Training for a 5K PB with Nike Run Club

If you asked me what type of runner I am, I’d say a long-distance runner. My favourite event is the half marathon because it’s long enough to test you and the training doesn’t gobble up hours of your life. 

Until recently, all my running goals were geared towards getting PBs in the marathon or half marathon. I didn’t know what my fastest 10K was and I didn’t know what my 5K or 10K pace was – only how it felt in terms of effort out of a scale of 1 to 10. 

That changed one month ago when my coach Dave Ridley put the challenge to me to do a 5K time trial. A runner friend of mine says a fast 5K is more impressive than crossing the finish line of a marathon, so I thought to myself – game on. 

The timing couldn’t have worked out better. In Melbourne, COVID-19 restrictions mean people are only allowed to exercise for one hour a day. Every Victorian running event since March has been cancelled and after months of living in limbo, a new running goal was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits and stay motivated through the winter months.

My personalised four-week running plan has been designed to build speed. The progressive plan has helped to set healthy running habits and increase my speed over time. As a working parent, I know how many workouts I can commit to each week – three. Yeah, I’d love to do more, but three is achievable and it’s worked well for me so far – so I wanted to keep this rhythm for the 5K time trial. 

I’ve got a few pairs of Nike running shoes and lately I’ve been doing most of my workouts in the Air Zoom Pegasus 37. It’s a workhorse runner and I really like the extra forefoot cushioning this version of the shoe has. I’ve found it light and supportive and it offers more rebound and energy return than previous versions – which makes it ideal for speed workouts. 

Variety is the spice of life and for this running goal all my running workouts have come from the Nike Run Club (NRC) app. From speed, to tempo, to recovery and long runs, the runs are all guided by a Nike coach. Some sessions have guests like Olympian long-distance runner and London Marathon winner Paula Radcliff or the co-founder of meditation and wellness app Headspace, Andy Puddicombe. These training sessions combined with strength and flexibility workouts from the Nike Training Club (NTC) have kept my training fresh and interesting. They’ve also helped me prepare physically and mentally for pain I’ll experience during my 5K time trial.

My favourite running workouts from the NRC app have been:

90s (31 minutes)
This high-intensity interval training session features three interval sets where you run each at a different pace – 5K, 10K and Mile pace. Each interval includes three 90 second intervals with 90 seconds of recovery between each. The idea of this run is that by mixing speed with endurance, you teach the body to adapt and improve – getting stronger, fitter and faster. It’s a great building block workout. 

Power Pyramid (37 minutes) – Again, this workout is all about building endurance and speed. You run shorter and faster intervals at your Mile pace, mid-range intervals and your 5K pace and an even longer interval at 10K pace. My body loves variety and I enjoy interval training because it’s never boring and the time flies. 

Mindful Miles Recovery Run  (50 minutes)
In this session you get to focus both your mind and your performance. Hearing guest 2016 Olympic steeplechaser Colleen Quigley and Andy Puddicombe chat about setting goals, running, set-backs and managing pre-race nerves and excitement was inspiring and motivating.  

Triple 7s (33 minutes)
This slightly longer interval session helps to train the body to maintain the strength and speed needed for a fast 5K. Each 7 minute interval is run at your 5K pace with 2:30 recovery running between each. It’s all about learning how to get stronger, maintaining form and having more fun the longer you go!

3, 2, 1 Go! (17 minutes)
It almost feels like you’re cheating when you set off on a run that’s less than 20 minutes, but those thoughts soon disappear as the session gets going. After a 5 minute warm-up and stretch, it’s straight into 3 minutes at 10K pace, 2 minutes at 5K pace and 1 minute at Mile pace with 1 minute recovery running between the intervals. The workout helps to remind the body of the speed you’ve developed over the four weeks without taking too much energy. It’s perfect for race week. 

After four weeks of solid training that’s added up to 12 runs and 10 pilates, yoga or strength workouts, I feel ready to race. My fastest 5K to date is 21.02 and my goal is to break this.

Am I nervous? Yes. Am I curious to see what my body is capable of? Yes. Do I feel prepared? Yes. Will I hit my goal? Time will tell. Stay tuned for an update.