Sample plan

5K training plan for 30:00

Inés started running in January.

Inés is 47 and started running this January: three days a week, under 10 km, a longest run of 4 km, and a 33-minute 5K. Eight weeks to break thirty.

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

Eight months into running, the fastest three minutes anyone ever finds come from turning up more often, not from running harder — and the plan is built on that rather than on Inés's target. It adds an easy kilometre before it adds a hard one, and the one quality session it gives her is short enough that the next run is unaffected.

What the coach was told

Goal
Autumn 5K
Race day
6 December 2026
Distance
5 km
Target
30:00
Runs per week
3
Weekly volume
~10 km
Longest run
4 km
Recent effort
5 km · 33:00
Threshold pace
6:25/km

The eight weeks before

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

10
10
10
10
7
11
11
11

What the coach said, handing it over

Here's your first plan, built on your recent weeks (easy runs at ~7:50/km, intervals at ~5:55/km, tempos at ~6:25/km) and your 5K of 33:00 on 9/24. Dropping to 30:00 in just 8 weeks is ambitious — we're going to push hard but smart (cruise mode), and if you haven't hit 30:00 by race day, we'll keep pushing after without burning you out now. Assumptions I'm making: I'm keeping your three days (Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday) and putting the strength work on Monday, which is your off day; if you prefer another day let me know and I'll change it. We're starting now: Thursday easy run and Sunday long run with some progressions at the end. Every 4th week I'm dropping the load (week of Nov 2) so your body can absorb before we keep building. Race week has a threshold workout on Tuesday and some progressions on Saturday — no just easy running, so you arrive with fresh legs.

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.

8 weeks · Peak week 7 · 16 km planned

Week 1from 13 Oct3 sessions8 km planned

Easy warm-up, find your rhythm

  • Thu 15
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–35 min
    Easy run, all conversation
  • Fri 16
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 8 per side · bodyweight
  • Sun 18
    Long · 4 × (25s / 90s) · 30–40 min
    Easy long run with short progressions at the end
Week 2from 19 Oct4 sessions13 km planned

First block, continuous tempo

  • Mon 19
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy · Split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 8 per side
  • Tue 20
    Tempo run · 5 km · 30–40 min
    First continuous tempo, comfortable-hard
  • Thu 22
    Easy · 3.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–30 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 25
    Long · 4.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 30–40 min
    Easy long run
Week 3from 26 Oct4 sessions14 km planned

Short reps at race pace

  • Mon 26
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy · Split squat 3 × 6 per side · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 8 per side
  • Tue 27
    Cruise intervals · 3 × (1 km / 1 min) · 30–45 min
    1 km repeats near goal pace, with recovery jog
  • Thu 29
    Easy · 3.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–30 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 1
    Long · 5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 35–45 min
    Easy long run, you'll feel looser now
Week 4from 2 Nov4 sessions10 km planned

Recovery week: we're dropping volume, keeping some intensity

  • Mon 2
    Strength
    Back squat 2 × 5 · moderate · Split squat 2 × 6 per side · Calf raise (straight knee) 2 × 10 · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 2 × 10
  • Tue 3
    Easy · 4 × (25s / 90s) · 30–40 min
    Easy run with 4 short progressions, no pushing
  • Thu 5
    Easy · 3 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 20–30 min
    Short easy run
  • Sun 8
    Long · 4 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–35 min
    Reduced long run, recovery week
Week 5from 9 Nov4 sessions14 km planned

Building back up: on/off repeats

  • Mon 9
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy · Split squat 3 × 6 per side · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 8 per side
  • Tue 10
    On/offs · 8 × (1 min / 1 min) · 30–40 min
    Short on/off repeats, fast but controlled
  • Thu 12
    Easy · 3.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–30 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 15
    Long · 5.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 35–50 min
    Easy long run, still building
Week 6from 16 Nov4 sessions14 km planned

Ladder of paces, the most specific session so far

  • Mon 16
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · heavy · Split squat 3 × 6 per side · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 8 per side
  • Tue 17
    Tempo ladder · 5.5 km · 25–35 min
    Descending ladder: 1km, 800m, 500m getting faster each time
  • Thu 19
    Easy · 3.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–30 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 22
    Long · 6 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 40–55 min
    Long run, the longest so far
Week 7from 23 Nov4 sessions16 km planned

Final build week before sharpening

  • Mon 23
    Strength
  • Tue 24
    Tempo · 5.5 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 30–40 min
    Tempo/repeats at 5K pace, similar to previous weeks
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 3.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–30 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 29
    Long · 6.5 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 45–55 min
    Long run, peak volume
Week 8from 30 Nov4 sessions14 km planned

Race week: we sharpen, we don't accumulate

  • Tue 1
    Cruise intervals · 2 × (600 m / 90s) · 25–30 min
    Sharpener: short repeats at goal pace, low volume — you should finish wanting more
  • Thu 3
    Easy · 3 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 20–30 min
    Easy run, fresh legs
  • Sat 5
    Easy · 5 × (25s / 90s) · 25–35 min
    Short easy run with short progressions at race pace
  • Sun 6
    Race day · 5 km @ 6:00/km · 25–35 min
    5K fall race! Start conservative for the first km and let loose if you're feeling good
Other plans
5K under 20:00 →5K in 22:00 →5K under 25:00 →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 30:00 · Tuin