If you want to get faster, you have to run faster. But pushing yourself to that extra level can be difficult and is much easier if you have a guide to follow. Below are some of my favorite running workouts for speed that will make you a faster runner. You will notice that many are based on your goal 5k race pace. An important number to know when looking to build speed for running’s golden distance.
How to find your 5k Pace?
To find this, just just take your goal 5k time and divide it by 3.1, then multiple any numbers after decimal by 60 to get your time. So if your goal time is 24 minute. 24/3.1=7.74, then 0.74*60 is 44.4. This means your goal 5k pace would be 7.44 miles an hour.
Running Workouts for Speed
The 5k Pace Pyramid
- 1 Mile Warm Up
- 1 Minute Goal 5k Pace then 1 Minute Easy Pace
- 2 Minute Goal 5k Pace then 2 Minute Easy Pace
- 3 Minute Goal 5k Pace then 3 Minute Easy Pace
- 4 Minute Goal 5k Pace then 4 Minute Easy Pace
- 3 Minute Goal 5k Pace then 3 Minute Easy Pace
- 2 Minute Goal 5k Pace – 2 Minute Easy Pace
- 1 Minute Goal 5k Pace – 1 Minute Easy Pace
- 1 Mile Cool Down
HIIT the Block
- 1 Mile Warm Up
- Block 1
30 Seconds All Out / 30 Seconds Recovery
45 Seconds All Out / 45 Seconds Recovery
1 Minute All Out - 4 Minutes Recover
- Block 2
45 Seconds All Out / 45 Seconds Rest
60 Seconds All Out / 60 Seconds Rest
75 Seconds All Out - 4 Minutes Rest
- Block 3
60 Seconds All Out / 60 Seconds Rest
75 Seconds All Out / 75 Seconds Rest
90 Seconds All Out - 1 Mile Cool Down
5k Race Pace Repeats
- 1 Mile Warm Up
- 4 x 1 Mile at 5k Race Pace
- 4 Minutes Recover Walk/Jog In Between Each Set
- 1 Mile Cool Down
Pace Day Speed Ladder
- Warm Up – 10 Minutes
- 10 Minutes at Half Marathon Race Pace
- 10 Minutes at 10k Race Pace
- 10 Minutes at 5k Race Pace
- Cool Down – 10 Minutes
Speed Play X 8
- 10 Minute Warm Up
- 8 Rounds of
45 Second Push Pace (just below an all out)
3 Minutes Jog - 10 Minute Cool Down
You can find more great running workouts here!
