Week 4 of 9
Week 4 of the beginner 5K plan
Week 4 is three sessions, each one: run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min. That adds up to 48 minutes of running for the week, and the longest stretch without a walk break is 5 minutes.
Week 4, day by day
Each lane is one session, to scale in minutes · warm-up and cool-down are the faint dashes- Day 1 run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min 16 min running31.5 min door to door5 min longest run
- Day 2 run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min 16 min running31.5 min door to door5 min longest run
- Day 3 run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min 16 min running31.5 min door to door5 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 | run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min | 16 | 5.5 | 31.5 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Day 2 | run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min | 16 | 5.5 | 31.5 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Day 3 | run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min | 16 | 5.5 | 31.5 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
Total includes 5-minute warm-up and cool-down walks · walking counted at an 18:00 mile
Minutes of running per session around week 4 (min)
What week 4 asks of you
Week 4 is the steepest step in the plan. Running time goes from 9 minutes to 16, and walking between runs shrinks from 9 minutes to 5.5. The pattern is run 3, walk 90 seconds, run 5, walk 2.5, run 3, walk 90 seconds, run 5. The longest run grows from 3 to 5 minutes, and walking is now only about a quarter of the block between warm-up and cool-down. Sessions last 31.5 minutes. The final 5-minute run is the hard part, since it starts after only 90 seconds of walking. People who finished Week 3 with little to spare often need to repeat a session or two here, and that is normal.
The jump from week 3
| Week 3 | Week 4 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running minutes, whole week | 27 | 48 | +21 |
| Longest run without a walk break (min) | 3 | 5 | ×1.7 |
| Walk-break minutes, whole week | 27 | 16.5 | |
| Door-to-door minutes per session | 28 | 31.5 |
Week 4 is one of the steep steps of the plan: running time for the week goes from 27 to 48 minutes and the longest single run from 3 to 5. 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: run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min
16 minutes of running in four parts. Session 10 of 27 · 16 min running · 31.5 min door to door.
Today's session: run 3, walk 90 seconds, run 5, walk 2.5, run 3, walk 90 seconds, run 5. Running nearly doubles, from 9 minutes to 16. The longest run grows from 3 to 5 minutes, and walking between runs drops from 9 minutes to 5.5. Total time is 31.5 minutes. The first 5-minute run, from minute 9:30 to 14:30, is new ground. The last one, starting at 21:30 after only 90 seconds of walking, is the part people tend to dread. Expect it to feel tough even with good pacing.
Compared with the session before (week 3 day 3), running time goes from 9 to 16 minutes and the longest unbroken run from 3 to 5 minutes.
| # | Segment | Length | Starts at | Ends at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-up walk | 5:00 | 0:00 | 5:00 |
| 2 | Run | 3:00 | 5:00 | 8:00 |
| 3 | Walk | 1:30 | 8:00 | 9:30 |
| 4 | Run | 5:00 | 9:30 | 14:30 |
| 5 | Walk | 2:30 | 14:30 | 17:00 |
| 6 | Run | 3:00 | 17:00 | 20:00 |
| 7 | Walk | 1:30 | 20:00 | 21:30 |
| 8 | Run | 5:00 | 21:30 | 26:30 |
| 9 | Cool-down walk | 5:00 | 26:30 | 31:30 |
Clock times from the moment you start the warm-up walk.
Slow down from Week 3 by 30 to 60 seconds per mile. If you ran 13:00 miles, try 13:30 to 14:00 today, roughly 4.4 to 4.3 mph on a treadmill. The goal is to finish the second 5-minute run, not to be quick. At a 13:00 mile, the 16 minutes of running covers about 1.23 miles; the whole session, about 2.09. Use the talk test in the third minute of each 5-minute run.
| Run pace | Treadmill | Running distance | Whole session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 / mile | 4.0 mph | 1.07 mi | 1.93 mi (3.10 km) |
| 13:00 / mile | 4.6 mph | 1.23 mi | 2.09 mi (3.37 km) |
| 11:00 / mile | 5.5 mph | 1.45 mi | 2.32 mi (3.73 km) |
If the final 5-minute run is out of reach, walk 1 minute at its midpoint, then finish the remaining time. That turns it into 2.5 plus 2.5. If the first 5-minute run also broke, finish the session and repeat Week 3 Day 3 next, then return. Repeating Week 4 Day 1 two or three times is common and costs nothing but time.
After this session you will have run 94 of the plan's 489 total minutes.
Day 2: run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min
The second 16-minute session. Session 11 of 27 · 16 min running · 31.5 min door to door.
The workout is unchanged from Day 1: 16 minutes of running in pieces of 3, 5, 3, and 5, with walks of 90 seconds, 2.5 minutes, and 90 seconds. What changes is the starting point. You have done it once, and your legs may still remember. The first 3-minute run often feels flat. The 2.5-minute walk from minute 14:30 to 17 is the longest break you get, so use it fully. Compared with Week 3, this is still 7 more minutes of running per session.
Compared with the session before (week 4 day 1), running time goes from 16 to 16 minutes and the longest unbroken run from 5 to 5 minutes.
Run the first 3-minute piece as an extension of the warm-up, slower than the rest. Then settle into a pace you could hold while talking. At 15:00 per mile, 4.0 mph, the running portion covers about 1.07 miles and the session about 1.93. If Day 1's final run fell apart, cut today's pace by another 30 seconds per mile and see whether the last 5 minutes hold together.
If you cannot run the full 5 minutes the second time, try a planned split: run 3, walk 30 seconds, run 2. You keep almost all the running and get one short break. If the whole session felt worse than Day 1, take an extra rest day before Day 3. If Day 3 also struggles, repeat the week.
After this session you will have run 110 of the plan's 489 total minutes.
Day 3: run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min
Closing out the 5-minute runs. Session 12 of 27 · 16 min running · 31.5 min door to door.
This is the third time through the 3-5-3-5 pattern and the last session before Week 5 changes every day. You run 16 minutes in a 31.5-minute session. If Days 1 and 2 went well, today may feel like the first time Week 4 is actually manageable. Pay attention to the final 5-minute run, from minute 21:30 to 26:30. If it feels close to the first one, you are ready for Week 5, which starts with three 5-minute runs and longer 3-minute walks.
Compared with the session before (week 4 day 2), running time goes from 16 to 16 minutes and the longest unbroken run from 5 to 5 minutes.
Aim to run both 5-minute pieces at the same pace. That evenness is what the 8-minute runs in Week 5 Day 2 and the 20-minute run on Day 3 depend on. If you have been running 14:00 miles, about 4.3 mph, stay there. At 11:00 per mile the session covers about 2.32 miles, but speed is not the point. Can you say a sentence in the last minute? Good.
If you walked during a 5-minute run today, repeat this session once more. If you walked in two of the three Week 4 sessions, repeat the whole week. Week 5 Day 1 is a little gentler, with 15 minutes of running and 3-minute walks, so arriving with a clean Day 3 is not strictly required. Use your judgment.
After this session you will have run 126 of the plan's 489 total minutes.
Repeat it or move on?
Repeat Week 4 if you walked during either 5-minute run in two sessions, or if the last run felt like a fight from its first minute. You're ready for Week 5 when you complete all four runs in at least two sessions at a pace where short sentences are still possible.
If a session goes badly, the stuck-week helper gives a specific next step for week 4.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Week 4 feel so much harder than Week 3?
Because it is. You run 16 minutes instead of 9, which is about 78 percent more, and the walks between runs drop by more than a third. It is the largest single increase in the plan. Slowing your running pace by 30 to 60 seconds per mile is the most useful change you can make this week.
Is it fine to repeat Week 4?
Yes. Repeating a week costs you only a few days and makes the following weeks steadier. Week 5 ends with a 20-minute continuous run, so arriving there with Week 4 feeling comfortable is worth more than arriving on schedule. Repeat the full week or just the session that went badly.
Why is Week 4 Day 1 such a big jump?
Because running time goes from 9 minutes to 16 in one session, and the walks between runs shrink by more than a third. No other session in the plan adds that much running at once. It is supposed to be a stretch. Slower pacing and a full rest day before it are the two things that help most.
Is it bad if Week 4 Day 2 felt harder than Day 1?
No. Mid-week sessions often feel heavier because you arrive with some leftover fatigue and less excitement. The workout is the same. If you finished it, even slowly, it counts. If it felt much harder, check that you had a full day off between sessions and that you started slowly.
Can I move on to Week 5 if I did not finish every run in Week 4?
If you finished all four runs at least once and the misses were short walks near the end, yes. Week 5 Day 1 has slightly less running, 15 minutes, with longer 3-minute walks. If you missed whole runs in every session, repeat Week 4 first. Week 5 Day 3 asks for 20 minutes without a break.
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