FINISH YOUR FIRST 5K

Steady, consistent running will carry you across the finish line of your first 5K. But if you can already comfortably complete an easy 5K, adding surges of speed will make a faster-than-usual pace come naturally on race day. Plus, mixing things up with a weekly speedy run adds fun to your training routine, says coach Rebekah Mayer.

THE WORKOUT Try a fartlek run – the term means ‘speed play’ in Swedish. After a 10-minute warm-up, choose a landmark between 30 seconds and three minutes ahead. Run at a comfortably tough pace – you should be able to speak only a word or two at a time – until you reach it. Jog slowly for the same amount of time to recover. Repeat for 10-15 minutes before a 10-minute cool-down.