This 5K Training Program Will Help You Set a Personal Best In Just 5 Weeks

Regardless of the race distance, showing up to the start line without much, if any, physical or mental preparation is a surefire way to increase your risk of injury. This is the case even if you’re competing in a race as short as a 5K.

One simple way to get your body and mind ready for the challenge? Follow this 5K training program, created by Precision Run founder David Siik. 

At just five weeks long, the training program is shorter than the traditional plans you might find online, says Siik. But with so many recovery tools, nutrition resources, and cross-training classes available in the Club and through the EQX+ app, runners are able to squeeze every ounce out of their training — and that means prepping for two months just isn’t necessary. 

The program duration also hits the sweet spot for first-timers and experienced runners alike, says Siik. It’s an accessible timeline for newbies, and it still offers them the space to slowly ramp up their training and progress in distance, so long as they’ve been running on their own for some time. It’s long enough that more advanced athletes will be able to shave a few minutes off their finish time, but it’s not too much of a time commitment that other, larger training goals need to be pushed to the back burner.  

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Though it can be completed at any time, the 5K training program is ideal for the end-of-summer season, when those smaller seasonal goals set back in June are being wrapped up but the lofty New Year goals are still on the distant horizon. If there’s a lull in your routine, finishing a 5K is the perfect achievement to strive toward. “You can take the pressure off — it doesn't have to be about running your first 5K or fastest one,” says Siik, “but rather, here's the perfect end-of-summer challenge to keep yourself motivated.”

Use this challenge as an opportunity to explore the EQX+ offerings, too. Each of the daily workouts is available in the app. Once you complete your daily to-do, spend a few moments scrolling through the Headstrong meditation, stretch session, and article offerings that could round out your training experience, says Siik. There’s more to your membership than just in-Club services. 

After you commit to your 5K — whether it be a real race or a solo competition on the treadmill — follow along with this five-week training program. First, tap the star button in the top right corner to favorite the article and easily return to it each day. Then, use it as a blueprint, adding on recovery sessions or swapping workouts with similar ones from your favorites list. For a personalized regimen, chat with a Coach at the Club.