Zone Strategy

• Km 1 — Zone 2 (Easy/Warm-up) - Run at a comfortable, conversational pace. You should be able to speak full sentences. This prevents early burnout and warms your muscles up. Most people blow this by starting too fast.
• Km 2–3 — Zone 3 (Aerobic/Tempo) - Settle into your "comfortably hard" pace. You can speak a few words but not full sentences. This is your sustained cruise zone — hold it steady and don't surge.
• Km 4 — Zone 4 (Threshold) - Push harder here. Breathing becomes labored, talking is down to one word at a time. Your legs should feel the effort but you're not sprinting yet.
• Km 5 — Zone 5 (All out) - Leave nothing behind. The last 500m especially, open up completely. If you have anything left at the finish, you started the final km too slow.

Breathing Technique

Use a 3:2 rhythm for most of the run — inhale for 3 steps, exhale for 2. This is the sweet spot for 5km effort.

When you hit Zone 4–5, switch to 2:1 — inhale 2 steps, exhale 1. Shorter, more powerful.

Always breathe through both your nose and mouth simultaneously. Nose-only breathing limits oxygen intake at pace. Belly breathe (diaphragm), not chest breathe — put your hand on your stomach and make it rise first.

Hydration for a 5km Run

Before the Run - Drink 400–500ml of water about 1–2 hours before. Don't chug water right before — it'll slosh around and cause cramps.

After the Run - This is where hydration actually matters most. Drink 500–750ml of water within 30 minutes of finishing.

Signs you're under-hydrated going into a run
- Urine is dark yellow → drink more before you start
- Urine is pale/clear → you're good to go