Running Training & Interval Training

Sub 20 minute 5k on less than 2 hours a week? Possible?

23 January 2014
the5krunner
Sub 20 Minute 5k On Less Than 2 Hours A Week? Possible?
to 6week plan

If you are anything but a young male then, unless you can already do it, a sub 20 minute 5k is not trivial.

“I can do it. It’s easy. When I couldn’t do it; it wasn’t.”

How annoying was that last statement! Sorry. But hopefully you take the point I am trying to make.

Chances are that if you are not a young male then you are not pretty aerobically fit (of course some/many of you WILL be but MOST of you won’t be). So you are coming to do a non-trivial thing from a sub-optimal starting position. Problem number 1.

So compound that with only wanting to do 2 hours training a week and you are giving yourself a relatively hard goal to achieve with significant constraints on your training. Problem number 2.

6 hours a week would be a better amount of time to commit. And if you organise and plan those 6 hours well then sure enough most of you will achieve your sub 20 goal. This site has plenty of free plans and if you want I can coach you towards that goal.

Anyway. To answer the question; “yes!” it is possible. I know people who have done it. If you are better than them then you can do it on 2 hours a week as well. To gauge how difficult it will be for you then read this.

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Related reading: Duathlon Coaching.

Last Updated on 8 April 2026 by the5krunner

My favourite kit and nutrition

  • Maurten — the race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mix engineered to be easy on the stomach.
  • Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — the small adapter that keeps your charging cable tidy at the stem. Essential for race day.
  • Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session.
  • Ravemen FR300 — front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters.
  • Garmin Varia RTL515 — radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch.
  • Stryd — the footpod that brings running power to your Garmin. The single most useful running upgrade I have made.
  • Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — the power meter pedals most serious cyclists end up choosing. Accurate, easy to move between bikes.

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