The sub 20min 5k template It’s one of those benchmarks that everyone wants to crack. Here’s how I would attack it. Step 1: Base Training (6-12 weeks) Before starting any sort of race block I would recommend building a “base”. Have 6-12 weeks where you focus on increasing your run mileage, getting strong and becoming more efficient. How does this look? - Focus on slowly increasing your running mileage with easy running. - Gym work x 1-2 a week - Tempo run x 1 a week - Hill Sprints x 1 a week Step