Beginner 5k Training

I (or a friend–can’t remember which) found this program on runnersworld.com. I’ve actually started at the beginning and worked through the whole program more than once after having built up to running and then gone back to walking, built up to running again, then gone back to walking… Prior to the first time, I don’t think I’d ever run for 20 minutes straight.

I probably haven’t ever followed this precisely as it’s written, either. I usually ran Monday, Wednesday and Friday, walked Tuesday and Thursday, and took Saturday and Sunday off. If the program said to walk 1 minute but I felt like I needed 2, I walked 2. And I progressed at my own pace; if the program said to run 8 minutes and I wasn’t ready, I’d repeat the previous workout, staying at 7, for example.

Regardless, it surprised me–and both of the friends I’ve trained with–how doable the running is when building up this way. I won’t say it’s easy, but definitely doable. At the end of my first 5k, I think I crossed the finish line in tears because it was so cool to know that I’d done it. You can too!

Week One
Monday–rest
Tuesday–run 1 min, walk 1 min, 10 times
Wednesday–rest
Thursday–run 2 min, walk 4 min, 5 times
Friday–rest
Saturday–rest
Sunday–run 2 min, walk 4 min, 5 times

Week Two
Monday–rest
Tuesday–run 3 min, walk 3 min, 4 times
Wednesday–rest
Thursday–run 3 min, walk 3 min, 4 times
Friday–rest
Saturday–rest
Sunday–run 5 min, walk 3 min, 3 times

Week Three
Monday–rest
Tuesday–run 7 min, walk 2 min, 3 times
Wednesday–rest
Thursday–run 8 min, walk 2 min, 3 times
Friday–rest
Saturday–rest
Sunday–run 8 min, walk 2 min, 3 times
 

Week Four
Monday–rest
Tuesday–run 8 min/walk 2 min, 3 times
Wednesday–rest
Thursday–run 10 min/walk 2 min, 2 times; then run for 5 min
Friday–rest
Saturday–rest
Sunday–run 8 min/walk 2 min, 3 times
 

Week Five
Monday–rest
Tuesday–run 9 min/walk 1 min, 3 times
Wednesday–rest
Thursday–run 12 min/walk 2 min, 2 times; then run for 5 min
Friday–rest
Saturday–rest
Sunday–run 8 min/walk 2 min, 3 times

 
Week Six
Monday–rest
Tuesday–run 15 min/walk 1 min, 2 times
Wednesday–rest
Thursday–run 8 min/walk 2 min, 3 times
Friday–rest
Saturday–rest
Sunday–5k race!

 
On race day, you will probably find that you can run at least 20 minutes before you need a break, but whatever your plan, start slowly, and don’t wait until you are exhausted before taking some one-minute walk breaks.