Week 1: 5K Walk Training Schedule for Beginners

6 weeks to the ENY 5K on Saturday, October 2nd – Here’s how to get ready!

Train to Enjoy Your First 5-Kilometer Walk

By Wendy Bumgardner,
Reviewed by Michele Stanten,
Updated on April 30, 2020.

6 weeks to the ENY 5K on Saturday October 2nd – Here’s how to get ready!

How Far Is a 5K Walk?

The K in 5K stands for a kilometer, which is a little over half a mile. Five kilometers equals 3.1 miles. At a typical walking pace, you can walk it in 45 minutes. If you are a slower walker, you might take 60 minutes or more.

When choosing a 5K event, make sure it welcomes walkers and has a long enough time limit so you can comfortably finish. Not all events keep streets open long enough for slower walkers. Of course, our East NY one will!

Training Goals

The good news is that the basic training for a 5K walk includes the amount of exercise recommended as the minimum amount to reduce your health risks and maintain optimum health.
When you complete this training, you’ll:

• Be able to walk a 5K walk (3.1 miles) in one hour or less.
• Improve your walking posture and form.
• Finish a 5K walk feeling energized rather than exhausted.

Training Schedule

This schedule is for beginners who are normally active without significant health complaints but who do not regularly engage in fitness walking. If you have a health condition, seek medical advice before starting an exercise program.

You will begin to increase the time you spend walking each week before working on speed. If you find any week to be difficult, repeat that week rather than adding more time, until you are able to progress comfortably.

Week 1: Getting Started

• Weekly total goal: 60 to 75 minutes
• Start with 15-minute walks at an easy pace.
• Walk four to five days the first week.
• Spread out your rest days, such as making day three a rest day and day six a rest day. You are building a habit, so consistency is important.

It is common problem for beginners to feel shin pain during their first week or two of walking training. This is muscle fatigue because you’re using a new muscle. As your muscles become conditioned, this pain will likely go away.