5K training plans
Free 5k plans by length and by level. Every page has a week-by-week table from the plan generator and a prefilled form to rebuild it around your race date, run days and goal time. Printable, no signup.
Build your free 5k plan
Same engine as every plan on this site, but with your race date, your run days and your longest recent run. Prints to PDF, exports to your calendar. No signup.
How to train for a 5K run with these plans
Choose by where you start. The couch to 5K plan begins with short runs and is the right pick if running a mile sounds hard today. The beginner plan suits anyone who already jogs now and then and wants to run the whole distance without stopping. The intermediate plan is for a time goal and adds one faster session a week. Every page has the generator prefilled for the distance, so you can rebuild the table around your own run days and print it.
Interval training for a 5K race
Short repeats with a jog between them are the one hard session in the plans for runners who have raced before. The plan puts that session mid-week, away from the long run, and only when you run four or more days; beginners get easy running only, because for a first 5K the distance is the workout. The pace for the repeats is set a little faster than your goal race pace, and the goal itself comes from the 5K pace chart.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prepare for a 5K if I am not running yet?
Start with the couch to 5K plan: short runs with walking breaks that grow week by week, three days a week, with a single easy week before the race.
Is a 5K a marathon?
No. A 5K is a little over three miles; a marathon is a different race many times longer. The 5K distance guide has the exact figures.
General training guidance generated from the inputs, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a new training program.