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Couch to 5K Foundation

Beginner 8 weeks 3 days/week Running

Couch to 5K Foundation is a beginner running program that runs 8 weeks at 3 sessions per week. It is built into Ægir Iron and free to load for individual lifters and for athletes on a coach's roster.

What this program is

An 8-week beginner running program that takes a brand-new runner from run/walk intervals to a continuous 5K. Three sessions per week across three blocks that steadily trade walking minutes for running minutes, plus twice-weekly durability strength (squats, hinges, calves, core) to keep knees, calves, and hamstrings healthy under the new mileage. Pace and duration cues are on every run.

At a glance

Discipline	Running
Experience level	Beginner
Length	8 weeks
Training days	3 per week
Equipment	Running shoes + Dumbbells
Loading	Pace, duration, and distance targets per session.
Price	Free for individual lifters and rostered athletes

Free for individual lifters and for athletes on a coach's roster. Coaches pay only for roster tools.

How it works in Ægir Iron

Inside Ægir Iron the plan runs on real Cycle, Block, Week, Day structure. Each session prescribes pace, duration, and distance rather than barbell percentages, and any strength accessories carry their own sets and reps. You log every run, the app charts your progress, and you adjust anything you like without breaking the plan.

Load Couch to 5K Foundation as is, or use it as a starting point and adjust the sets, reps, exercises, or loading to fit you. Save any version as a reusable template that a coach can assign in a couple of taps.

Start Couch to 5K Foundation

Open Ægir Iron, go to Program, choose New Program, then Browse Programs, and load Couch to 5K Foundation. It is free on iOS, Android, and the web, with your data synced across all three.

Load Couch to 5K Foundation free →