Lesson 11 · Resources · 5 km plans
Your first 5 km
Build towards 5 km with easy running and generous walking breaks. Progress is about time on your feet, not speed or removing every walk break.
- Length
- 10 weeks
- Running days
- 3 a week
- Approach
- Easy completion
Before you begin
You can walk comfortably for 30 minutes. You do not need to run continuously. Make room for three easy outings each week.
These starting requirements describe this general plan, not an individual health assessment. Build a consistent base first if they do not fit your current running.
How the plan fits together
Short run-walk blocks build familiarity before longer blocks. Weeks 4 and 7 step back; the last week reduces practice before the event. The final 5 km may remain run-walk.
No finish-time target or personalised pace is assumed.
Effort, recovery and looking after yourself
Easy means a comfortable effort with room to talk in sentences. Slow down or use walking breaks to keep that effort. No finish time or personal pace is prescribed.
Warm-up and cool-down are included, not extra work. For distance sessions, start and finish with at least five gentle minutes within the listed distance. Timed sessions state their full warm-up, work and cool-down.
Rest days have no scheduled running. Optional gentle movement is a choice, not another workout. If recovery is poor, take rest rather than forcing a session.
Do not double up after missed sessions. If you miss several, reassess your preparation and event date instead of trying to catch up. Stop running when pain develops; seek qualified advice for persistent pain or health concerns.
Practise your own food, drink and equipment choices during preparation. Choose safe routes and a way home if you stop. This general plan cannot assess your health or individual readiness.
Weekly totals separate kilometres and timed session duration. Timed sessions include any walking, warm-up, cool-down and easy recoveries, not just running. Do not add kilometres and minutes together or treat timed sessions as zero distance. A week containing timed sessions has no complete kilometre total without your actual distance.
These general references inform effort, looking after yourself and reducing training before an event. They do not supply or endorse this RGN schedule, promise a result or establish that it is suitable for everyone.
Your 10 weeks
Every day is here. Session times and distances include their warm-up and cool-down; they are not extra work.
Week 130 min Sunday
0 km + 82 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 8 repeats of 1 minute easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 8 repeats of 1 minute easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 10 repeats of 1 minute easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 231 min Sunday
0 km + 87 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 6 repeats of 2 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 6 repeats of 2 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 7 repeats of 2 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 334 min Sunday
0 km + 94 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 5 repeats of 3 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 5 repeats of 3 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 6 repeats of 3 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 430 min Sunday
0 km + 82 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 4 repeats of 3 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 4 repeats of 3 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 5 repeats of 3 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 540 min Sunday
0 km + 108 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 4 repeats of 5 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 4 repeats of 5 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 5 repeats of 5 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 643 min Sunday
0 km + 123 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 9 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 740 min Sunday
0 km + 108 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 6 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 6 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 8 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 850 min Sunday
0 km + 136 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 10 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 3 repeats of 10 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 2 repeats of 18 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 954 min Sunday
0 km + 132 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 2 repeats of 15 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 2 repeats of 12 minutes easy running and 1 minute walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
5 minutes gentle walking, then 2 repeats of 20 minutes easy running and 2 minutes walking, then 5 minutes gentle walking. Walking more is welcome; do not force continuous running.
Week 10Event Sunday
5 km + 35 minutes of timed session duration. Minutes include any walking and recoveries. This is not a complete kilometre total; timed sessions have no invented distance.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
20 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 10 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
15 minutes total: 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging, 5 minutes easy running with walking breaks as needed, then 5 minutes gentle walking or jogging.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
No scheduled running today. Gentle everyday movement is optional, not another workout.
Your event day. Start at an effort you can sustain. Walking breaks are welcome. Follow your own event preparation and stop if health or safety concerns arise.
About this plan
Written for RGN as a general 5 km plan, not individual coaching or a promise of a result. Later changes never rewrite your saved copy.
General references: CDC guide to relative effort, NHS running injury guidance, Research on tapering in endurance athletes. These sources do not endorse this schedule.