What Is A Faster 5K?
Your Source for Running Faster at Any Level
Last Verified: December 2025
A Faster 5K is a training resource and coaching platform dedicated to helping runners of all abilities improve their 5k time. Whether you're chasing your first sub-30, breaking 20 minutes, or pushing toward elite times, we provide the training knowledge, coaching expertise, and community support to get you to the finish line faster.
Key Takeaways
- Evidence-based training methods proven across elementary, middle school, high school, and adult runners
- Coaching expertise backed by state championships, national qualifiers, and state meet record holders
- Resources designed for every level, from first-time 5k runners to competitive age-group athletes
Why A Faster 5K?
The 5k is the perfect distance. It's accessible enough for beginners yet demanding enough to challenge elite athletes. It rewards both speed and endurance, requiring smart training rather than just more miles. But here's the problem: most runners plateau because they don't know how to train specifically for the 5k.
That's where we come in.
A Faster 5K exists because we believe every runner deserves access to the same training principles that produce state champions and national qualifiers. We've spent over 15 years developing athletes from youth runners to collegiate competitors, and we've distilled that knowledge into resources anyone can use.
Our Training Philosophy
| Principle | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| Specificity | Workouts designed for 5k race demands, not generic "running more" |
| Progressive Overload | Structured advancement that prevents injury and builds fitness |
| Individual Adaptation | Training that meets you where you are, not where you "should" be |
| Recovery as Training | Understanding that adaptation happens during rest, not just workouts |
We don't believe in one-size-fits-all plans. A 25-minute 5k runner needs different stimulus than a 17-minute runner. A masters athlete recovers differently than a high schooler. Our approach accounts for these differences because that's what produces results.
What We Offer
Training Resources
Workout breakdowns, pacing strategies, race-day tactics, and periodization guides built on principles that have produced state champions across multiple age groups.
Coaching Insight
Content informed by real coaching experience, not just theory. When we recommend a workout or strategy, it's because we've seen it work with actual athletes in actual races.
Community
Connection with other runners chasing the same goal: a faster 5k. Because training is easier when you're not doing it alone.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Our training methods have produced:
| Level | Achievements |
|---|---|
| Youth | FLYRA State Team Champions, 2nd Grade State Champion |
| Middle School | State Champions, State Meet Record Holders, AAU National Champions |
| High School | State Champions (XC & Track), New Balance National Qualifiers, Sub-16 5k runners |
| Collegiate | NCAA National Qualifiers |
These aren't outliers. They're the product of consistent, intelligent training applied over time. The same principles that work for elite youth athletes work for adult runners chasing PRs.
Meet Coach Darrin
A Lifetime Dedicated to Running
Coach Darrin DeTorres brings over 15 years of competitive running and coaching experience to A Faster 5K. His journey started in third grade, continued through a 16:38 high school 5k at Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida, and earned him a scholarship to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University before a car accident redirected his path toward coaching.
That redirection became his calling.
Coaching Track Record
Vanguard High School (Assistant Coach, 12 Years)
| Athlete/Team | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth Mulford | State Champion (Cross Country & 2-Mile) |
| Alex Kay | 1:51 800m senior year; went on to qualify for NCAA Nationals at Tennessee |
| 4x800 Relay | Back-to-Back State Champions |
Trinity Catholic High School (Head XC Coach, Assistant Track, 2 Years)
| Athlete | Achievement | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cedric "Wayne" McFadden | Indoor 800m State Champion | 1:55.79 |
| Cedric "Wayne" McFadden | Outdoor 800m State Champion | 1:54.67 |
| Cedric "Wayne" McFadden | 5th Place State XC | 16:08 |
Ocala Distance Project (Founder & Head Coach)
| Athlete | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Reese McGovern | 2nd Grade State Champion |
| FLYRA Elementary Girls | State Team Champions |
| Jacob Rogers | Indoor 800m State Champion |
| Caleb Moore | New Balance Outdoor National Qualifier |
| Trevor Berquist | New Balance Indoor & Outdoor National Qualifier |
| Lachlan Bryniarski | New Balance Outdoor National Qualifier |
| Collin Moore | Top HS Athlete, 2025 Gate River Run 15K (55:38); Half Marathon AG Winner (1:16:49) |
The Story That Started It All
My first private athlete was an eighth grader named Joey Fitzpatrick. When he came to me, Joey was ranked second in Florida and had lost to the top-ranked athlete multiple times. We worked together from September through October, focusing on the specific demands of cross country racing.
By the Middle School State Championship, everything clicked. Joey won the state title and broke the state meet record with a 9:48.3 for 3K. He followed that with an AAU national championship at 13:05 for 4K, then swept the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m at the Florida Middle School state championships with state meet records in the 1500 and 3K.
Joey went on to become the number one ranked freshman miler in the country with a 4:17 mile, placed 2nd in the 800m at state as a junior (1:53.35), and finished 3rd at state cross country as a senior (15:57). His PRs: 15:31 for 5K, 1:53.35 for 800m, 4:17 for the mile, and 9:35 for 3200m.
That experience taught me something I've carried through every athlete since: the right training, applied consistently, produces breakthroughs. It works for state champions, and it works for anyone willing to put in the work.
Beyond Coaching
Coach Darrin's running industry experience extends beyond the track:
- Race Announcer: FHSAA State Championships, NCAA National Championship Prelims, USATF Masters Nationals, ASUN Championships
- Jacksonville Running Company: Social Media Manager for a Top 50 Running Store in the United States
- DistancePreps.com: Pioneered live streaming coverage of Florida high school running
- Radical Runs LLC: Founder, providing professional RFID race timing services
- Notice Me Marketing & Media: Sister company offering complete event branding and marketing
The Family Behind the Mission
Running is a family affair. Coach Darrin shares his passion with fiancée Maria and daughter Silvie, who embody the community spirit at the heart of A Faster 5K.
Ready to Run Faster?
Whether you're training for your first 5k or chasing a PR you've been eyeing for years, A Faster 5K has the resources to help you get there. Our methods are proven across every level of competition, and they're built on one simple belief: smart training beats hard training every time.
"The same principles that produce state champions work for any runner willing to apply them consistently. A faster 5k isn't about talent. It's about training."
— Coach Darrin DeTorres, Founder of A Faster 5K
Mandatory Medical Disclaimer
A Faster 5K provides training content, race strategies, and physiological calculations for educational purposes only. Running and endurance sports carry inherent physiological risks, including musculoskeletal injury and cardiovascular stress. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional or physician before beginning any new physical training regimen, especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions or are returning from injury. All training programs provided on this site are followed at the user's own discretion. The use of any information provided on this platform is solely at your own risk.