Run it around your neighborhood, or get the same workout on a treadmill with incline cues.
Follow the set distance, or switch to time (in minutes) if you can't measure miles.
Warm-up
- Easy jogfirst mile is the warm-up
Start slow and let your heart rate climb gradually. This is not training pace — it's just opening the body up.
- Dynamic drills~5 min
Leg swings (front/back & side), walking lunges, high knees, butt kicks, A-skips. 10–15 m of each.
💡 Dynamic (moving) stretches before running; save static holds for the cooldown.
Main set
- Long run8.5 mi long-run effort
Relaxed & steady — conversational; you could chat in full sentences.
Relaxed and steady. This is the cornerstone of 5K endurance — it's what lets you hold your goal effort without fading.
Outside: run a route you enjoy and let the terrain flow — ease off uphill, roll downhill, and keep the effort steady rather than the pace.
💡 If you feel good, let the last 1–2 mi drift to a comfortably brisk 'steady' effort — practise running strong on tired legs.
Fuel & hydrate
- DuringRuns > 75 min
Sip water and consider a few carbs (gel/chews) on the longest runs.
💡 Practise race-day fueling here, never on race day for the first time.
Cool-down & stretch
- Easy jog / walk5–10 min
Bring the heart rate down gradually before you stop.
- Calf stretch30 s × each
Hands on wall, back leg straight, heel down. Then bend the knee slightly to hit the lower calf (soleus).
- Standing hamstring30 s × each
Heel on a low step, hips back, flat back, hinge forward until you feel the stretch.
- Hip flexor lunge30 s × each
Half-kneeling, tuck the pelvis and press hips forward. Huge for runners who sit all day.
- Quad stretch30 s × each
Standing, pull heel to glute, knees together, stand tall.
- Figure-4 glute / piriformis30 s × each
Seated or lying, ankle over opposite knee, gently pull the thigh in.
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