If running a 5K is on your 2026 to-do list, this entry-level alternative to the popular Couch-to-5K training plan is where you should start

Woman dressed in black sleeved top and leggings running outside with white headphones. she's on a path with trees and other people blurred in the background .

Running is a popular form of exercise at any time of year, but especially in the New Year when fitness resolutions abound.

If you're new to the sport, you might have heard of the popular Couch-to-5K (C25K) plan, a nine-week program involving three run-walk days per week that build up to 30 minutes of continuous running.