Elapsed0:00
Round0 / 0
Remaining0:00
Custom Timer
Name
Intervals (17)
Alerts
Other
Overrun
Notes
Color
Scroll for more

Couch to 5K Week 1 Timer

Your Couch to 5K journey starts here: a five-minute warmup walk, then eight 60-second runs separated by 90-second walking recoveries, finishing with a five-minute cooldown walk — 28:30 in total. It’s the very first week of the nine-week program, and most of that half hour is walking, on purpose.

Week 1 means three outings of this same timer, with at least a rest day between each. Don’t worry about speed: the only goal is to run for each of those eight minutes, however slowly, and to let the walks bring your breathing back down between efforts. If 60 seconds feels like too much at first, shorten the running intervals in the editor and build back up.

Good to Know

Frequently Asked Questions

Are runs 1, 2, and 3 of week 1 different?
No — all three sessions this week share this exact structure, so the week is three passes of this timer with rest days between. Repetition is the point: the program builds by familiarity before it builds by distance.
How fast should I run the 60-second intervals?
Slow enough that you could speak a short sentence. If you’re gasping before the walk arrives, ease off — effort, not speed, is what counts in week 1.