Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Record an honest 5K baseline
1 week
Run a timed 5K at a steady, hard-but-controlled effort. Record the time, route and how you felt. The baseline tells you how big the gap to 30 minutes really is.
Proof required
Submit GPS data or an app screenshot of a full 5K with date and time, plus a short note on effort and any niggles.
What gets checked
- Full 5K distance, recorded by GPS or official timing
- Date and time visible
- Honest note on effort and how the body felt
Common mistakes
- Skipping the baseline and guessing
- An all-out effort that leads to injury
- A route shorter than the distance
Powstik Guide
A recorded 5K time you can train from.
Steps
- If you have a health condition, check with a clinician first.
- Warm up with easy jogging for several minutes.
- Run the full 5K at a steady, hard effort.
- Save the GPS file or screenshot.
- Work out the gap to 30 minutes.
Template
Baseline Date: Distance: Time: Effort (1–10): Niggles or pain: Gap to 30 minutes:
What gets sent back
- A route shorter than the distance.
- No date or time shown.
- A guess instead of a timed run.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Check the distance and time in the data
- Check the date
- Read the effort note
You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.
Train steadily with a logged plan
6–12 weeks
Build up over several weeks with mostly easy running and one harder session a week. Timed parkruns or local 5Ks make good checkpoints. Increase gradually and back off if something hurts.
Proof required
Submit a training log covering at least six weeks with each run's date, distance, time and type, plus a mid-block timed effort.
What gets checked
- Six or more weeks, logged as you go
- Mostly easy runs with one quality session a week
- A mid-block timed effort showing progress
Common mistakes
- Running every session hard
- Jumping mileage too fast
- Training through pain instead of resting
Powstik Guide
Six weeks of logged, gradual training.
Steps
- Plan three to five runs a week you can keep up.
- Keep most runs at a pace you can talk at.
- Add one interval or tempo session a week.
- Increase weekly running a little at a time.
- Rest, and seek advice, if pain persists.
Template
| Date | Type (easy / quality / long) | Distance | Time | How I felt | |------|-------------------------------|----------|------|------------| Mid-block timed effort: date / distance / time
What gets sent back
- A log written afterwards.
- Every run hard.
- No mid-block effort.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Check the log spans six weeks
- Check the easy-to-hard balance
- Compare the mid-block effort to the baseline
You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.
Run 5K under 30 minutes
1 day plus taper
Race or time-trial the full 5K and finish under 30 minutes. Ease off training in the last week so you start fresh. Proof is chip time from a race or complete GPS data from a time trial.
Proof required
Submit chip time from a race or complete GPS data from a time trial, plus a short pacing note.
What gets checked
- Time under 30 minutes, clearly shown
- Official chip time or complete GPS data
- Pacing note shows how the run went
Common mistakes
- Starting far too fast
- A GPS trace that cuts the course
- Gun time mistaken for chip time
Powstik Guide
An official or GPS-verified 5K under 30 minutes.
Steps
- Pick a race or a measured course.
- Ease off training for the final week.
- Start at goal pace, not faster.
- Save the chip result or full GPS file.
Template
Race / time trial: Date: Result source (chip / GPS): Finish time: Splits: Pacing note:
What gets sent back
- A time over the target.
- A shortened course.
- No result source.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Check the time and distance
- Check the result source
- Read the pacing note
You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.