. See race-week tips.

Race day

Warm up for 10–15 minutes with a few strides. Start at 5:00–5:05 per km, not faster, even if the crowd goes off quickly. Check your watch at 1 km: if it says 4:45, slow down. Hold steady through 3 km, which is where the race is won, then push from 4 km. Checkpoints for 24:50 are on the sub-25 pace chart.

Health note: this is general training information, not medical advice. If you're new to exercise, returning from injury, pregnant, or have a heart, lung or other medical condition, check with a doctor or qualified professional before you start a plan or hard workouts. Stop and get help if you feel chest pain, faintness or unusual shortness of breath.

FAQ

Who is this plan for?

Runners who can already run 30 minutes continuously, have a recent 5K around 26–28 minutes, and can train 4 days a week. If you're slower than about 28:30, try the Sub-30 plan first, or give this plan 12 weeks instead of 8.

What if I miss a session?

Skip it and carry on. Don't squeeze two hard sessions into consecutive days. One missed workout changes almost nothing; a training injury can cost weeks.

Do I need a track?

No. Timed intervals (minutes) work anywhere. For the kilometre and 800 m repeats, a GPS watch or a measured loop is fine.

What if goal pace feels too hard in week 5?

That's useful information. Run the reps at whatever you can hold evenly, and consider aiming for 25:30–26:00 this time. The next block will get you the rest of the way.