Start running: nine weeks to 30 minutes

For people who do not run yet, or who run less than about an hour a week. Three days a week you walk, run a little, and walk again; the runs get longer and the walks shorter until you run for 30 minutes. The plan counts minutes, not kilometres or pace.

Your nine weeks

From Monday, 5 October 2026 to Sunday, 6 December 2026. Any date you pick moves to its Monday.

Calendar

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How each session works

  • Walk briskly for 5 minutes, do the run-walk set, then walk for 5 minutes.
  • Run slowly enough to talk in short sentences. Slower is fine; there is no pace to hit.
  • Leave at least one day between sessions.
  • If a week felt too hard, repeat it before moving on. Repeating a week is part of the plan.

  1. Week 1 · from 5 Oct

    • Mon Run-walk: 8 × 1 min run, 1½ min walk about 29 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 8 × 1 min run, 1½ min walk about 29 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 8 × 1 min run, 1½ min walk about 29 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  2. Week 2 · from 12 Oct

    • Mon Run-walk: 6 × 2 min run, 2 min walk about 32 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 6 × 2 min run, 2 min walk about 32 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 6 × 2 min run, 2 min walk about 32 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  3. Week 3 · from 19 Oct

    • Mon Run-walk: 5 × 3 min run, 2 min walk about 33 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 5 × 3 min run, 2 min walk about 33 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 5 × 3 min run, 2 min walk about 33 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  4. Week 4 · from 26 Oct

    • Mon Run-walk: 4 × 5 min run, 2½ min walk about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 4 × 5 min run, 2½ min walk about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 4 × 5 min run, 2½ min walk about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  5. Week 5 · from 2 Nov

    • Mon Run-walk: 3 × 8 min run, 2 min walk about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 3 × 8 min run, 2 min walk about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 3 × 8 min run, 2 min walk about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  6. Week 6 · from 9 Nov

    • Mon Run-walk: 2 × 12 min run, 2 min walk about 36 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 2 × 12 min run, 2 min walk about 36 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 2 × 12 min run, 2 min walk about 36 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  7. Week 7 · from 16 Nov

    • Mon Run-walk: 2 × 14 min run, 2 min walk about 40 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run-walk: 2 × 14 min run, 2 min walk about 40 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run-walk: 2 × 15 min run, 2 min walk about 42 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  8. Week 8 · from 23 Nov

    • Mon Run 22 minutes without walking about 32 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run 22 minutes without walking about 32 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run 24 minutes without walking about 34 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

  9. Week 9 · from 30 Nov

    • Mon Run 25 minutes without walking about 35 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Wed Run 28 minutes without walking about 38 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks
    • Sat Run 30 minutes without walking about 40 min with the warm-up and cool-down walks

After week nine

Keep three easy runs a week of about 30 minutes, and add about five minutes to one of them each week. When you run about two hours a week, enter that week in the free Evergreen plan, which keeps you running for the long term. A race plan comes later: our race plans assume you already run regularly.

General training guidance, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or have been told to limit exercise, check with a health professional before you start. Seek qualified advice for pain or illness.