Beginner 5K Training Plan: 4 Weeks to Your First Finish

You don’t need a 20‑page spreadsheet to run your first 5K. If you can walk comfortably for 30 minutes and sprinkle in a little jogging, you can be ready to toe the line in four weeks.

This simple plan blends run‑walk intervals, easy mileage, and just enough faster work to make race day feel exciting instead of terrifying.

How to Use This Plan

Aim for 3–4 days per week of running or run‑walking. Keep all paces conversational except where the plan calls for “strides” or short pickups.

Week 1: Get Moving

• Day 1: 20 min walk/jog (1 min easy jog, 2 min walk).
• Day 2: 25 min brisk walk.
• Day 3: 20 min walk/jog again.
• Optional Day 4: Easy bike or walk.

Week 2: Extend the Jog

• Shift toward 2 min jog / 2 min walk for 20–25 minutes.
• Keep one pure walking day.
• Add 4 × 15‑second light strides at the end of one session.

Week 3: Turn It Into a Run

Now we’re nudging closer to continuous running:

• One session of 3 min jog / 2 min walk × 6.
• One 25–30 min easy walk/jog, no pressure.
• One session similar to Week 2.

Week 4: Race Week

The goal is to feel fresh, not smashed.

• Two easy 20‑minute jogs early in the week.
• One rest day or short walk the day before.
• Race day: start slower than you think you should, then build.

Set a Smart First‑Time Goal

Instead of obsessing over a finish time, anchor your first 5K goal around execution: no blow‑ups, no walking in the first mile, and a strong final stretch.

After that race, plug your result into the Race predictor to see what kind of paces you could target for your next training block.