5k in 18 Minutes Training Plan

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Running under 18 minutes for 5k

This training plan is rather different from some of the other 5k training plans .

Running an 18 minute 5k is very demanding and a one-size plan doesn’t fit all. So, in common with the 20-minute 5k plan, this page should be considered more of a guide than a training plan. This 18-minute schedule is very similar to the 20-minute schedule; there’s slightly more volume and some of the quality sessions are a little more demanding.

Running under 18 minutes is hard. There will be many different approaches to training and these will be influenced by a runner’s natural ability, age and gender. For example, a young, naturally talented male runner might only require a training plan that is little more than a keep-fit plan, whereas a woman in her 50s will probably need to be training like a professional athlete. Aside from their running training, they will have to be optimally nourished, very strong and possess highly developed mental strength to withstand the demands of not only the race but also the punishing training.

Who is this training plan for?

You’ll need to be pretty close to 18 minutes to make it a realistic target with 8 weeks of training. So if you cannot yet crack 20 mins then check out the 20-minute training plan, because that’s probably a better place to start.

Ideally, you’ll already be running more than 30 miles (48k) a week and certainly, you will be familiar with training at mixed paces. You’ll also need to be dedicated and determined.

As usual, if you have any health concerns or any reasons to doubt your suitability for intensive physical exercise, you should get checked out by a medical professional.

How hard is it to run 5k in under 18 minutes?

As we’ve seen above, it depends on who you are and particularly your natural ability, age and gender. The tables below illustrate how age and gender affect 5k running ability. The data is from UK certified 5k races in 2019 (2020 pandemic canceled almost all races in the UK after March). 

UK 5k data for 2019

According to 2019 British women’s 5k rankings, there were 223 women who ran under 18 minutes for 5k.
The number drops considerably for 0ver-50 women with just one runner breaking 18 minutes.

As for men, 4248 achieved sub-18 and the figure for over-50 is just 154.

The tables below compare the sub-18 target with that of sub-20.

UK Runners achieving sub 18-minute 5k

	Men	Women
All ages	4248	223
Over 50	154	1
Over 60	6	0

UK Runners achieving sub 20-minute 5k

	Men	Women
All ages	9868	1090
Over 50	968	37
Over 60	121	2

All data from Run Britain Rankings.
I must admit I’m a little confused by the names runbritain and Britsh Athletics and which countries they administer and record data for. I remember years ago some confusion arising from the term ‘Team GB’ (which included athletes from Northern Ireland).

When looking at these figures, we should acknowledge that they are from certified 5k race results and will include the very best UK 5k runners.

Park Run data

Of course, 5k running has enjoyed a massive increase in popularity in recent years due to the popularity of Park Run, and results from these events can provide some perspective on the figures above. There are many more people running Park Runs than compete in certified 5k races.

In the UK alone there are roughly 700 Park Run events. At the beginning of 2020, before coronavirus struck, there were very nearly 200,000 people running 5k on a Saturday morning. Park Runs attract a wide variety of running talent from the elite of Andy Baddeley’s 13:48 Park Run record at Bushy Park to beginners and recreational runners, many of whom complete the 5k in over 60 minutes.

We can learn a lot about the standard of recreational 5k running by looking at the results from Bushy Park, the location of the first Park Run, where there are often over 1500 finishers.

The result of the 833rd event on 7th March 2020 includes 1504 runners, here are some stats:

Winning time	15:26
1st woman	18:36
The last finisher	1:06:11
Position 752 (median)	27:59
Overall under 20 mins	64 (4.3%)
Women under 20 mins	3 (0.45%)
Overall under 18 mins	12 (0.8%)
Women under 18 mins	0
Runners over 30 minutes	535 (35.6%)
Over 50s under 20 mins	6 (no women)
Over 50s under 18 mins	0

Can you run 5k in less than 18 minutes?

As we can see above, an 18-minute target is achievable by many people. The contrast between the certified 5k race data and the Park Run results show us that most recreational runners are a long way outside of 18 minutes; it takes dedication and focused training to get there.

Less than 1% of all runners in our sample Park Run managed sub-18. If you are female and run under 18 minutes you will often win a Park Run. If you are over 50 it’s going to be very tough, if you are female and over 50, then you will be in a very select club. However, one statistic indicates how few women over 50 in the UK devote themselves to optimum 5k performance: the current WV50 world record is much faster at 16:38, so the potential is there to do it.

Regardless of your age, gender, parentage or anything else, the 18-minute barrier still dictates that you must run an average of less than 3 minutes 36 seconds per km or 5 mins 47 secs per mile.

How does an 18 minute 5k compare to other race times?

If you’ve not raced 5k recently (and in April 2021 very few people have), then some of your past race results might give you a very rough idea of your potential. Here are some comparable times.

3k	10:23
5k	18:00
5 mile	30:00
10k	37:54
10 mile	1:03:12
Half marathon	1:24:29
Marathon	2:57:57

If you have run close to any of those times then 18 minutes could be within your grasp.

Why is this 5k training plan different?

If you want to be faster than 99% of runners, then you’ll have to be looking very closely at your strengths and limitations. Do you have great endurance, but lack some speed? Or perhaps, you can zip through 800m in 2:50, but have nothing left after doing so. Is running the only training you do? If so you’ll almost certainly run faster if you swap some running sessions for some strength training.

As you can see, a generic training plan at this level can’t cater for everyone. You’ll have to do your own assessment (or have a coach do one for you).

Anyone who is close to the 18-minute target will likely already have a detailed insight into their training and where it might be deficient and where the potential gains are. Sometimes, it’s just simply doing more of what you are doing, but sometimes the answer lies in doing less. 

Having said that, there are some key sessions of the training plan that will be useful for all:

• Easy runs
• Quality sessions
• Endurance runs

So this training plan is more flexible than others on this website. It includes key sessions and progressions. It is 8-weeks of structured, challenging training, that will push you and nudge you closer to that 18-minute target.

It is highly adaptable, many of the sessions are optional. There are strength and conditioning sessions, which are highly recommended, but doing them might depend on your current general physical state.

For everyone, the aim is the same: to run 5 consecutive kilometres at an average speed of less than 3 minutes 36 seconds. But, even here, there is some room for flexibility. If you have some speed and can burn the final 400m in 60 seconds (not many will), then you’ll have 26 seconds to spare, which is very significant 5 and half seconds per km over the first 4.6k.

Get used to the pain

For some, the greatest gains can be found in developing mental strength.

“If you do a 5K right, it’s going to hurt, and it’s going to hurt pretty early.” So says Andy Baddeley, Park Run record holder.

Attacking 5k places great psychological demands on the runner. It’s a different kind of hurt to the fatigue and muscle/joint pain experienced during the longer distances. At the other extreme, the burning pain of extreme effort lasts a lot longer than the pain of running intervals or reps in training. But, how do you get used to it? To develop mental strength for marathon running we need to get used to the fatigue that long-distance running produces. But the 5k is not about that kind of fatigue, of aching joints and muscles; it’s all about the burn. For the 5k, we need to familiarise ourselves with the discomfort of fast running. We need to reframe that pain from an experience of suffering to one of attainment. You will only truly run your fastest 5k if you delve deeply into discomfort. Therefore, that hurt, the burn and desperation are things to seek. Seek it, meet it and get comfortable with the discomfort.  Those feelings are your indication that you are performing at or close to your potential.

It is hard to do this on your own and it helps immensely if you can do some of your harder training sessions in the company of others. Nevertheless, you can teach yourself to run through the pain. Intervals and faster reps train us not only physically, but mentally too. Tim Noakes, the exercise and sports scientist, proposes and has researched, the central governor theory.  This states that the body’s physical limitations are not set by physiology, but instead by the brain protecting the body from harm. This happens unconsciously — it is not the same as us thinking ‘wow, this is painful, I can’t keep this going any longer’. No, this the brain shutting down power output to protect the engine. However, the brain is acting in the moment, just like it is at the end of a race when it allows you to speed up for that final flourish. We can, through training, educate our brain to allow more effort, in essence, we push and reset the boundaries.

How? Imagine you are running a tough interval session, e.g. a 12x 400m. These usually get pretty tough around the 8-10 rep stage, often we feel we could give no more. But what happens, if an angry dog gets on to the track and chases us down the back straight? We’ll speed up, right? Suddenly, we’ve realised there is more in the tank after all. How about we do this for real (but without the dog)? During our session, we throw in the occasional wild, all-out effort, and tell our cautious brain that it’s ok, we can handle this. Yes, it’s still going to hurt, but we’ve muffled the alarm bells a little and maybe delayed their ringing slightly.

The more we visit this region of pain, the more familiar with it we become, and the less we fear it. It is absolutely counter-productive to start a 5k race not expecting pain — get used to it.

Rest and recovery

There’s no easy way to run at this level; the training is going to be tough. As we’ve already seen, how tough depends on your own circumstances. But, regardless of who you are, you should build in some recovery, both short-term and long-term. Older runners should be particularly careful not to jeopardise their health and chances of running a decent 5k.

Before starting this 8-week schedule ensure you are in very good condition. This schedule should be considered as the icing on your cake. If you have injury niggles, then get those sorted before embarking on a tough 8 weeks.

Short-term and long-term recovery

Short-term recovery concerns what you do after hard training sessions. Hard day easy day is the old-fashioned but nevertheless sensible strategy. Ideally, when you face a tough session you will be well-rested and hence best placed to run the session at an intensity that will give you maximum returns. If it’s the day after a long run or another depleting run then at best you’ll not get full benefit (from either session), or worse you’ll set yourself up for injury.

Long-term recovery means taking a few days of easier running occasionally, even during this short training plan, which is detailed roughly halfway through the plan. Also, at both ends of the schedule, some easier running is sensible. Especially at the end, after your race effort — rest. You cannot build incessantly without a very real risk of burnout. For club runners of all levels, there are opportunities to race throughout the year which results in many of them trying to maintain peak condition continuously. Those runners will never reach their full potential.

The 18 minute 5k plan

Training paces

Within the schedule, there are training paces specified. Your training paces are based on your current fitness. You can use the calculator below the schedule to determine your paces. Some sessions use target pace, and this will be the same for anyone aiming to break 18 minutes for 5k: 3 minutes 36 seconds per km or 5 mins 47 secs per mile.

Endurance run

The 5k is predominantly an endurance event. 

Threshold run

Threshold pace is one of the sweet-spots of running training. It’s the point at which lactate and acid accumulate in the muscles faster than we can utilise and clear it. We cannot sustain ever-increasing levels so we must slow down. Typically, well trained runners can endure this pace for about an hour. So for elite men, it’s similar to half-marathon pace, for many recreational runners it’s more like 10k race pace.

By training at this intensity, we develop the ability to manage the production of lactate more efficiently and hence move the threshold higher.

Target 5k pace

as mentioned above, this is the same pace for anyone looking to break 18 minutes. Why train at this pace if you cannot manage it yet. Anyone undertaking this plan should be close to running sub 18 already, certainly under 20 minutes. Running some reps at 18-minute pace will be manageable, but it could be tough depending on the length of the reps and the quantity. Running at this pace will familiarise you with the effort required. It will also be an indicator to how far you are from being able to sustain it for 5k.

Hill training

Hills, who likes them?

When I lead a group on a hill session I always hear complaints. But, as I always state: hills are your friends. If you get used to running up hills strongly and consistently, then running on the flat feels much easier. Your legs will strengthen, and your strides will become longer. Added to this, a session of uphill running is much less damaging to your joints and connective tissue than running a similar intensity on the flat.

Of course, we don’t all have easy access to hills, but if you do then use it and reap the rewards. Adjust pace accordingly and run by effort. Take it easy on the downhills. Downhill running training can be very beneficial, but it’s not used in this schedule because it requires careful management to reduce injury risks.

Hard pace

Hard pace is not an absolute pace. The purpose of training significantly faster than 5k pace is to develop strength, form, and not surprisingly, speed. We do not however need to train as sprinters. We train at a hard pace to make the slower 5k pace more manageable and efficient. Training fast will develop stride length and leg speed, two aspects often neglected by endurance runners.

In racing situations the ability to run fast can also help gain valuable places and time for the final 400m or so.

Strength and conditioning

If you set aside some time to train specifically for strength, then you are going to enjoy some gains in your potential. You’ll also make your body more resilient and less prone to injury. The actual strength and conditioning workouts you do will depend on the facilities you have available. But there’s plenty you can do by yourself and without any additional equipment. Exercises like lunges, squats, hopping, strides, bounding, form drills, are all going to help you hit your target. For many runners, a strength session will provide more benefit than an additional running session.

Cross Training

Within the schedule there are some days allocated to cross-training or rest. Cross-training can enhance your chances of breaking 18 minutes or it can diminish them. This is a tough 8 weeks and therefore your cross-training is not time to be increasing the stresses and strains on your body.

If you already cycle, swim or work out in the gym then keep it going, but it’s not a requirement and this session should not be a hard workout. The emphasis is on the running training and the strength and conditioning sessions. Cross-training can certainly help to develop strength, mobility and general cardiovascular fitness. For this schedule, the cross-training days should be viewed as active recovery.

8-Week sub-18 min 5k training plan

RPE is a Rating of Perceived Effort, for more detailed info, see our page explaining training paces