← Full plan

WEEK 9 OF 9

Couch to 5K Week 9: Workouts and What to Expect

Race week: 30 min continuous run. All three sessions are identical this week.

Run Walk Warm-up / cool-down
  1. Day 1

    Confidence run

    30 min continuous run

    Total workout
    40 min
    Time running
    30 min
    Intervals
    3
    Full interval breakdown
    1. Warm-up walk5 min
    2. Run30 min
    3. Cool-down walk5 min
  2. Day 2

    Race rehearsal

    30 min continuous run

    Total workout
    40 min
    Time running
    30 min
    Intervals
    3
    Full interval breakdown
    1. Warm-up walk5 min
    2. Run30 min
    3. Cool-down walk5 min
  3. Day 3

    Your first 5K

    30 min continuous run

    Total workout
    40 min
    Time running
    30 min
    Intervals
    3
    Full interval breakdown
    1. Warm-up walk5 min
    2. Run30 min
    3. Cool-down walk5 min

What to expect in week 9

The last week is three 30-minute runs, two minutes longer than week 8, and in Pace the final session is simply called Your first 5K.

Two minutes is the gentlest step up the plan has left, which is a kind way to finish: you ran 28 minutes three times last week, so Day 1 is barely new. Run the first two sessions exactly the way you've been running them. Then on Day 3, go slow, and let it be enjoyable rather than a test.

Nine weeks ago, the plan asked you for sixty seconds.