Free 5K Training Plan

Generate a free personalized 5K training plan. 8–12 week periodized schedule for beginners to advanced runners. Export to Google Calendar.

The 5K is the perfect race for runners at every level. Whether you're running your first 5K or chasing a PR, a structured training plan makes the difference.

8–12 week 5K training schedule
Beginner to advanced options
Interval-focused workouts to build speed
Export to Google or Apple Calendar

How to Build a 5K Training Plan

Generate a personalized 5K training plan

Select 5K: Choose 5K as your goal race distance
Set your race date: Enter when your 5K is
Choose your days: Pick which days you can train
Generate plan: Get a complete 8–12 week schedule with exact paces

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to train for a 5K?

Most 5K training plans run 8–12 weeks. Complete beginners who are just starting to run should use 10–12 weeks. Runners with a base of easy mileage can use an 8-week plan focused on speed development.

What is a good 5K time for a beginner?

A first 5K finish is a great achievement regardless of time. Beginners typically finish in 35–45 minutes. A sub-30 minute 5K (6:00/km) is a common intermediate goal. Use the VDOT Calculator with any race time to get your optimal training paces.

How many days per week should I run for a 5K?

Three to four days per week is ideal for 5K training. More than that increases injury risk for developing runners. Key sessions: one interval workout, one tempo run, one long run (relatively speaking), and one easy recovery run.

Plan length and phase structure

Plan length and phase split by race and fitness level (weeks)
Race	Level	Total	Base	Development	Sharpening	Taper
5K	Beginner	8	2	2	2	1
5K	Intermediate	10	3	2	3	1
5K	Advanced	12	4	3	3	1
10K	Beginner	10	3	2	3	1
10K	Intermediate	12	4	3	3	1
10K	Advanced	14	5	4	3	1
Half Marathon	Beginner	12	4	3	2	2
Half Marathon	Intermediate	14	4	3	4	2
Half Marathon	Advanced	16	5	4	4	2
Marathon	Beginner	16	5	4	4	2
Marathon	Intermediate	18	6	5	4	2
Marathon	Advanced	20	7	5	5	2

Method and sources

The numbers on this page are computed with the same code as the TrainPace calculators, from these published methods. They are training guidance, not medical advice.

Daniels, J. Daniels' Running Formula. Human Kinetics — VDOT, training zones, and equivalent race times.
Daniels, J. & Gilbert, J. (1979). Oxygen Power: Performance Tables for Distance Runners — the oxygen-cost and %VO2max equations behind VDOT.

Other TrainPace tools

For AI agents

Every public page on this site has a Markdown mirror at the same path with a .md suffix (for example /calculator.md), and honors an Accept: text/markdown request header on the HTML URL. The calculations here are also available as callable tools through a free public MCP server — no account or API key.