Tool
9-week 5K plan builder: your dates, your days, your pace
Choose when you start and which three days you can run. The table below fills in with a date for every session.
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
How the number is calculated
Sessions are placed on the next available run day from your start date, three per week for nine weeks. Distance per session = run minutes ÷ your pace + walk minutes ÷ an 18:00 walking mile, including the 5-minute warm-up and cool-down walks.
Frequently asked questions
Which three days are best?
Any three with a rest day between them — Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday are the common choices. The day off between sessions matters more than which days they are.
What if I miss a session?
Do it on the next run day and let everything slide by one. If you miss a week or more, use the restart table to see which week to go back to, then rebuild the plan from that date.
What does the calendar file contain?
One event per session with the run/walk breakdown in the notes and a reminder 30 minutes before. The free file covers week 1; it opens in Apple Calendar, Google Calendar and Outlook.