Sample plan

5K training plan for 22:00

Lucía runs four days and wants 22 minutes.

Lucía is 28 and has run for five years: four days a week, around 30 km, and a 23:30 5K last month. Ten weeks to take ninety seconds off it.

Built by Tuin on 9 September 2026
Shown from this week, so it reads like a plan starting today — every weekday, distance and session is exactly as it was written.

The runner is made up. The plan is not: it is exactly what Tuin built from these numbers, through the same door every athlete's first plan goes through. It was written in Spanish — the other two languages are translated word for word, never renumbered, and strength exercises are named from a standard glossary so they read the same everywhere.

Why this plan looks like this

Ninety seconds is the largest jump on this page relative to the distance, and Lucía's eight weeks explain why it is available: thirty kilometres over four days is more base than a five-kilometre race needs, and none of it has ever been fast. The plan does not add running. It turns two of the four days she already runs into work she has not done before, and leaves the other two exactly as they are so that she can.

What the coach was told

Goal
Autumn 5K
Race day
20 December 2026
Distance
5 km
Target
22:00
Runs per week
4
Weekly volume
~30 km
Longest run
14 km
Recent effort
5 km · 23:30
Threshold pace
4:42/km

The eight weeks before

Weekly kilometres the coach read before writing a single session — the runs it built on.

28
31
31
31
22
32
32
32

What the coach said, handing it over

Here's your first plan, starting tomorrow Thursday and running through the race on December 20 (10 weeks).

From your 23:30 in 5K (September 19) and your current easy runs, your threshold pace is around 4:55-5:05/km and your current 5K pace is around 4:35-4:49/km — all your interval paces come from there. Since you asked to break 22:00 (4:24/km), I'm adding a final block with intervals at that target pace so you can feel it before race day.

Assumptions I'm making — let me know if anything doesn't line up: - One quality day per week (Tuesday), with long run on Sunday (like you've been doing) and easy runs Thursday and Saturday — matches your usual 4 days. - Strength on Friday (your plan asks for 1×/week): it's your only rest day from running that doesn't fall right before the long run. - Every 4th week I'm dropping volume (weeks of Nov 2 and Nov 30) so fatigue doesn't build up — that's what your conservative mode setting calls for. - The long run doesn't go over 14 km: for a 5K you don't need more, and this leaves room for the intervals. - Race week: short intervals Tuesday (sharpener, not a hard effort), short easy run Thursday, short activation intervals Saturday, and race Sunday.

If your actual volume is different from 26-30 km/week or you want more than one quality day, let me know and I'll adjust it.

The plan, week by week

Sixteen weeks is a lot to scroll. Every week is folded — open the ones you want, and week one is open already.

10 weeks · Peak week 7 · 35 km planned

Week 1from 12 Oct4 sessions25 km planned

Back to it, partial week

  • Thu 15
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run to start the block, all conversational.
  • Fri 16
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 15 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 per side · bodyweight
  • Sat 17
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 18
    Long · 12 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 65–80 min
    Long easy run, don't watch the pace clock.
Week 2from 19 Oct5 sessions26 km planned

Base with first touch of threshold

  • Tue 20
    Tempo run · 8 km · 40–50 min
    20' continuous tempo at threshold pace, 'comfortably hard' feeling.
  • Thu 22
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 23
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 15 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 per side · bodyweight
  • Sat 24
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 25
    Long · 13 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 70–85 min
    Long run, slight increase from last week.
Week 3from 26 Oct5 sessions26 km planned

Threshold repeats

  • Tue 27
    Cruise intervals · 3 × 1.6 km · 45–60 min
    3x1.6km at threshold pace with 1' jog between reps.
  • Thu 29
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 30
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 15 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 per side · bodyweight
  • Sat 31
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 1
    Long · 13 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 70–85 min
    Long run.
Week 4from 2 Nov5 sessions23 km planned

Recovery week

  • Tue 3
    Fartlek · 5 × (2 min / 2 min) · 35–45 min
    Easy fartlek, recovery week to back off volume and absorb.
  • Thu 5
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run, short.
  • Fri 6
    Strength
    Back squat 2 × 5 · moderate-heavy · Bulgarian split squat 2 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 2 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 10 per side · bodyweight
  • Sat 7
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 8
    Long · 11 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 60–75 min
    Shorter long run, recovery week.
Week 5from 9 Nov5 sessions27 km planned

Back to pushing, first touch of 5K pace

  • Tue 10
    On/offs · 8 × (1 min / 1 min) · 35–45 min
    8x1' at current 5K pace with 1' floating easy.
  • Thu 12
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 13
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 15 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 per side · bodyweight
  • Sat 14
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 15
    Long · 14 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 75–95 min
    Long run, your longest of the block.
Week 6from 16 Nov5 sessions27 km planned

Descending ladder

  • Tue 17
    Tempo ladder · 9 km · 40–55 min
    Descending ladder: 2km at threshold, 1.5km at 10K pace, 1km at 5K pace, with recovery jogs getting shorter each time.
  • Thu 19
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 20
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 15 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 per side · bodyweight
  • Sat 21
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 22
    Long · 14 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 75–95 min
    Long run.
Week 7from 23 Nov5 sessions35 km planned

Progressive towards race pace

  • Tue 24
    Progressive run · 8 km · 35–50 min
    Progressive: easy→threshold→5K pace on the final stretch.
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 27
    Strength
  • Sat 28
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 29
    Long · 13 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 70–85 min
    Long run.
Week 8from 30 Nov5 sessions33 km planned

Cutback week

  • Tue 1
    Cruise intervals · 4 × 1.6 km · 50–60 min
    3x1.6km at threshold pace, reduced volume.
  • Thu 3
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run, short.
  • Fri 4
    Strength
  • Sat 5
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 6
    Long · 11 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 60–75 min
    Shorter long run, cutback week.
Week 9from 7 Dec5 sessions30 km planned

Target pace and start of taper

  • Tue 8
    On/offs · 10 × (1 min / 1 min) · 40–55 min
    5x1000m at your race pace (22:00), 2' jog recovery.
  • Thu 10
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 11
    Strength
  • Sat 12
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 13
    Long · 10 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 55–65 min
    Short long run, entering taper now.
Week 10from 14 Dec4 sessions10 km planned

Race week

  • Tue 15
    On/offs · 4 × (1 min / 1 min) · 30–40 min
    Short sharpener at 5K pace: keeps the spark without fatigue, you should finish wanting to do more.
  • Thu 17
    Easy · 5 km @ 5:45-6:00/km · 25–35 min
    Short easy run, fresh legs.
  • Sat 19
    Easy · 4 × (25s / 1 min) · 25–35 min
    Activation: easy run with short surges at race pace.
  • Sun 20
    Race day · 5 km @ 4:24/km · 20–25 min
    Race day! Conservative start for the first meters and open your legs in the final kilometer.
Other plans
5K under 20:00 →5K under 25:00 →5K in 30:00 →10K under 40:00 →10K under 42:00 →10K in 45:00 →10K in 50:00 →10K in 55:00 →Half under 1:30 →Half in 1:45 →Half in 2:00 →Half in 2:10 →Half in 2:15 →First half, 2:30 →Marathon under 3:00 →Marathon in 3:30 →Marathon in 3:45 →Marathon in 4:00 →First marathon, 4:30 →First trail, 25K →Trail marathon, 42K →50K trail →

Yours would look different

Tuin writes every plan from the runs it can actually see and the goal you set — then keeps rewriting it as your weeks happen. The whole of it is free for 7 days.

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5K training plan for 22:00 · Tuin