How long does Couch to 5K take?

Nine weeks at three sessions a week, from 20 minutes with one-minute runs in week 1 to 30 minutes of non-stop running in week 9. Many people repeat a week or two, so 10 to 12 weeks is normal.

What if I can't finish a week?

Repeat it. The plan works because each step is small, and a week repeated costs nothing. Slow down before you skip: if you cannot talk in short sentences while running, you are going too fast.

Will I run 5 kilometres at the end?

The plan ends with 30 minutes of non-stop running. Whether that covers 5 km depends on your pace: at 6 minutes per kilometre it does. If not, keep adding a few minutes to your runs until it does.

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Couch to 5K Plan: 9 Weeks, Week by Week

By EverRun Team · October 21, 2026 · 5 min read

Couch to 5K takes you from not running at all to 30 minutes of non-stop running in nine weeks, with three short sessions a week. It works because every step is small: you run for a minute, walk until you're ready, and the running slowly grows while the walking shrinks. Here is the whole plan, how to pace it, and a calculator for the day you finish.

The plan

Every session starts with a brisk 5-minute walk to warm up. Do three sessions a week with a rest day between them, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Week	Each session	Total time
1	Run 1 min, walk 1½ min, 4 times	20 min
2	Run 1½ min, walk 2 min, 3 times	20 min
3	Run 2 min, walk 2 min, 3 times	21 min
4	Run 3 min, walk 1½, run 5 min, walk 2½, run 3 min, walk 1½	23 min
5	Run 5 min, walk 3 min, 3 times	25 min
6	Run 8 min, walk 3 min, run 10 min	28 min
7	Run 20 min without stopping	30 min
8	Run 25 min without stopping	35 min
9	Run 30 min without stopping	40 min

Total time includes the warm-up walk and the walking at the end. Week 6 to week 7 is the biggest jump in the plan, so if you need to repeat a week, it is usually week 6.

When will you finish?

Pick the Monday you start and see the date of your first 30-minute run. Starting the first week of January puts you at the finish by early March, in time for a spring 5K.

Start date

Milestone	Date
First session	–
First 20 minutes non-stop (week 7)	–
First 30 minutes non-stop (week 9)	–

How fast should you run?

Slower than you think. Run at a pace where you could still speak in short sentences. Nobody fails Couch to 5K by running too slowly; most people who stop were going too fast in the early weeks. The heart rate zone calculator shows what easy looks like in beats per minute, and our Zone 2 guide explains why easy running is what builds you up.

Rules that keep you going

Repeat a week whenever you need to. Nine weeks is a guide, not a deadline.
Rest days are part of the plan. Your legs adapt between runs, not during them.
Walk the hills in the early weeks, and pick flat routes while the runs are short.
A little soreness is normal; sharp pain is not. Stop, and rest or get it looked at before carrying on.

After week 9

Thirty minutes non-stop is enough to run a 5K at around 6 minutes per kilometre. If you're slower, add a few minutes to one run a week until the distance is covered. Then pick a race: the race time predictor turns your first 5K into a goal for a 10K or a half, and the pace calculator turns a goal into splits.

Following the plan in EverRun

EverRun's plan library includes this 9-week Couch to 5K plan for free. You choose your three days and it fills your calendar, then follow-on plans like Bridge to 10K are there when you're ready. It reads your workouts from Apple Health on iPhone or Health Connect on Android, so each run your watch or phone saves shows up in your history.

General training education, not medical advice. If you have a heart condition, an injury or another health concern, talk to a clinician before you start a running plan.