Beginner 5 km running program
Would you like to be able to run 5 km? Try this beginner 5 km running program, which in 8 weeks will take you from being able to walk/run 1-2 kilometers to being able to run 5 km without major difficulties..
How much should I train?
There are very different answers to this. It depends primarily on the following factors:
- Your current basic form
- How quickly you develop
- How easily you get injured
This running program is for those of you who cannot run 3 km without breaks yet. If you cannot run more than 500m, you should get hold of an easier 5 km running program.
What does this beginner 5 km running program include?
This is an 8 week training program that has been proven to be quite effective in the past. It assumes that you do not have any major physical injuries or illnesses. The training consists of 3 weekly training sessions. Your running training will primarily be light running and relatively a lot of walking.
When you are starting out it is very important that you do not overdo your training. This is a mistake that many people make (including myself). If you can avoid overdoing your training, I am confident that you will safely get through the 8 week training program for 5k beginners.
Other 5 km running programs: Experienced 5 km – Advanced 5 km
|
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
|
| Week1 | 10 min walk + 1 km run + 10 min walk | 2km run | 30 min walk |
| Week2 | 10 min walk + 1.5 km run + 10 min walk | 2km run | 35 min walk |
| Week3 | 10 min walk + 2 km run + 10 min walk | 3km run | 40 min walk |
| Week4 | 10 min walk + 2.5 km run + 10 min walk | 3km run | 45 min walk |
| Week 5 | 10 min walk + 1 km run + 10 min walk | 3km run | 50 minutes walk |
| Week 6 | 10 min walk + 2 km run + 10 min walk | 2km run | 55 min walk |
| Week 7 | 10 min walk + 3 km run + 10 min walk | 2km run | 60 minutes walk |
| Week 8 | 10 min walk + 4 km run + 10 min walk | Refund | 5 km race day |
A few comments on the running program
- Make sure you have 1 day break between all your training sessions. You are not allowed to train Monday + Tuesday + Thursday. When you have to train 3 times a week, it is much better for your development to train Monday + Wednesday + Saturday, for example.
- It may happen that after 6 weeks you have really good legs on one of your runs and feel like continuing. Be careful! I, and many others, have had bad experiences with being too brave. Even if it is “only” 5 km, and you may have already run 3 km, you need to be patient and follow the running program as best as possible.
If you have any questions about how to best get through your running training, ask them below and I will answer them in the best way possible.