Running
Couch to 1 Mile Finish
Run-walk progression toward a continuous mile. Seven weeks, three runs a week.
- Distance
- Mile
- Length
- 7 weeks
- Runs per week
- 3
- Level
- Beginner
- Goal
- Finish
Who it's for
You are new to running, or starting again after a long break. It gets you to the finish of your first mile.
How the weeks work
It runs for seven weeks with three runs in each.
If life gets in the way you can stretch it to 10 weeks, or tighten it to 6 if you are already fit.
- Easy runs make up most of the week. Keep them slow enough to talk in full sentences.
- Run-walk sessions: run for a set time, walk until your breathing settles, then go again. The running stretches get longer each week.
Setting your paces
Start with a one-mile time trial. Your result sets the paces for the rest of the plan, so run it honestly and on fresh legs.
Making it stick
- Repeat a week if it felt hard. Moving on too early is the most common way to get hurt.
- Walking is part of the plan, not a sign you are doing it wrong.
- Soft, flat routes are kinder on your legs while they adapt.
