5 Week Training Plan to Run a 1k in Under 3 Minutes

A Challenge to Improve Motivation: Running 1K in Under 3 Minutes

A challenge can improve and increase our motivation. Running 1 kilometer (1000m) in under 3 minutes is a pretty difficult challenge that not everybody can achieve. Running 1K under 3'00'' means running at 20 km/h (12.43 mi/h). There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as age, sex, levels of experience, training, strength or maximum oxygen consumption that would affect the probability of achieving this goal.

World Record Times

At this moment, the 1000 meters world record is held by Noah Ngeny with a time of 2:11.96 since 1999. Eliud Kipchoge is capable of running a marathon at an average pace of 2:55 per kilometer.

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5-Week Training Plan

This is a training plan designed for people who can already run 1K in under 3'15", otherwise it will be very hard - likely impossible - for you to achieve your objective in only 5 weeks.

Week 1

Monday:

  • 8 km between 4'30" and 4'10" per km.
  • Gym: 10' of semi-squat machine 2x10 with 30kg 2x8 with 40kg. After each block 15" of skipping in place.
  • To finish 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then 10’ stretch.

Tuesday:

  • 4 km warm-up and 5’ technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1’, then 6x300m R: 2’ (approximate time: 51"-52").
  • 2 km then stretch 10’.

Wednesday:

  • Rest.

Thursday:

  • 10 km between 4’30" and 4’, then 10’ technique.
  • 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then stretch 10’.

Friday:

  • Rest.

Saturday:

  • 4 km and 5' technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1', then: 1000m-600m-400m-200m R: 3' (approximate times: 3'15"-1'58"-1'12"-35").
  • 2 km and stretching.

Sunday:

  • Rest.

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Week 2

Monday:

  • 8 km between 4'30" and 4'10" per km.
  • Gym: 10' of semi-squat machine 2x10 with 30kg 2x8 with 40kg. After each block 15" of skipping in place.
  • To finish 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then 10’ stretch.

Tuesday:

  • 4 km warm-up and 5’ technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1’, then 4x500m R: 3’ (approximate time: 1’28").
  • 2 km then stretch 10’.

Wednesday:

  • Rest.

Thursday:

  • 10 km between 4’30" and 4’, then 10’ technique.
  • 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then stretch 10’.

Friday:

  • Rest.

Saturday:

  • 4 km and 5' technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1', then 3x800m R: 3' (approximate times: 2'28"-26").
  • 2 km and stretching.

Sunday:

  • Rest.

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Week 3

Monday:

  • 8 km between 4'30" and 4'10" per km.
  • Gym: 10' of semi-squat machine 2x10 with 30kg 2x8 with 40kg. After each block 15" of skipping in place.
  • To finish 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then 10’ stretch.

Tuesday:

  • 4 km warm-up and 5’ technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1’, then 2x(400m-300m-200m) R: 2’ between series, 4’ between blocks (approximate times: 1’10"-51"-34").
  • 2 km then stretch 10’.

Wednesday:

  • Rest.

Thursday:

  • 10 km between 4’30" and 4’, then 10’ technique.
  • 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then stretch 10’.

Friday:

  • Rest.

Saturday:

  • 4 km and 5' technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1', then 8x200m R: 2' (approximate time: 33"-34").
  • 2 km and stretching.

Sunday:

  • Rest.

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Week 4

Monday:

  • 8 km between 4'30" and 4'10" per km.
  • Gym: 10' of semi-squat machine 2x10 with 30kg 2x8 with 40kg. After each block 15" of skipping in place.
  • To finish 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then 10’ stretch.

Tuesday:

  • 4 km warm-up and 5’ technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1’, then 5x100 in inclination, sprint going up, walk going down then 2x400m (1’08”) R: 3’.
  • 2 km then stretch 10’.

Wednesday:

  • Rest.

Thursday:

  • 10 km between 4’30" and 4’, then 10’ technique.
  • 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then stretch 10’.

Friday:

  • Rest.

Saturday:

  • 4 km and 5' technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1', then 1500m (4’45”) and 500m (1’25”) R: 4'.
  • 2 km and stretching.

Sunday:

  • Rest.

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Week 5

Monday:

  • 8 km between 4'30" and 4'10" per km.
  • To finish 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then 10’ stretch.

Tuesday:

  • 4 km warm-up and 5’ technique.
  • 4x100m at 16" R: 1’, then 2x500 (1’25”) R: 4’.
  • 2 km then stretch 10’.

Wednesday:

  • Rest.

Thursday:

  • 5 km at an easy pace, then 10’ technique.
  • 5x100m at 16" R: 1’ then stretch 10’.

Friday:

  • Rest.

Saturday (challenge day):

  • 3 km warm-up and 5' technique.
  • 5x100m at 16" R: 1', then 1000m in under 3 minutes.
  • 2 km and stretching.

Sunday:

  • Rest.

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For more information, talk to one of our Fitness Experts and get customized advice by submitting a request in our Mavyn website.