COACH TOMMY TREES' 8-WEEK PLAN TO A FASTER 5K

Published: 22/06/2026 | By: Tommy Trees

Ready to smash your next 5K? Our ambassador and coach Tommy Trees shares the exact eight-week approach he uses to help runners get faster – combining targeted intervals, threshold sessions, easy mileage, and smart recovery. In other words, this training plan gives you the structure, workouts, and training advice you need to arrive on race day fitter, stronger, and ready to perform.

Whether you're trying to break 30 minutes, run your first sub-25-minute 5K, or simply set a new PB at your local parkrun, one thing is true: running a faster 5K isn't about running harder every day.

The runners who improve the most are usually the ones who train with purpose. They mix speed work with easy runs, recover properly, and stay consistent week after week.

The good news is that eight weeks is enough time to make meaningful improvements. With the right combination of interval training, threshold work, and endurance training, you can build the fitness needed to run a faster 5K.

The Workouts That Will Actually Make You Faster

If I had to pick the workouts that deliver the biggest return for most runners, it would be these four.

• Intervals improve your ability to run faster and become more comfortable running at your goal 5K pace.
• Threshold sessions improve your ability to clear and recycle lactate, allowing you to hold a faster pace for longer before fatigue starts to build.
• Long runs improve your aerobic fitness and make race pace feel more manageable.
• Easy runs are where a lot of the magic happens. They help you recover from the harder sessions while building your aerobic fitness, allowing you to train consistently week after week.

Learn How Hard You Really Need to Run

Now that I've told you which types of runs are important, we need to know how each run should feel.

A simple way to do this is by using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)[AC5] , which measures how hard a run feels on a scale of 1 to 10.

RPE 3–4: Easy Run

You should be able to hold a full conversation without any difficulty. This is the effort for your easy runs, recovery runs, and most of your long runs.

RPE 6–7: Threshold Run

Comfortably hard. You should feel like you're working, but always in control. You could speak in short sentences, but you wouldn't want to hold a conversation. The aim is to accumulate time at this effort rather than push to exhaustion.

RPE 8–9: Intervals

Hard but controlled. You should be working, but still able to complete all the repetitions at a consistent pace. If you're finding that you're getting significantly slower as the session goes on, you're probably going too hard.

RPE 10: Maximum Effort

Reserved for racing and finishing kicks. You should only save this for race day.

Remember, every run doesn't need to feel hard to be effective. In fact, most runners would benefit from running their easy days easier so they can perform better during their harder sessions.

Your 8-Week Blueprint to a Faster 5K

This plan is designed for runners who can already run three or four times per week and comfortably complete a 45-minute run.

Why Smart Runners Embrace Cross-Training

Cross-training can be a valuable tool for runners, especially when you're looking to build fitness without adding more impact to your legs. The body doesn't know whether you're running, cycling, swimming, or rowing; it simply recognises the stress being placed on the cardiovascular system.

Activities like cycling, swimming, and rowing can help improve your aerobic fitness while giving your muscles, joints, and tendons a break from the repetitive impact of running. This can be particularly useful if you're recovering from a hard training block, managing a minor niggle, or simply looking to increase your overall training volume without increasing your injury risk.

Fuel Like a Runner Who Wants a PB

You don't need a complicated nutrition plan to run a faster 5K. Focus on the basics.

Carbohydrates are your body's preferred fuel source when running, which is why it's important to eat enough of them throughout the week, especially before harder sessions. Foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes, oats, and fruit are all great options.

Personally, before a key workout, I'll usually have a larger meal around three to four hours beforehand, often centred around rice and a source of protein. Then, around 60 to 90 minutes before the session, I'll have something lighter, such as a banana, a slice of toast with jam, or an energy bar. I find this gives me plenty of energy without feeling heavy when I start running.

Recovery matters too. After training, aim to eat a meal containing both carbohydrates and protein within a few hours. Something as simple as chicken and rice, eggs on toast, or a protein yoghurt with fruit can help replenish energy stores and support muscle repair.

Trust the Process, Trust the Training

Running a faster 5K isn't about finding one magical workout. It's about showing up consistently, mixing your training, recovering properly, and trusting the process.

Stick to the plan, be patient, and don't panic if every session doesn't go perfectly. Eight weeks is more than enough time to make meaningful progress, and you might be surprised by how much faster you can become when your training has a purpose.