If you’re thinking about getting into running, a 5K (Around 3.1 miles) is a great place to start for beginners. It is the most common shorter race distance in many events around the world, and is regarded as a good challenge for those who are just getting into running. In fact, only 16% of the American population runs!
However, running may not be easy for some, including myself in the past! I could barely run for 3 minutes straight without getting out of breath, and I hated it. With my determination to lose weight, I decided to push through.
In around 8 weeks time, I went from not being able to run to running a full 5K without stopping. I’ll share with you my exact plan: What you need, the schedule, and tips for you to flourish.
Why this plan works for beginners
This plan works especially well for beginners because it doesn’t focus on running fast or running far. Those are the two exact things that a beginner doesn’t need.
What a beginner needs is just to be able to go from walk, to jog, to running. Then, holding the run for an extended period of time.
This plan excels in that. It applies minor progressive overloads week by week to ensure your body is adapting, but never in shock.
It is the plan that changed my life and set me up to be running a half marathon today!
Before we start
Here are a couple things that you’ll need:
- 8 weeks of commitment
- 3 runs per week, a maximum of 30 minutes each
- Running shoes (No sneakers please, be safe!)
- A timer (Phone or fitness watch)
And here are some tips:
- Try to get a rest day in between each run
- Drink some fluids and have a light snack around 30 minutes before the run
- Fuel up after each run with nutritious food, especially carbs!
- Do not sprint
- There is no set pace, you should be able to hold that pace for the period of running time required
- If you find yourself out of breath or that you need to stop, you’re running way too fast
- Let your ego go, there’ll always be people faster than you. You can work on your pace in the future
- It’s a time based workout. If by the end of 8 weeks you don’t hit 5K, adjust the plan and go a bit longer
The exact plan and routine
The plan is to get you from walking and jogging in Week 1 to running for 30 minutes non-stop in Week 8. You’ll run 3 times a week. Try to get a rest day in between each run. Here’s the breakdown
Week 1
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 60 seconds, then walk for 90 seconds. Repeat 8 times
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2: Repeat Day 1
Day 3: Repeat Day 1
Week 2
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 90 seconds, then walk for 2 minutes. Repeat 5 times
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2: Repeat Day 1
Day 3: Repeat Day 1
Week 3
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 90 seconds, then walk for 90 seconds
- Run for 3 minutes, then walk for 3 minutes
- Run for 90 seconds, then walk for 90 seconds
- Run for 3 minutes, then walk for 3 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2: Repeat Day 1
Day 3: Repeat Day 1
Week 4
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 3 minutes, then walk for 90 seconds
- Run for 5 minutes, then walk for 2.5 minutes
- Run for 5 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2: Repeat Day 1
Day 3: Repeat Day 1
Week 5
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 5 minutes, walk for 3 minutes
- Run for 5 minutes, walk for 3 minutes
- Run for 5 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 8 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes
- Run for 8 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 3:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 20 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Week 6
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 5 minutes, walk for 3 minutes
- Run for 8 minutes, walk for 3 minutes
- Run for 5 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 10 minutes
- Walk for 3 minutes
- Run for 10 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 3:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 25 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Week 7
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 25 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2: Repeat Day 1
Day 3: Repeat Day 1
Week 8
Day 1:
- Start with a 5 minute walk as a warm up
- Run for 30 minutes
- Walk for 5 minutes to cool down
Day 2: Repeat Day 1
Day 3: Repeat Day 1
Screenshot to save the plan in your phone, or bookmark this page to revisit it anytime.
If you’ve tried the plan or completed it, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment and I’ll be more than happy to help!
I hope to welcome another 5K runner to the 5K club very soon.