Couch to 5K training plan
9 weeks, three run/walk sessions a week. For complete beginners. By the end you run 30 minutes without stopping.
- Length
- 9 weeks
- Sessions per week
- 3
- Peak week
- 13 km
- Longest run
- 30 min
Run/walk weeks alternate short runs with walking breaks. Continuous weeks drop the breaks and build to 30 minutes.
Week by week
| Week | Phase | Volume | Key session | Total running |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Run/walk | 6 km · 4 mi | 8 × 1 min run, 90 s walk | 8 min |
| 2 | Run/walk | 7 km · 4 mi | 6 × 90 s run, 2 min walk | 9 min |
| 3 | Run/walk | 7 km · 4 mi | 2 × (90 s, 3 min) with walks | 9 min |
| 4 | Run/walk | 8 km · 5 mi | 3 min, 5 min, 3 min, 5 min | 16 min |
| 5 | Continuous | 9 km · 6 mi | 3 × 5 min run | 15 min |
| 6 | Continuous | 10 km · 6 mi | 2 × 10 min run | 20 min |
| 7 | Continuous | 11 km · 7 mi | 25 min run | 25 min |
| 8 | Continuous | 12 km · 7 mi | 28 min run | 28 min |
| 9 | Continuous | 13 km · 8 mi | 30 min run | 5K |
A typical week
Run the key session and the long run as written. Easy runs fill the rest of the week’s volume, and rest days are part of the plan. Swap days to fit your week, but keep a rest or easy day between the key session and the long run.
| Monday | Rest day |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Run/walk session from the table |
| Wednesday | Rest day or a brisk walk |
| Thursday | Run/walk session from the table |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Rest day or a brisk walk |
| Sunday | Run/walk session from the table |
Can a complete beginner do Couch to 5K?
Yes. Week 1 asks for eight one-minute runs with walking breaks. If you can walk briskly for 30 minutes, you can start.
What if I can’t finish a week?
Repeat it. Finishing a week comfortably matters more than finishing the plan in nine weeks.
What to do after a missed sessionHow fast should I run?
Slow enough to talk in short sentences. Most beginners run too fast; walking breaks are part of the plan, not a failure.
Heart rate zones guideWhat comes after Couch to 5K?
Keep running three times a week for a few weeks, then move on to the 10K plan.
10K training planThis is a sample. Let the coach adapt it to you.
- Starting volume and easy pace come from your recent runs.
- Weeks count back from your race date.
- Every session syncs to the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
- Missed a session? The coach rearranges the week.