runDisney 5K training plan

A free 13-week run-walk-run plan for complete beginners, built backward from your 5K race date, with flexible scheduling, manual run logging and progress you can see.

Length
13 weeks
Race
Week 11
Sessions
39
Long runs
3 (weeks 7–9)
Magic Miles
4
After race day
Recovery + easy week
Start this plan free

Who it’s for

  • You’ve never run before, or you’re coming back after a long break
  • You’ve never completed a 5K race
  • You can walk for 30 minutes and want a gentle, structured start

What the plan looks like, week by week

  1. Weeks 1–4

    Building the habit

    Run-walk sessions grow from 10 to 28 minutes. Your first Magic Mile comes in week 2 and another in week 4.

  2. Weeks 5–6

    Steady 30-minute runs

    Easy 30-minute sessions on weekdays, a 4 km Saturday run in week 5 and a Magic Mile in week 6.

  3. Weeks 7–9

    Long runs

    Saturday long runs of 4.8 km, 40 minutes and 5.6 km, so race day is shorter than your longest training run.

  4. Week 10

    Final Magic Mile

    Two easy runs and your last Magic Mile before race week, a good check of how far you’ve come.

  5. Week 11

    Race week

    Two easy runs early in the week, then your 5K.

  6. Weeks 12–13

    After the race

    A recovery week, then easy running (including a 6.4 km Saturday) so the habit doesn’t stop at the finish line.

Your training days start as Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You can change them in the app.

Race combinations that use this plan

  • 5K

    39 sessions

    5K plan

    13 weeks · race in week 11

Running the 5K with the 10K or the Half Marathon too? You’ll get the 10K or Half Marathon plan with your 5K race day added.

More than a schedule

What Glass Slipper Run adds

A training schedule tells you what to run. Glass Slipper Run, a free runDisney training planner and tracker, helps you actually follow it.

  • Your plan is built backward from your race date; start late and you begin at the right week
  • Change your training days, move a run, rearrange a week with Edit week, or let the Missed Run Assistant help when a run slips
  • Turn any run into a rest day, and change it back if plans change
  • Log every run by hand (no GPS needed): distance, time, effort, feeling, notes, pain and drills
  • Progress, Magic Mile history and race predictions based on your real results
  • Achievements tailored to your plan, plus Fellow Royalty for training with friends
Progress screen with sessions completed, training stats and the latest highlight

Questions about this plan

Do I need running experience for this 5K plan?

No. It starts with short run-walk sessions of 10 minutes and builds gradually, so complete beginners can follow it.

How long is the plan, and when is the race?

The plan is 13 weeks with 39 sessions. Your 5K is in week 11, followed by a recovery week and an easy week.

Can I walk during training and on race day?

Yes. The plan uses run-walk-run training, alternating planned running and walking intervals. Walking on a schedule is a training method, not giving up.

What is a Magic Mile?

A timed one-mile effort that appears four times in this plan. Your results show your pace improving and help estimate your race time.

What if my race is less than 13 weeks away?

You start at the right week of the plan, and earlier weeks aren’t counted against your progress.

Do I need a GPS watch?

No. You log each run by hand, from any watch or app, or none at all.

Related plans and guides

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