The 5-mile racing distance, also measured as 8 km, is one of the most common race distances in recreational and competitive road running. It is also the standard racing distance in men's collegiate cross country. Most runners train themselves for specific race distances, or distances measuring closely to one another. Five miles is popular because the distance is easily run with some training, but its length can pose a considerable challenge to individuals looking to maintain a strong pace for the duration of the run. Training and improving your times when running 5 miles requires a varied workout schedule.
Step 1
Start every running workout with a warmup. This should be 10 to 15 minutes of brisk walking or slow jogging intended to get the blood circulating through your muscles. Warming up helps prepare your body for exercise, reducing the risk of muscle strains.
Step 2
Perform moderate-intensity training runs three times a week. These workouts should be done at a pace where you are able to talk with a running partner but don't feel comfortable doing so. Running expert Hal Higdon recommends these distances start at 3 miles and gradually increase as the weeks of training pass -- in total, you should add 1 to 2 miles to the total of these three runs each week.
Step 3
Perform strength training twice a week. Strength training helps develop your muscular strength, making you more powerful when running and improving your ability to kick-start yourself at the start and end of the race. Strength training can come in the form of weightlifting, or you can use resistance tubing and/or body mass exercises such as situps and pushups to achieve this exercise.
Step 4
Integrate speed work every week or every other week. Speed work changes gears in your workout regimen and jolts your legs with high-intensity work like the kind you will experience in a race. A common speed workout is to do repeat 400-meter runs on a track, aiming to complete the lap at a pace slightly faster than your anticipated race pace. You can do as many as you want, but Higdon recommends running between five and eight repetitions.
Step 5
Perform cross training for one hour a week. Cross-country is used to continue cardiovascular training while giving your muscles rest from the same repetitive work done when running. Bicycling or swimming are the most common types of cross-training.
Step 6
Give yourself one day each week to rest. Working out every day can be exhausting to the body. You should aim to give yourself one day where you do not train -- this will let the muscles recover and keep your body fresh. You should also rest on the day before a race, performing only some light cross-training or taking the day off entirely.
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