Below is an eight-week training schedule to help get you to the finish line. It assumes that you can already run at least 1.5 miles. If you've never run before, follow this step-by-step plan for building a running base. If you can only run for 5 minutes at a time, you may want to try this 5K Training E-mail Course. If those programs don't seem challenging enough for your running level, try this advanced beginner 5K training schedule.
If you haven't had a recent physical, visit your doctor to get cleared for running.
Notes about the schedule:
Mondays and Fridays: Mondays and Fridays are rest days. Rest is critical to your recovery and injury prevention efforts, so don't ignore rest days. Your muscles actually build and repair themselves during your rest days. So if you run every day without taking days off, you won’t see much improvement.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays: After you warm up, run at a comfortable pace for the designated mileage. Make sure you cool down and stretch after your run.
Each week, you'll increase your runs by a quarter mile, which is a lap on most outdoor tracks. If most of your runs are on the road and you’re not sure how far you run, you can figure out the mileage by using sites such as MapMyRun.com. Or, you can always drive your route in your car and measure the mileage using your car odometer.
Wednesdays: Do a cross-training (CT) activity (biking, swimming, elliptical trainer) at easy to moderate effort for 30 to 40 minutes. If you're feeling very sluggish or sore, take a rest day.
Sundays: This is an active recovery day. Your run should be at an easy (EZ), comfortable pace, which helps loosen up your muscles. Or, you can do a run/walk combination.
Note:
You can switch days to accommodate your schedule. So if you're busy on another day and prefer to workout on a Monday or Friday, it's fine to swap a rest day for a run day.
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| 1 | Rest | 1.5 mi run | CT or Rest | 1.5 mi run | Rest | 1.5 mi run | 20-30 min EZ |
| 2 | Rest | 1.75 mi run | CT or Rest | 1.5 mi run | Rest | 1.75 mi run | 20-30 min EZ |
| 3 | Rest | 2 mi run | CT or Rest | 1.5 mi run | Rest | 2 mi run | 20-30 min EZ |
| 4 | Rest | 2.25 mi run | CT or Rest | 1.5 mi run | Rest | 2.25 mi run | 25-35 min EZ |
| 5 | Rest | 2.5 mi run | CT or Rest | 2 mi run | Rest | 2.5 mi run | 25-35 min EZ |
| 6 | Rest | 2.75 mi run | CT | 2 mi run | Rest | 2.75 mi run | 35-40 min EZ |
| 7 | Rest | 3 mi run | CT | 2 mi run | Rest | 3 mi run | 40 min EZ |
| 8 | Rest | 3 mi run | CT or Rest | 2 mi run | Rest | Rest | 5K Race! |
