The Ultimate 5K Training Plan for Beginners
The 5K is the distance most runners start with when they decide to take the plunge and enter a race. If you've run a couple of 5Ks already, and you want to run faster, you need to create a solid 5K training plan. Here are the key elements that you need to structure your plan.
5K Training Plan Step 1: Reserve 8 Weeks for Training
First, you should commit to eight weeks of training. Eight weeks will give you enough time to develop your aerobic fitness properly. You'll get to race during the eight weeks, breaking up the training and—in essence—giving you two races to complete during the training cycle.
5K Training Plan Step 2: Find a Track

Second, get access to a 400-meter track—it's important for solid 5K training. You need the accuracy of a measured track when you start your race-pace workouts because you'll want to track your progress, even down to one second per 400m lap. A GPS watch may or may not be capable of that type of precision.