First off, you may be asking, "exactly how many miles is a 5K?" A 5K is 3.1 miles. This section of our website is here to help you achieve your goal of running your first 5K or getting back into running if you've been idle for a while. Too many people have been turned off of running simply by trying to start off too fast. Their bodies rebel, and they wind up miserable, wondering why anyone would possibly want to run in the first place!
You should ease into your 5K training plan gradually. In fact, the program we outline here is less of a running regimen than a walking and jogging program. The idea is to transform you from the couch to runner, getting you to run a 5K on a regular basis in just two months.
It's easy to get impatient, and you may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but hold yourself back. Don't try to do more, even if you feel you can. If, on the other hand, you find the program too strenuous, just stretch it out. Don't feel pressured to continue faster than you're able. Repeat weeks if needed and move ahead only when you feel you're ready.
You should ease into your 5K training plan gradually. In fact, the program we outline here is less of a running regimen than a walking and jogging program. The idea is to transform you from the couch to runner, getting you to run a 5K on a regular basis in just two months.
It's easy to get impatient, and you may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but hold yourself back. Don't try to do more, even if you feel you can. If, on the other hand, you find the program too strenuous, just stretch it out. Don't feel pressured to continue faster than you're able. Repeat weeks if needed and move ahead only when you feel you're ready.
Week 1
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 2
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 3
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
- Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)...then Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)...then Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)...then Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
- Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)...then Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)...then Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)...then Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes).
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
- Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)...then Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)...then Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)...then Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes).
Week 4
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
- Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
- Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
- Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Week 5
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
- Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.
Week 6
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 22 minutes) with no walking.
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
- Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
- Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
- Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
Workout #3 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 22 minutes) with no walking.
Week 7
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Week 8
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Week 9
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Workout #3 - This is it...the big day...run 3.1 miles and confidently cross that finish line!
Workout #1 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Workout #2 - Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Workout #3 - This is it...the big day...run 3.1 miles and confidently cross that finish line!
