Couch to 5K for Peloton Tread & Digital

There are a million ways to get started running, but one of the more popular ways people like to try is a “Couch to 5K” program. Unlike some other programs, these assume that you don’t have a running background. Instead of having you try to run at any pace for 15-30 minutes straight, they start you out with short run/walk intervals. You might start out with only a 30 second run, recover at a walk for 2 minutes, and repeat.

Over 6-8 weeks, the couch to 5K program would slowly build up the length and number of running intervals, and then before you know it, you are running a 5K distance! So logically, many people who want to get started running on their new Peloton tread search out a “Couch to 5K” program in either the collections or program section of the Tread, or Peloton Digital app.

However, at time of publishing, Peloton unfortunately doesn’t have a true Couch to 5K program. The closest they have is “Road To the 5K”. This 6 week program is designed for “first-time racers or those getting back into racing” – which isn’t the starting point people need. Peloton also has more advanced programs, including “Road To Your 26.2” and “Go the Distance”, but these are both for people trying to progress past a 5K, not get to their first one.

Instead, if you want to try a Couch to 5K program, your best bet is to use an existing one from outside of Peloton. There are numerous apps & websites that list a 6-8 week program. Then, once you have the program, you can still follow it on your Tread! You can use the “Just Run” mode, that will track your metrics for you, without one of the instructors. You can also use one of the scenic runs available in the library, which also tracks metrics, but has a scenic background for you to watch.

As you advance through whichever Couch to 5K program you find, you also could start to sprinkle some coached Peloton beginner classes into the mix. At the moment, there are approximately 50 running classes focused on the beginner. These include beginner intervals, beginner HIIT, beginner hills, and more.

Hopefully Peloton will build a Tread program catered to the true beginner, like a Peloton Couch to 5K program, and we’ll be sure to provide details here if & when they do! When Peloton releases the lower cost version of their treadmill, that will hopefully bring more runners to the platform, and then Peloton will build more training programs for it!