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

  • Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
  • Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — The small adapter that keeps your charging cables tidy. Essential for race day. I use one.
  • Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
  • 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. I use one.
  • Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
  • Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
  • Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch. I use this model.
  • Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
  • Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
  • Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
  • Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.

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