Beginner Treadmill Workout — What Speed to Start At

Pick a walking speed and a running speed, then follow the NHS Couch to 5K plan on the treadmill. The planner lists every warm-up, run and walk step with the speed to set, and the 9-week table shows how far each session takes you.

Plan a treadmill session

Week 1, Run 1

28:30total time

1.69miles

8:00 running, 20:30 walking

Walk at 3.0 mph (20:00 min/mile) and run at 5.0 mph (12:00 min/mile).

See each step

Step by step: Week 1, Run 1

Change the belt speed at each start time. Times are from when you press start.
Step	Start	Do	Length	Belt speed
1	0:00	Warm-up walk	5 min	3.0 mph
2	5:00	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
3	6:00	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
4	7:30	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
5	8:30	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
6	10:00	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
7	11:00	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
8	12:30	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
9	13:30	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
10	15:00	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
11	16:00	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
12	17:30	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
13	18:30	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
14	20:00	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
15	21:00	Walk	1½ min	3.0 mph
16	22:30	Run	1 min	5.0 mph
17	23:30	Cool-down walk	5 min	3.0 mph

What speed should a beginner start at?

Walking: the CDC counts walking at 2.5 mph or faster as brisk, moderate-intensity activity. On the treadmill that is 4.0 km/h, or 24:00 per mile. Use the talk test to check: at moderate intensity you can talk but not sing; at vigorous intensity you can say only a few words before you need a breath.

Running: there is no single right speed. Couch to 5K counts minutes, not miles, and the NHS advice is to focus on time, not speed. If you cannot finish a run step, lower the belt speed for the next one.

This page starts with 3.0 mph walking and 5.0 mph running as example settings. They are not a recommendation for you: change them in the planner. At 3.0 mph a mile takes 20:00; at 5.0 mph it takes 12:00. The treadmill pace chart shows the pace for every other speed.

The 9-week plan on a treadmill

Every run starts with a 5-minute warm-up walk and ends with a 5-minute cool-down walk, both included in the times. Distance uses the speeds in the planner above.

NHS Couch to 5K, 3 runs a week. Main set between the warm-up and cool-down walks.
Week	Run	Main set	Running	Walking	Total	Distance
1	Runs 1–3	7 × (run 1 min, walk 1½ min), then run 1 min	8:00	20:30	28:30	1.69 mi
2	Runs 1–3	5 × (run 1½ min, walk 2 min), then run 1½ min	9:00	20:00	29:00	1.75 mi
3	Runs 1–3	Run 1½ min, walk 1½ min, run 3 min, walk 3 min, run 1½ min, walk 1½ min, run 3 min	9:00	16:00	25:00	1.55 mi
4	Runs 1–3	Run 3 min, walk 1½ min, run 5 min, walk 2½ min, run 3 min, walk 1½ min, run 5 min	16:00	15:30	31:30	2.11 mi
5	Run 1	Run 5 min, walk 3 min, run 5 min, walk 3 min, run 5 min	15:00	16:00	31:00	2.05 mi
5	Run 2	Run 8 min, walk 5 min, run 8 min	16:00	15:00	31:00	2.08 mi
5	Run 3	Run 20 min	20:00	10:00	30:00	2.17 mi
6	Run 1	Run 5 min, walk 3 min, run 8 min, walk 3 min, run 5 min	18:00	16:00	34:00	2.30 mi
6	Run 2	Run 10 min, walk 3 min, run 10 min	20:00	13:00	33:00	2.32 mi
6	Run 3	Run 25 min	25:00	10:00	35:00	2.58 mi
7	Runs 1–3	Run 25 min	25:00	10:00	35:00	2.58 mi
8	Runs 1–3	Run 28 min	28:00	10:00	38:00	2.83 mi
9	Runs 1–3	Run 30 min	30:00	10:00	40:00	3.00 mi

How to do Couch to 5K on a treadmill

The NHS says you can do your Couch to 5K runs on a treadmill if running outside isn’t your thing. The plan is the same indoors:

3 runs a week, with a rest day between runs to help prevent injury.
Warm up and cool down with 5 minutes of walking each time. Set the walk speed before you press start.
Change speed at each step. Keep the step table in view, or note the start times before you begin.
Repeat a week if you need to. The NHS says it is totally okay to repeat a week; the plan takes 9 weeks or longer.

If you have a health condition or are worried about starting to exercise, the NHS suggests speaking to a GP first. The plan sets no incline, so the planner assumes a flat belt; see the treadmill incline calculator for how incline changes effort.

How far will you go?

Couch to 5K ends with a 30-minute run, not a fixed distance. At 5.0 mph, 30 minutes of running covers 2.50 miles (4.02 km). With the warm-up and cool-down walks at 3.0 mph, the whole Week 9 session is 3.00 miles.

To run 5 km in 30 minutes, the belt needs about 6.21 mph (10.0 km/h). Finishing the plan means running for 30 minutes, whatever the distance. Use the pace calculator to find the speed for a target time.

Beginner treadmill workout FAQs

What is a good treadmill walking speed for a beginner?

The CDC counts walking at 2.5 mph or faster as brisk, moderate-intensity walking. That is 24:00 per mile or 4.0 km/h. If you can talk but not sing, you are in the moderate range; if you can only say a few words before pausing for breath, the effort is vigorous.

How fast should I walk on a treadmill?

Fast enough that you can still talk but not sing; the CDC puts brisk walking at 2.5 mph or faster. At 3.0 mph a mile takes 20:00 (4.83 km/h, 12:26 per km). Start slower if you need to and use the talk test rather than a fixed number.

Can I do Couch to 5K on a treadmill?

Yes. The NHS says that if running outside isn’t your thing, you can do your Couch to 5K runs on a treadmill instead. Use the planner above to see what to set for each step.

What if I can’t finish a week?

Repeat it. The NHS says it is totally okay to repeat a week, and the plan can take longer than 9 weeks. You can also lower the belt speed: the NHS advice is to focus on time, not speed.

How many days a week should I do it?

The plan has 3 runs a week, with a rest day between runs to help prevent injury. If you have a health condition or are worried about starting to exercise, the NHS suggests speaking to a GP first.

Should I use incline?

The NHS plan does not mention incline, so this page assumes a flat belt (0%). To see how incline changes effort, use the incline calculator.

Sources

The plan is transcribed from the NHS week-by-week page, checked 2026-10-24. Distances and paces are calculated with 1 mile = 1.609344 km (NIST). Speeds on this page are examples, not medical advice.