# 8 weeks to train for a 5k. Is that enough time? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-weeks-to-train-for-a-5k-is-that-enough-time/553661 "2010-09-13T22:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shocker\_Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Shocker\_Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shocker_Khan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-weeks-to-train-for-a-5k-is-that-enough-time/553661/1 "2010-09-13T22:35:12Z")
I’ve decided to sign up for my first 5k. I’ll be running the Chicago Hot Chocolate 5k on November 6th as a birthday present to one of my skinny over achieving friends (note to self: get less enthusiastic friends). I’m not in shape and don’t exercise often, if at all. Runners, do you think 8 weeks is enough time to train for a 5k? Am I crazy? To help keep me on pace, I’m using the Couch to 5k Podcasts. This morning was my first “run” if you’d even call it that. It was more of a gasp, trip, tumble, flail, walk, cabbage patch, Phoebe-esqe attempt at running/walking, but I did it. And you know what? It wasn’t that awful. It was kind of fun. Worst case scenario, I walk a portion of the 5k in November. It’s just nice to have a goal and something to work towards. I don’t want to set myself up for failure or injury. Thoughts/opinions/dirty words? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-weeks-to-train-for-a-5k-is-that-enough-time/553661/2 "2010-09-13T22:37:36Z")
If you’re prepared to walk part of the course if necessary, then I think you’ll be fine. Couch to 5K is designed to be a 9-week program. I found that at the end of 9 weeks, I was running for 30 minutes straight, but that still wasn’t quite a 5K distance for me. It took me more like 12 weeks to work up to 5K. But, if you do a walk/run throughout the race, I think you should have no trouble completing the distance. Just take it easy and don’t push yourself past your capacity. To be clear, I do think that going from out-of-shape/couch potato to actually running the full 5K in 8 weeks is probably over-ambitious, but it doesn’t sound like that’s what you’re necessarily talking about. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-weeks-to-train-for-a-5k-is-that-enough-time/553661/3 "2010-09-13T22:38:24Z")
5k is basically nothing. Unless you are a heavy smoker, old, or fat it shouldn’t take more than a couple weeks to get used to running that far. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-weeks-to-train-for-a-5k-is-that-enough-time/553661/4 "2010-09-13T22:40:05Z")
> [@treis](#): > > 5k is basically nothing. Unless you are a heavy smoker, old, or fat it shouldn’t take more than a couple weeks to get used to running that far. Well, I was fat. ---
**Author:** ![Tortuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Tortuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tortuga)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/8-weeks-to-train-for-a-5k-is-that-enough-time/553661/5 "2010-09-13T23:11:02Z")
Um, I wasn’t any of those three and still couldn’t run a whole 5k at a go. I was doing good to go a mile without needing to stop. Part of this was pacing, but a lot of it was just plain ol’ out-of-shape sedentary American living. If the OP sticks to the C25K plan, they should be in a really good position to complete a 5k. They might even, with the adrenaline and challenge of the event, be able to run the whole thing. Even if not, it’s a really great start. I hope you find you love running as much as I’ve enjoyed it, it can be a wonderful stress reliever and a great way to enjoy another aspect of the places we visit when we travel.