Planning your first 5km run

Running can be a great addition to any exercise plan.  It requires virtually no equipment, aside from proper footwear, can be done almost anywhere and can be fit in around your schedule.  It can also help improve health and possibly longevity, so it could be worth challenging yourself to get outside and start moving!  No matter what your previous running experience, you have the potential to work your way up to run 5 km (3.1 miles).

If you plan to run a 5 km race in the near future, you’ll need a great running plan. The length of time that you will need to prepare for your 5 km race will depend on your previous running experience and your current fitness levels.  For those new to running or who haven’t run very much in the last few years, you might need to give yourself more time to work up to a 5km distance.

Consider tracking your training so that you can see your progress over the weeks or months and don’t forget to celebrate your achievements! You might also want an accountability partner to help provide encouragement and motivation. Writing down your goal of “why” you have decided to run your first 5km can also be motivating. This can be particularly helpful for weeks when you are feeling busy and finding it more difficult to make time for your training

The 5 km running plan

We’ve put together a great running schedule for you to follow when you’re trying to run your first 5 kilometers. Remember that this plan is flexible, and you can adapt it based on your needs and current fitness levels. We’ve broken this training schedule into a 6 week plan but if you need to take longer to work your way up to a 5 km race, that’s fine! Take as long as you need to slowly improve your fitness and achieve the 5 km goal.

Week 1

The first week of your plan eases you into more high-intensity training. Aim to train three times over the week for 30 minutes each time, leaving at least one day in between training sessions. You should have four rest days in total.

Start by practicing walk-runs, where you run for a set period of time, then walk to catch your breath. Try starting with running for 15 seconds and walking for 45 seconds and repeating this cycle every minute for a goal of 30 minutes or less if you are new to running.  Adjust the walk-run ratio based on your comfort level for your next training session.

Week 2

During the second week, add a 30-minute walk to one of your rest days. Continue with your walk-runs but try to increase the length of time that you are running for during each training session.

Week 3

In the third week, add another  30-minute walk to one of your rest days.  Continue with your walk-runs but try to increase the length of time that you are running for during each training session.

Week 4

This week you will start adding a longer walk-run to your routine. Pick one of your 30 minutes walk-run days, and instead of exercising based on time, you will be exercising based on distance for a goal of completing 5km.  For the next couple of weeks you will be completing a longer walk-run, every 7 days, so pick a day when you have some extra time each week.

Week 5

For this week you will complete 2 x 30 minute walk-runs; 2 x 30 minute walks and one 5.5km run.  Why a longer distance?  It will help you build endurance and boost your self-confidence, too!

Week 6

In the final week of your preparation, continue with your training plan from Week 4.  If possible, try to do your long run following the route of the actual 5km race you will be participating in. This will help you to feel confident that you can achieve the 5 km on race day!