Free 5k training plan.
Free parkrun training plan.
Run. Sometimes hard. Rest. Repeat.
Boost your fitness, improve your 5k or Parkrun time, and learn how to train smart, run fast, and be strong.
A structured, periodized, scientific, and educational running training plan.
For 5k runners and parkrun newbies, and fun runners.
Informed by experimental and empirical evidence.
Designed by me, Thomas Solomon PhD.
|
IMPORTANT: If you have never exercised before, this training may not appropriate for you. By voluntarily opting to complete the fitness tests and use the free sessions, you do so at your own risk and you are confirming that for the last 3-months you have engaged in at least 30-minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on at least 3-days per week, and that you are medically-cleared to participate in structured exercise. If there are any reasons that increasing your activity levels may impose a health risk (existing injury, illness, or cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal disease), you should consult your GP before joining this training. If you incur any illness or injury you must stop exercising and consult your GP immediately.
FITNESS TESTS:
Before joining this free weekly training for the first time, complete the following time-trial fitness test. The result will help ensure you are working at the correct absolute intensity during your running sessions and will, therefore, help maximise your performance gains. "Fitness test" weeks recur during the training cycle to see how things are improving and to re-calibrate your absolute training intensities. If you are re-joining the training after a break (due to illness, injury, or apathy), please repeat the time trial.
Start with Run Warm-up (see suggestion here), then:
Race 3 kilometres as fast as you can — e.g. either run 7.5 laps of a 400 metre running track, or find a flat & uninterrupted route using Mapmyrun, or set-up a 3 km distance function on your GPS watch.
Compare your finish time against the pacing table (see chart here) to see what your training paces should be.
Finish with 5-mins of EASY running followed by Cool-down exercises (see suggestion here).
NOTE: all Warm-up and Cool-down exercises are described in a section further down this page.
Once you have completed the time-trial fitness test, you are ready to rock!