Running a 5K in under 25 minutes: the MAS you need and the 6-week plan
Breaking 25 minutes for 5K means holding 8:03 per mile, or 7.5 mph, for 3.1 miles. With the Running Workout 5K plan, that takes a maximal aerobic speed (MAS) of about 8 mph. Here is the math, the plan's sessions week by week, and the race-day instructions sent to your Garmin watch.
Last updated: 2026-10-15
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What MAS do you need for a sub-25-minute 5K?
You need a MAS of about 8 mph (12.8 km/h). The Running Workout 5K plan sets 5K pace between 94 and 97% of MAS, the same range for everyone: for even the bottom of that range to reach 7.5 mph, your MAS has to be close to 8 mph. Between 7.7 and 8 mph, only the top of the range gets you under 25 minutes.
| MAS | Plan 5K pace | Matching finish time |
|---|---|---|
| 7.5 mph | 8:18 to 8:34 min/mi | 25:46 to 26:36 |
| 7.8 mph | 7:58 to 8:13 min/mi | 24:45 to 25:32 |
| 8.1 mph | 7:39 to 7:54 min/mi | 23:47 to 24:33 |
| 8.4 mph | 7:22 to 7:37 min/mi | 22:55 to 23:38 |
The 5K plan has a single prerequisite: a known MAS. If Running Workout doesn't have one, the plan setup screen warns you before you start, without blocking you.
Try it with your own Garmin
Free, nothing to install: connect your Garmin, then ask Claude or ChatGPT for your first workout. It lands on your watch within a minute.
The 5K plan's sessions, week by week
The plan lasts 6 weeks and each week holds two quality sessions and a long run. The first quality session works on MAS, the second on threshold and then 5K pace; each one starts with 15 minutes of easy running and 4 strides, and ends with a 10-minute cool-down.
- Weeks 1 and 2: 8 then 10 × 30/30 at 100% of MAS; 2 then 3 × 6 minutes at threshold (85 to 88% of MAS); long run of 45 then 50 minutes.
- Week 3: 6 × 2 minutes at 90-95% of MAS; 6 × 400 m at 5K pace; 55 minutes, the last 10 slightly faster.
- Week 4, a recovery week: 4 × 2 minutes; 3 × 900 m at 5K pace; long run cut to 35 minutes.
- Week 5, the peak week: 5 × 2 minutes at 98-100% of MAS; 4 × 1000 m at 5K pace, the key session of the plan; 60 minutes with a faster finish.
- Week 6, taper: 6 × 45 seconds at 100% of MAS, 3 × 600 m at 5K pace, then the race.
With a MAS of 8.1 mph (13 km/h), that means 30/30 reps at 7:26 min/mi, threshold between 8:26 and 8:44 min/mi and 5K pace between 7:39 and 7:54 min/mi. Running Workout calculates these paces from your MAS when the assistant creates the workout.
Three or four runs a week?
The 5K plan comes in two versions, chosen on the setup screen: three runs (the two quality sessions and the long run) or four, adding an easy run of 20 to 40 minutes depending on the week.
In the peak week, the three-run version adds up to about 2 h 40 min of running, the four-run version about 3 h 15 min. Either way, the two quality sessions are at least 48 hours apart and the long run never falls the day before a quality session.
Race day: the pacing instructions
The plan's race session starts slightly below goal pace: a 15-minute easy warm-up and 3 strides, the first 1000 m at 92-94% of MAS, then the remaining 4000 m at 5K pace. For the final stretch, you give everything you have left.
With a MAS of 8.1 mph, the watch shows 7:54 to 8:04 min/mi for the first 1000 m, then 7:39 to 7:54 min/mi. Your AI assistant connected to Running Workout (Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini) sends this workout to Garmin Connect, dated on race day, and it syncs to the watch as a structured workout.
Frequently asked questions
My MAS is 7.5 mph: can I aim for 25 minutes?
Not yet with this plan: its 5K pace matches a finish time of 25:46 to 26:36. The plan works on MAS every week; a new test after the race will show whether you have reached about 8 mph.
Does the plan set its paces from my 25-minute goal?
No: in the 5K plan, every pace is based on MAS, and 5K pace stays at 94-97% for everyone. So your MAS is what tells you whether 25 minutes is realistic.
How do I find my MAS before starting?
Run an all-out 6-minute test or a progressive step test such as VAMEVAL with your Garmin watch. Your AI assistant calculates your MAS from the activity, suggests it to you, and only saves it once you confirm.
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