A Sample (and simple) Beginners 5K Training Programme

Hi all,

First thing; Before you start you should set up a goal.
Having a goal before you start any exercise programme can bring you great motivation and in many cases can make the difference between success and fail.
If you are someone starting an exercise programme for the first time or if you are just returning back into exercise after a long break it can be a hard and daunting experience. How I start it? How long should I run? What is pace? They are all normal questions, so if you have this kind of questions, don't worry, you are not alone.
The best thing about starting out on a beginners programme is that terms like walk and rest are used a lot. This sample (and simple) programme last eight weeks and is aimed to get you to the finish line. It assumes that you have no major health problems (please, I will always advise you to speak with your doctor before start any exercise programme), are in reasonable shape, and have done some jogging or walking beforehand.
The programme is just a suggestion and you can adapt it to suit your work and home life and the days of week that is convenient for you to exercise.
As with any exercise programmes you must always do some gentle warm up movements beforehand and some stretching exercises to warm-down afterwards.
It's never later to start. You can do it.

Some terms to remind:

Walk: Brisk walking pace (faster than walking to the newsagents).
Jog: Gentle running pace (able to chat easily throughout).
Walk/Jog: Periods of walking followed by periods of jogging (vary the times and number of walks and jogs depending on total target time/distance).
Run: Faster pace than jogging but still able to chat (not continuously though!).
Rest: Either a day off exercise completely or other exercise such as swimming, aerobics or cycling. 

Beginners: sample 5k programme

Weeks until run	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
8	REST	1 mile walk/jog	REST	1 mile walk/jog	REST	30 minute walk	1 mile walk/jog
7	REST	1 mile walk/jog	REST	1 mile walk/jog	REST	30 minute walk	1 mile walk/jog
6	REST	1 mile walk/jog	REST	1 mile jog/run	REST	40 minute walk	1 mile jog/run
5	REST	11⁄2 mile walk/jog	REST	1 mile jog/run	REST	40 minute walk	11⁄2 mile jog/run
4	REST	11⁄2 mile walk/jog	REST	11⁄2 mile jog/run	REST	50 minute walk	2 mile jog/run
3	REST	11⁄2 mile walk/jog	REST	11⁄2 mile jog/run	REST	50 minute walk	2 mile run
2	REST	2 mile walk/jog	REST	2 mile jog/run	REST	60 minute walk	21⁄2 mile run
1	REST	2 mile walk/jog	REST	11⁄2 mile walk/jog	REST	REST	5k run

As I mentioned before; you should adapt the programme around your life and the days of week that is most convenient for you to exercise. Don't worry too much about exact distances, just try to cover the approximate time for each distance stated at your normal running pace. And remember, as with any physical activity programme please consult your GP before commencing if you have any health concerns.

All the best and let's run and smile!