Hello, I'm a 21 female who is about 30 lbs overweight. I used to do sports in high school but haven't really run in a long time. I want to do a 5k in 3.5 months. I know I need to start running now but how long for how many days?

– Annette, Lawrence, KS

Answer by Dom: Hi Annette, you have about 15 weeks, and that is plenty of time to get ready for a first 5k. You have a sporty background, a clear goal and a sensible question, all good signs. Here is how I'd use those 15 weeks:

1. Run/walk from day one, with real numbers
2. Three days a week is enough
3. Your 15-week schedule
4. Strength training twice a week
5. Look after your knees and shins
6. Race day: start slower than you think

1. Run/Walk From Day One, With Real Numbers

Don't try to run for 20 minutes non-stop in week one. Many beginners who do that end up sore, discouraged or injured within a few weeks.

Start with 1 minute of easy running followed by 2 minutes of brisk walking, and repeat it 8 times. Add a 5-minute walk before and after. That is roughly a 34-minute session, and it will feel easier than you expect. Good. You want to finish each session thinking "I could have done a bit more".

The walking breaks do three jobs. They lower the pounding on your joints, they let your breathing settle, and they give you a finish line every couple of minutes, which matters more than you'd think on a cold, wet morning.

"Easy" has a simple test: you can speak a full sentence while running. If you can't, slow down or walk sooner.

2. Three Days a Week Is Enough

For someone in your situation, I recommend you run/walk three days a week. Make them non-consecutive (say Monday, Wednesday and Saturday), so your legs get a day to adapt in between. Muscles recover quickly; tendons and bones take longer, and that is where beginners get into trouble.

Should you add a fourth day? Not yet. If you feel great after week 8, swap one rest day for an easy 30-minute walk. Keep it a walk.

On the in-between days, do some cross-training such as cycling, swimming or a long walk, if you feel like it. See below for strength training.

A great program to follow alongside this is Beginners Running Program 3. It gets you ready for 30 minutes of running in 12 weeks using a run/walk approach. Use it as your base and my schedule below as a guide for the extra weeks you have.

3. Your 15-Week Schedule

Each session starts and ends with a 5-minute walk. The schedule below covers the running part:

• Weeks 1–2: run 1 min, walk 2 min, repeat 8 times
• Weeks 3–4: run 2 min, walk 2 min, repeat 6 times
• Weeks 5–6: run 3 min, walk 2 min, repeat 5 times
• Weeks 7–8: run 5 min, walk 2 min, repeat 4 times
• Weeks 9–10: run 8 min, walk 2 min, repeat 3 times
• Week 11: run 10 min, walk 1 min, repeat 3 times
• Week 12: run 15 min, walk 1 min, then run 10 min
• Week 13: run 20 minutes non-stop, twice, plus a third easy 10-minute run
• Week 14: run 25 minutes non-stop, easy pace, once; the other two sessions 20 minutes
• Week 15 (race week): two short, easy 20-minute runs early in the week, then rest

One rule matters more than the schedule itself. If a week felt hard, repeat it. That's a consolidation week, and it's what makes the build-up sensible. This schedule uses all 15 weeks, so each repeated week pushes your build-up back by a week. If one week needs repeating, you can skip the 25-minute step in week 14 and go into race week on your 20-minute runs; if you need more than one repeat, pick a 5k a few weeks later.

Your runs by week 14 will be 25 minutes. A 5k at beginner pace takes roughly 33–40 minutes, so on race day you'll be running further than you've ever done in training. That's normal and fine, because the crowd, the adrenaline and a slow start carry you through. If you want to be safe, add a 30-minute non-stop run in week 14 instead.

4. Strength Training Twice a Week

Strength work makes running feel easier and keeps your knees, hips and ankles happy while you carry a bit more weight than you'd like. You don't need a gym. Since you are carrying a bit of extra weight, a quick check-up with your doctor before you ramp up is worth it, and see them if you get any pain that doesn't settle.

Two sessions per week, 15–20 minutes each, on your non-running days. Do these:

• Bodyweight squats
• Lunges
• Glute bridges
• Calf raises
• Planks

Start with 2 sets of 10 repetitions (20–30 seconds for the plank), and move to 3 sets after a month. Push-ups are a nice extra for your upper body, but your legs, hips and glutes do the work on race day, so spend your time there. Check the link for more ideas for strength training for runners.

5. Look After Your Knees and Shins

Carrying extra weight adds load with every stride, so your joints and shins need more patience than most. Three things help:

• Shoes: Get fitted at a proper running shop. Don't go on looks or price. Replace them somewhere between 300 and 500 miles.
• Surface: Run on grass, trails or a track when you can, and pavement when you can't.
• Minor aches: A dull ache that fades once you warm up is normal. Sharp pain, or pain that gets worse as you run, means stop. Take two or three days off and walk instead.

Listen to your body. Missing three days costs you nothing. Running through a shin injury costs you weeks.

6. Race Day: Start Slower Than You Think

Most first-time racers go out far too fast. The first kilometer (1 km is about 0.6 miles) feels easy and by the third you're out of steam.

Start at the back of the pack, run at the pace you've trained at, and use the same run/walk pattern you practiced. Walking in a race is not cheating. Plenty of people walk through a 5k, and nobody at the finish line is counting. Eat what you normally eat, wear what you've already run in, and do not try anything new on the day.

Finish the first 5k, then decide whether to go faster, further or both. I have a feeling you'll want to.

Kind regards,
Dom

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