Not aibu, but how long did it take you to get to 5k and then 10k?

[thisenglishlife]

Runners, how many weeks/months/years did it take for you to go from couch to 5K... and then to 10K? (Not how fast does it take you to run 5K or 10K, but you can include that too!)

[MrsBlondie]

Build up gradually. Isn't couch to 5k 10 weeks? When you can run 5k add on each week. So 6k. Then 7k. Then back to 5k. Then 7k, 8k etc..
Good luck.

[CMOTDibbler]

I did C25k back in 2013 after being a lifelong non runner. Did 5k after 10 weeks, and did 10k 6 weeks on from that. After another 10 weeks I did a half marathon

[BabySleepTeacherUK]

Started C25K 6th April
Finished C25K 30th April
First 10km 3rd June
First non-stop 10km 9th July
First Half Marathon 22nd Sept

(2018)

[Madre1972]

I’ve just completed c25k, I’m very over weight, took me 6 weeks. I’ve lost 13kg and am now running approx 15k per week across 4 runs.

[Sherlock02]

I did couch to half marathon in 5 months. Never run before. Hard work and probably was a rash thing to do but it was for charity. Ideally I should have allowed about 8 months but I completed it. Will aim for a 5k or 10k next! Good luck if you are going to start running. I found joining a friendly run club helped.

[Chocolate1984]

I’m on week 4 of couch to 5k- 2x3min run, walking and 2x5min run. I’m really struggling to run 5 minutes despite the walking break. Is that normal? Should I repeat the week ? I assumed the gradual increase would be manageable.

[snowybean]

It took me about 2 months to get to 5km. I happily ran that distance for a while, and then ran 12km one sunny morning.

2nd Jan: 12km
10th Jan: 10 miles
Mid-feb: Two (slow) half marathons
August: Marathon
October: Ultramarathon, then half marathon
... nothing since 🤣

[edwinbear]

I started running 6 weeks ago and did 6km on Friday. I’d planned to try for 5km but was feeling good so just carried on. I’m running 4-5 times a week at the moment.

[FrangipaniBlue]

None runner to 5k in about 4 weeks.

Up to 10k in another 6 weeks.

Ran 10k for a loooooong time then upped to half marathon in around 6 weeks.

5k - 9:30min/mile
10k - 10min/mile
20k - 10:30min/mile

[thisenglishlife]

You all seem to have got to it pretty quickly!

[FrangipaniBlue]

I think it depends how fit you are already, I'd already lost 2 stone and being doing spinning classes and kettlebell classes before I started running.

If I'd took up running from the beginning I'd have had to take it a lot slower!!

[mindutopia]

To 5K probably about 3 months. I certainly ran a 10K within about 6 months. And then I did my first half-marathon maybe 3 months after that.

[Misskittyfantastico85]

I did the c25k in the amount of weeks it suggested (which I think is 9) then I followed bupa 10 mile plan which is 12 weeks and I think the 10km was on week 6 or 7.

[BIWI]

The C25K is a nine week programme, but you can do it a little bit quicker - it's three runs a week, with a day's rest in between, so generally I think people do Mon/Weds/Fri, and then the same the next week. But if you were to do Mon/Weds/Fri in week one, then Sun/Tues/Thurs in week 2 and Sat/Mon/Weds in week 3 (and so on) - i.e. not taking two days off at the weekend, you can get through it more quickly.

I last did it in 2013, but never extended my running beyond 5K!

I'm back doing it now, and am just about to finish week 7. Still have no inclination to go more than 5K!

[peanutbutterandfluff]

I was a runner previously but not in 10 years. But before starting I was fairly slim and walked a lot (like 20-30 miles every weekend) plus fairly physical job. 2 weeks to 5K and 5 weeks to 10K

[wineandsunshine]

God I'm awful - I've had to repeat week 6 three times from c25k! I can't imagine running 5k without stopping to walk!

[Poetryinaction]

My first run is 5k. Add 1k each week, so by week 6 can do 10k.

[Coulddowithanap]

I was running 4k to 6k several times a week for around a month, then did a 10k. I'm not a quick runner, I really want to get quicker so gone back to shorter runs