Week 3 of 9
Week 3 of the beginner 5K plan
Week 3 is three sessions, each one: 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min). That adds up to 27 minutes of running for the week, and the longest stretch without a walk break is 3 minutes.
Week 3, day by day
Each lane is one session, to scale in minutes · warm-up and cool-down are the faint dashes- Day 1 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min) 9 min running28 min door to door3 min longest run
- Day 2 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min) 9 min running28 min door to door3 min longest run
- Day 3 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min) 9 min running28 min door to door3 min longest run
| Day | Workout (after warm-up) | Run min | Walk min | Total min | Miles at 15:00 | Miles at 13:00 | Miles at 11:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min) | 9 | 9 | 28 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Day 2 | 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min) | 9 | 9 | 28 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Day 3 | 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min) | 9 | 9 | 28 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
Total includes 5-minute warm-up and cool-down walks · walking counted at an 18:00 mile
Minutes of running per session around week 3 (min)
What week 3 asks of you
Week 3 changes the shape of the session. Instead of equal repeats, you do a 90-second run, a 90-second walk, a 3-minute run, and a 3-minute walk, then the whole block once more. Total running stays at 9 minutes, the same as Week 2, but the longest run doubles from 90 seconds to 3 minutes. Walking between runs falls from 12 to 9 minutes, so walk and run are now an even split, and the session is the shortest yet at 28 minutes. The 3-minute runs are where people feel it. Anyone who has been pushing their pace through short runs will notice the second minute of each long one.
The jump from week 2
| Week 2 | Week 3 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running minutes, whole week | 27 | 27 | +0 |
| Longest run without a walk break (min) | 1.5 | 3 | ×2.0 |
| Walk-break minutes, whole week | 36 | 27 | |
| Door-to-door minutes per session | 31 | 28 |
Week 3 is one of the steep steps of the plan: running time for the week goes from 27 to 27 minutes and the longest single run from 1.5 to 3. Session length barely moves, so the extra running comes out of the walk breaks. If any week earns a repeat, it is one with numbers like these.
Day 1: 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min)
First 3-minute runs. Session 7 of 27 · 9 min running · 28 min door to door.
The pattern changes today. You run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes, and repeat that block once. Running stays at 9 minutes, but your longest run doubles from 90 seconds to 3 minutes. Walking between runs falls from 12 minutes to 9, and the session is 28 minutes, the shortest yet. The first 3-minute run starts at minute 8. The second starts at minute 17 and is usually the hardest stretch, because the short run-walk pair just before it gives little rest.
Compared with the session before (week 2 day 3), running time goes from 9 to 9 minutes and the longest unbroken run from 1.5 to 3 minutes.
| # | Segment | Length | Starts at | Ends at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-up walk | 5:00 | 0:00 | 5:00 |
| 2 | Run | 1:30 | 5:00 | 6:30 |
| 3 | Walk | 1:30 | 6:30 | 8:00 |
| 4 | Run | 3:00 | 8:00 | 11:00 |
| 5 | Walk | 3:00 | 11:00 | 14:00 |
| 6 | Run | 1:30 | 14:00 | 15:30 |
| 7 | Walk | 1:30 | 15:30 | 17:00 |
| 8 | Run | 3:00 | 17:00 | 20:00 |
| 9 | Walk | 3:00 | 20:00 | 23:00 |
| 10 | Cool-down walk | 5:00 | 23:00 | 28:00 |
Clock times from the moment you start the warm-up walk.
For a 3-minute run, start slower than you think and stay there. If you ran 90-second intervals at 4.6 mph, try 4.3 mph for the 3-minute ones. Use the 90-second runs as a dress rehearsal for the pace. At a 13:00 mile the whole session comes to about 1.75 miles. Check the talk test at minute two of each long run. If you can't finish a sentence, ease off.
| Run pace | Treadmill | Running distance | Whole session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 / mile | 4.0 mph | 0.60 mi | 1.66 mi (2.66 km) |
| 13:00 / mile | 4.6 mph | 0.69 mi | 1.75 mi (2.81 km) |
| 11:00 / mile | 5.5 mph | 0.82 mi | 1.87 mi (3.02 km) |
If a 3-minute run stalls at two minutes, walk 30 seconds and run the final 30 seconds slowly. If the second 3-minute run feels out of reach, walk 1 minute at minute 18:30, then finish. Next time, repeat Week 2 Day 3 once, then return here. More often than not, the fix is a slower start, not more walking.
After this session you will have run 60 of the plan's 489 total minutes.
Day 2: 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min)
Using the 3-minute walks. Session 8 of 27 · 9 min running · 28 min door to door.
Same session as Day 1, 28 minutes with two 3-minute runs. What is different is that you now know where the hard part is. If Day 1's second 3-minute run, from minute 17 to 20, felt harder than the first, plan around it. Use the 3-minute walk after the first long run, from minute 11 to 14, to bring your breathing all the way down before the second block. Expect the session to feel more even. It probably won't feel much easier yet.
Compared with the session before (week 3 day 1), running time goes from 9 to 9 minutes and the longest unbroken run from 3 to 3 minutes.
Run the two 3-minute runs at exactly the same pace and compare how each felt. At a 13:00 mile, 9 minutes of running covers about 0.69 miles; the full session with walks is about 1.75. On a treadmill, a 3.3 mph walk and 4.4 mph run is a fair middle setting. Walk the 3-minute breaks briskly, not slowly, so the next run does not feel like a cold start.
If both long runs went badly, move the pace down by a full minute per mile next time; from 13:00 to 14:00, for example. If only the second run broke, split it into 2 minutes running, 30 seconds walking, 1 minute running. Keep the total. Repeat Day 2 rather than attempting Day 3 if you split both long runs.
After this session you will have run 69 of the plan's 489 total minutes.
Day 3: 2 × (run 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min)
Last session before the Week 4 jump. Session 9 of 27 · 9 min running · 28 min door to door.
This is the final run of Week 3 and the last session before the plan's biggest single step. Today you still run 9 minutes in four pieces, 28 minutes in all. Next session, Week 4 Day 1, asks for 16 minutes of running with a longest run of 5 minutes and only 5.5 minutes of walking between runs. So today is about confidence. If both 3-minute runs, at minutes 8 and 17, feel steady, you're set. If the second still feels like a stretch, note it.
Compared with the session before (week 3 day 2), running time goes from 9 to 9 minutes and the longest unbroken run from 3 to 3 minutes.
Run today at the pace you'd like to use next week. If you can hold it for both 3-minute runs and still talk, it can carry you through Week 4's 5-minute runs. Somewhere between 13:00 and 15:00 per mile, 4.6 to 4.0 mph on a treadmill, is a reasonable band to try. At 15:00 per mile the session covers about 1.66 miles; at 11:00, about 1.87.
Do not carry a rough Day 3 into Week 4. If you had to walk during either 3-minute run, repeat this session before moving on. If the session felt fine but you are anxious about Week 4, you can also repeat Day 3 once for confidence. A repeat costs two days; struggling through Week 4 can cost more.
After this session you will have run 78 of the plan's 489 total minutes.
Repeat it or move on?
Repeat Week 3 if either 3-minute run ended early in two of the three sessions, or if you finished the second one only by speeding up to get it over with. You're ready for Week 4 when both 3-minute runs feel steady and you can talk in sentences through the final minute.
If a session goes badly, the stuck-week helper gives a specific next step for week 3.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Week 3 session shorter than Week 2?
Because walking time between runs drops from 12 to 9 minutes while running time stays at 9. That brings the total from 31 to 28 minutes. Shorter does not mean easier here: the share of time spent running goes up, and the longest single run doubles. Week 3 often feels harder than its length suggests.
What if I can only manage two minutes of the three-minute run?
Walk for 30 seconds, then finish the remaining minute at a slower jog. Count the run as done and try the same session again next time without the break. If it happens in every session, repeat Week 3 or go back to Week 2 for two sessions. Speed is the first thing to check: slower almost always helps.
Why is Week 3 Day 1 harder than Week 2?
Total running is the same, 9 minutes, but it comes in longer pieces. A 3-minute run is twice the longest run you have done so far, and the walk share between runs drops from about 57 percent to 50. The shorter session also means less time to settle. Slowing your pace takes care of most of it.
Is it normal for the second 3-minute run to feel much harder?
Yes. By minute 17 you have run 4.5 minutes, and the short run-walk pair before it does not leave much rest. Running the first 3-minute run a little slower usually makes the second one feel similar. Pace the first long run with the second one in mind.
How much harder is Week 4 than Week 3?
In running time, much harder: 16 minutes versus 9, about 78 percent more. The longest run goes from 3 to 5 minutes. Walking between runs drops from 9 to 5.5 minutes. It is the steepest step in the plan, so finishing Week 3 feeling comfortable matters more than finishing it on time.
Data sources
Data as of October 4, 2026
- FirstFiveK calculations (distance ÷ time)Own work · 2026-10
- CDC — Measuring Physical Activity Intensity (talk test)Public domain (US federal government) · 2026-10
- HHS — Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd editionPublic domain (US federal government) · 2026-10
- How ranks and averages are calculated