Wondering how you can run 5km as a beginner? It’s not as bad as you might initially think!
If you’re an absolute beginner like I was, it can be incredibly daunting to start out. Where should you go? How fast are you supposed to run? How do you manage your breathing? What if your face goes bright red and you spend the entire time looking like a tomato? (Yes, I’m guilty of all of those!)
There’s no denying that it’s hard work. But it is manageable, and it is achievable. If you’ve read some of my older blog posts like my Couch to 5km Story So Far, or How To Start 2024 the Right Way, you’ll know I’ve been working at this for quite a while.
And I finally did it – I ran 5km a couple of weeks ago!
With no prior experience, I’m here today to share my top tips for how to run 5km as a beginner.
Follow a program
Not sure how to start out? You’re not alone. I have found the Couch to 5km plan hugely helpful, particularly as I had no idea how to begin.
The great thing about this app is that it eases you in gently, building up the distance and time as you progress through the weeks.
The target may be reaching 5km or 30 minutes within 9 weeks, but following that schedule doesn’t work out for everyone. I loved that you could repeat previous runs from the week if you weren’t confident progressing just yet, and even go back and do a shorter distance if you felt like it.
Whilst you’re out on the run, you’re given helpful reminders and the motivation to push just that little bit further. If you think running 5km is impossible, this is an ideal place to start.
Using a program is a great way to ease into running, gradually increasing the distance and avoiding injury from pushing too hard, too fast!
Plan your routes
It might sound obvious, but before heading out, you need to plan your route ahead. After all, focusing on running is a challenge enough in itself.
If you haven’t planned your route out beforehand, you may spend a lot of time worrying about where to turn next or which path goes where.
There have been multiple occasions where I have gone out and ended up running further than I originally thought. Rather than focusing on my breathing and pacing, I’ve then been worried about where to go next to maintain the target distance.
Now having completed 5km, there are a couple of ways I’ve planned ahead. The first was looking up local routes in my area, and adapting them to suit me better (for example, avoiding hills… I’m not ready to tackle them yet!)
The other way I have done this is finding a route that’s pretty much straight and following it for half the distance. Then you can simply turn around and run the other half on the way back – without the added panic about finding the next turning.
Whether it’s the same 5 times around a park, up and down a straight road, or you’ve mapped out a route through your neighbourhood, planning ahead is key. As long as you have an idea of where you’re going before you head out, you can focus on the important part – the running.
Start slow and stay slow
When I first started out, I definitely took it too far and used up all my energy at the beginning of my runs. Pacing is everything.
Start out as slowly as possible, even if it means barely more than a walk. You might think it’s pointless and that you look silly, but if it means you can carry on throughout the entire duration, it’s the right pace for you!
As you run more and more you can increase your stamina, but only if it feels right. I’ve only completed 2 5km runs so far, and they have taken me 42 minutes and 44 minutes respectively. In an ideal world I would like to work on shaving some of that time off, but for now, the important thing is getting it done.
Running 5km slow is still running 5km!
Be persistent
If you’ve never run before, it’s unlikely you’ll step out the door and run 5km straight away. I first decided to take on the challenge in April 2023, and ended up completing it a year and a half later!
Throughout this time, I was always so worried about how I might look, what people would think of me slowly trailing along the side of road. I hated coming across other people whilst I was out and about. At times, it put me off running altogether.
So, I know that there will always be setbacks. Everyone always tells you to make it a habit, but that’s easier said than done. Even committing to 3 runs a week (as Couch to 5km suggests) can be difficult for some.
The reasons why don’t matter. Whether it’s something that’s come up and you can’t do anything about it, or you’re just not feeling it some days. It only becomes a problem if you choose to give up entirely – rest assured, there’s nothing wrong with taking a break.
However, be persistent and be patient. Don’t push yourself too hard, because you’ll set yourself up for failure and likely be put off altogether.
It’s a hard thing to be able to run 5km as a beginner, so give yourself grace, listen to your body and take each run as it comes to be able to progress onto the next.
Do it, and do it again!
The only way you’ll see it through is if you keep it up. The only way you’ll improve is if you keep it up.
Again, that could be by doing 3 runs a week, or only 2 longer runs a month. It’s whatever suits your schedule and your end goal.
5km might be your initial target, but what’s stopping you once you reach that point? For me, I’ve always wanted to run 5km, and now I’ve done it! I’m an incredibly slow runner, so now I want to try and shorten my time.
As a beginner, I never thought I’d get to this position. 5km has taken me longer than I thought, but I completed it nonetheless. Now it’s time to do it again!
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