Here’s your eight week guide to successfully completing a 5k walk.

You can walk at the same pace throughout or, if you want, you can alter the pace that you walk as indicated below. Remember that any plan is only a guide, so please do go at your own pace and do as much or as little as you can or want, celebrating your progress along the way.

Week one - 15 minutes of walking every other day at an easy pace (this doesn’t have to be done in one go, take breaks as you need to)

Week two - 15 minutes of walking every other day at an easy pace (remember, this doesn’t have to be done in one go). Try to add in a 5 minute or 500m continuous walk (you could consider doing 1 minute of faster paced walking and 1 minute of easy walking) once a week

Week three - 15 minutes of walking every other day at a steady pace (this doesn’t have to be done in one go). Also try to do a  10-12 minute or approx 1k continuous walk (also try alternating 2 minutes of faster pace walking and 1 minute of easy walking) once a week

Week four - 15 minutes of walking every other day at a steady pace (this doesn’t have to be done in one go). If you can, add in a 15 minute or approx 1.5k / 1 mile continuous walk (alternating 3 minutes of faster pace walking and 2 minutes easy) once a week. You’re at the half way mark!

Week five - 15 minutes of walking every other day (this doesn’t have to be done in one go). Also try for a 30 minute or approx 2.5k continuous walk (maybe alternating 5 minutes of faster paced walking and 2 minute steady) once a week

Week six - 15 minutes of walking every other day (this doesn’t have to be done in one go). Add a 40 minute or approx 3k continuous walk (alternating 7 minutes of faster paced walking and 3 minutes easy) once a week. 

Week seven - 17 minutes of walking every day (this doesn’t have to be done in one go). Plus try to do a 50 minute or approx 4k walk (alternating 10 minutes faster paced walking and 5 minutes easy) once a week

Week eight - 60 minute or 5k walk. You did it!