A 6-week plan that is cold-proof and laziness-proof to take you from the couch to your first consecutive 5 km, without suffering and while having fun.
- The Method: Alternating walking/running to accustom the body gradually.
- The Commitment: 3 runs per week, about 30-40 minutes each.
- The Goal: Run 5 km (or 30 minutes) non-stop by the sixth week.
- The Gear: Just a pair of the right running shoes.
- The Secret: Consistency beats speed. Always.
Rule #1: Starting Too Slow Is Better Than Starting Too Fast
January is a cruel month for resolutions. It’s cold, it gets dark early, and the enthusiasm of “New Year, New Me” risks crashing against reality by the second run.
The classic mistake? Leaving the house, running out of breath for 10 minutes, feeling like you’re dying, returning home with the taste of blood in your throat, and swearing “never again.”
Forget everything you think about running. You don’t have to suffer.
The biggest obstacle isn’t the distance; it’s the First Step. The one that gets you off the couch.
Running is a “controlled fall forward”: if you try to run too fast before knowing how to manage this fall, you’ll get hurt or lose interest.
Our goal isn’t to make you run fast. It’s to make you run tomorrow. And the day after. And in a month. To do this, we must cheat fatigue by alternating it with walking.
The 6-Week Plan (The Chart)
This program is based on 3 weekly runs. I recommend always leaving at least one rest day between workouts (e.g., Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday).
Always start every session with 5 minutes of brisk walking to warm up.
Week 1:
- Alternate: 1 minute slow run + 2 minutes walking.
- Repeat 8 times. (Total: 24 min + warm-up)
Week 2:
- Alternate: 2 minutes slow run + 2 minutes walking.
- Repeat 6 times.
Week 3:
- Alternate: 3 minutes slow run + 2 minutes walking.
- Repeat 5 times.
Week 4:
- Alternate: 5 minutes slow run + 2 minutes walking.
- Repeat 4 times.
Week 5:
- Alternate: 8 minutes slow run + 2 minutes walking.
- Repeat 3 times.
Week 6:
- Run 1: 15 min run, 2 min walk, 15 min run.
- Run 2: 20 min run, 2 min walk, 10 min run.
- Run 3 (The Test): Try to run 5 km (or 30-35 minutes) without stopping. If you need to walk, do it. But you’ll see that you can make it.
How to Know If You’re Overdoing It
How do you know if that “slow” is slow enough?
Use the Talk Test. While running, you must be able to exchange a few words with a hypothetical running partner without gasping. If you can only grunt monosyllables or are out of breath, you are going too fast. Slow down.
Our body is designed to move, but it needs to be reminded gently.
If you feel sharp pain (not simple muscle fatigue), stop. Running shouldn’t hurt.
What to Do If You Skip a Week
It happens. A cold, a crazy week at work, a sick child. Don’t panic and, above all, don’t try to catch up.
If you skip a workout, never mind. Continue with the program.
If you skip a whole week (or more), don’t pick up where you left off. Your body has lost a bit of adaptation. Go back one week in the program (e.g., if you skipped Week 4, restart from Week 3).
It is an act of humility that will save you from injury.
Shoes and Clothing: The Bare Essentials
Running is democratic and simple: you don’t need an expensive membership, you just need shoes.
Don’t run in the casual sneakers you wear for happy hour. You risk getting hurt. Go to a specialized store and get advice on a neutral or stable shoe (based on your gait). It is the only real necessary investment.
For winter clothing, the onion rule (or “layering”) applies.
Remember that the perceived temperature while running is about 10 degrees (Celsius) higher than the outside temperature. So, when you leave the house, you should feel a little cold. If you feel fine standing still, after 5 minutes of running you’ll be in a sauna.
Cover your extremities well (hands, head, throat) and you are ready to conquer winter.
Happy running!