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And here we are at the end! Okay, well technically not the VERY end, but you’ll be seeing that soonly, as you cross that 5k finish line, and that’s going to feel SO SO awesome. First things first. We’ve got one more week of training to go until then.
So let’s first look at workout #3 of this week. It’s the last of the hard training days. Ideally, you want that one to fall 3 days before your 5k event. For us, since we’re doing Thanksgiving Day 5ks, that means we want to make workout #3 fall on Monday before Thanksgiving. Tuesday then becomes your rest day, and Wednesday will be workout #4, which is just a recovery walk, no running. We’re doing this to give your body enough recovery time between the last of the training workouts and the event. We want your legs fresh and ready Thanksgiving morning!
Workout #2 of this week is your 5k test. You’ll finally be timing yourself to see how long it takes you to finish a 5k, and that’s the time you’ll try to beat during the real event. Hopefully, you can do this workout on the same course as your event. If not, map out any 5k route, but try to find something with a similar hill profile. This one should be done on Saturday before Thanksgiving. Sunday is another rest day.
And, of course, workout #1 should be done on Thursday a week before Thanksgiving. There are lots of fast and slow jogs interspersed in this plan. Make sure you really push yourselves on those fast jogs!
Best of luck, gang!!! I’ll be rooting for you and thinking about y’all as I’m doing my own Turkey Day 5k with my family!
5K Training Plan – Week 8
| Workout | Duration | What are we doing? |
| 1 | 40 minutes (30 mins jogging) | Do a 5 minute warm-up; like this one. Briskly walk for 2 minutes. Next, do 3 intervals of FAST jogging for 10 minutes (as fast as you can manage for 10 minutes) and walking 2 minutes. Finish with a 2 minute cooldown walk. |
| 2 | 5k distance
| Do a 5 minute warm-up, then walk for 2 minutes. Next, run your 5k race route if possible, otherwise any 5k route. Go as hard as you can manage, and make sure to time yourself. Your goal will be to beat today’s time at your 5k event! |
| 3 | 50 minutes (26 mins jogging) | Do a 5 minute warm-up, then jog easy for 10 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Next, do 4 intervals of FAST jogging 30 seconds and SLOW jogging 60 seconds. Walk 2 minutes. Next do 4 intervals of FAST jogging 1 minute and SlOW JOGGING 2 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Next jog at a comfortable pace for 10 minutes. Finish with a cooldown walk. |
| 4 | 45 minutes (no jogging) | Do a 5 minute warm-up, then briskly walk for 25 minutes. |
Good morning! Well I am re-entering fitness after a long hiatus and love your site!!! Very motivating. Is there a way for me to access the 5k program from week one?
So fantastic that you’re motivated to get back into fitness!
You can find the entire 5k program, starting from Week 1, here: http://www.thefitrv.com/5k-challenge/
it would be interesting to get your input on what to look for in a good pair of running shoes and also show what they look like when it’s time to turn them in and buy a new pair. I typically average about 4 months of use for walking shoes since getting a dog that needs to be walked every day.
Yes, dogs have that affect on shoes, lol. Great topic, Ted, glad you brought this up. Four months sounds like a good time to change out your walking shoes and is pretty much on par for the advice I give other walkers who are out on a regular basis. Watching tread wear is one way to know when it’s time, but that can sometimes be deceiving, too. And of course if you ever notice any strange new aches or pains pop up, the first suspect should always be your shoes. I usually recommend buying your athletic shoes from a dedicated running store, even if you’re a walker. Sales folks at running stores go through training to understand gait patterns, pronation, arch issues, etc…all those things that affect one’s stride. It can be a great resource to learn about your own foot patterns, and educate yourself on the style of shoe that’s best for your specific needs. Hope this helps! Also good for you for getting your puppy out there and exercised each day! He needs it as much as you do! xoxo