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Beginners Running Schedule

A running schedule using total time spent running as the target in each day. This is easier to follow than a distance program and allows for walking breaks if they're needed. Further down the page there's the beginners marathon schedule. Beginners running and marathon schedules...

Both running schedules ensure a slow safe build up to prevent injuries and a 3 day week so that even the busiest of people can find the time.

Time

The numbers shown are for total running time. In a day where 3 minutes is required you can run 6 times 30 seconds with any walk breaks in between, as long as the total time spent running for that day equals 3, then the running schedule for that day is successfully complete.

	Total Running Time (Minutes)
Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
1	-	3	-	3	-	-	5	11
2	-	4	-	4	-	-	6	14
3	-	5	-	5	-	-	8	18
4	-	7	-	7	-	-	11	25
5	-	10	-	10	-	-	14	34
6	-	13	-	13	-	-	18	44
7	-	15	-	15	-	-	22	52
8	-	18	-	18	-	-	26	1h 02
9	-	21	-	21	-	-	30	1h 12

Feel free to change the days of the week you run to allow for personal commitments as long as the totals match. Similarly if one week felt hard then repeat the week if necessary so your fitness can catch up. Then follow the running schedule as normal.

Beginners Marathon Schedule

A marathon schedule for beginners in time format. This is the method a beginner should use for a marathon schedule. This is a six month schedule with a 4 day week introduced in the 11th week to prepare the body for the race ahead.

Time

The numbers shown are for total running time. In a day where 3 minutes is required you can run 6 times 30 seconds with any walk breaks in between, as long as the time spent running for that day equals 3, then the running schedule for that day is successfully complete.

	Total Running Time (Minutes)
Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
1	-	3	-	3	-	-	5	11
2	-	4	-	4	-	-	6	14
3	-	5	-	5	-	-	8	18
4	-	7	-	7	-	-	11	25
5	-	10	-	10	-	-	14	34
6	-	13	-	13	-	-	18	44
7	-	15	-	15	-	-	22	52
8	-	18	-	18	-	-	26	1h 02
9	-	21	-	21	-	-	30	1h 12
10	-	24	-	24	-	-	35	1h 23
11	-	27	-	27	10	-	45	1h 49
12	-	30	-	30	10	-	55	2h 05
13	-	33	-	33	15	-	70	2h 31
Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
14	-	36	-	36	15	-	80	2h 47
15	-	40	-	40	15	-	100	3h 15
16	-	40	-	45	20	-	120	3h 45
17	-	45	-	50	20	-	140	4h 15
18	-	50	-	55	20	-	120	4h 05
19	-	55	-	60	20	-	160	4h 55
20	-	60	-	60	25	-	120	4h 25
21	-	60	-	60	25	-	180	5h 25
22	-	60	-	60	30	-	120	4h 30
23	-	60	-	60	30	-	200	5h 50
24	-	60	-	50	30	-	120	4h 20
25	-	50	-	40	30	-	60	3h
26	-	40	-	30	20	-	Race