Running! Couch-to-5k advice please?!

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So I started couch to 5k a month ago and created a thread on Day 1 wiping me out. Since then things have gone marvellously and I’ve stuck to it and about to start Week 5 on Monday. Yay. The pros first -

1. Have managed to literally get from no exercise to this. Regularly.
2. Am enjoying and looking forward to it.
3. It’s improving mental health.
4. Have built a neat nest of time for it. I arise early - so before FT work, 5 year old and 16 month old defeat me - I’m out of the door by 6 am and back 630 am - everyone still asleep and it’s done.
5. I’ve managed to complete all the runs and have taken it slow, I don’t go too fast at all - a light jog really.

BUT - I confess I’ve found the last run of week 4 a bit hard and the final 5 minute run I needed to stop for 30 secs at the end. This makes me worry - should I go on to week 5? Because week 5 looks impossible. Run 1 and 2 are 8 minute runs - and as I say - I have struggled with the 5 min runs towards the tail end. But Run 3 in week 5 is a 20 minute run?

20 mins? How can I - who’s struggled and flagged at the end of the 5 min stretches run 20 mins non stop next week?

What should I do at this stage you think o experienced runners? Should I just keep doing more Week 4 and quit there? Should I repeat week 4 a week and see how I do? Or should I attempt to move to week 5? How’s this 20 min run meant to walk? I’ll invariably need to stop at 5 mins for 30 seconds and I just can’t see how I’ll make it :/

There are no mobility issues etc by the way -if relevant am a loose/comfortable size 12 top and bottom with no pain or joint issues or anything.

Thanks for any help!

I would definitely repeat week 4 until it's feeling more manageable

I'd follow the pattern and run slower. I started it in May last year and my longest was this week when I ran 13km.

This is the beauty of C25k. It seems impossible, but before you know it you can run for 30m non stop. Trust it. Do exactly what it says. If you are having to stop, slow right down, and keep going!

If you move up a week and really struggle, then repeat the previous week, and do it more slowly.

Also, don't look ahead too much, it does look impossible, but it really isn't. Take one run at a time.

Yes, that's one of the strengths of C25K - it's fine to repeat weeks as often as you like.

You will need to take e plunge and start doing the longer runs. But it doesn't have to be now

Repeat week 4 and then try week 5 even if it seems daunting.

Hey, I’m slightly ahead of you having just finished week 6.
Week 5 - I found runs 1 & 2 challenging but do-able (remembering to go slower for the longer times). The 20 min run I had to stop after 14 mins but that was the longest I’d ever run before! And made it easier going on to week 6 - I knew I could do 8 mins/10 mins because I’d done 14…
And then yesterday I managed 25!!! Really amazed myself. Went so so slow but kept going the whole time - had told myself if I got to 20 that was good enough.

Without being an expert in any way, I think as long as you are adding time onto the longest run you do, then that’s good? As from week 7 onwards it’s all longer runs I think, so that’s where you have a chance to keep building it up - so if you could do 15, then try on the next one to get to 17 etc and keep going. I know that’s not the official plan but it seemed like a huge leap to go up to 20 mins (let alone 25!) so if that’s not quite achieved, it can’t be the end of the world??

Sorry I’m not sure that was much advice, just rambling… anyway I would stay stick with it and be pleased with what you manage to achieve even if it isn’t exactly what’s aimed for - it’s still all really good progress

The key to starting to run longer distances is to run really, really slowly. Honestly, just a little bit faster than walking.

I wouldn't get too hung up on running continuously. I always run walk - normally something like run 6 mins walk 15 secs and I do that all the way up to 10k distance. Overall I'm faster this way than attempting to run continuously.

I did it recently too, I think week 4 was the hardest, after that it did start to flow again. I agree with going slowly, I jog at more or less the same speed as I walk at and that's fine, as your fitness improves your speed will too.

Absolutely just repeat weeks until you feel ready to move on and remember, whilst following the programme is the idea, you are in charge so if you're repeating week 4 and think you could actually manage a minute or two more of running, pause the app, run a bit extra then when you're ready to walk, unpause and carry on. Sort of invent your own half way step. Sounds like you're doing brilliantly though so well done.

I actually found it worked better once I got onto the longer runs, now if I do a walking interval I find it hard to start running again.

Listen to your body and repeat a week. If you push too hard you'll end up injured and have to stop entirely. You're already getting excellent exercise so doing this week again isn't a negative at all!

there is no shame in repeating one day or week.
my advice would be to try and go slower.
good luck!

I haven't done couch to 5k but I am a regular runner up to half marathon. I think the key for me is making sure I'm psychologically ready to go further. So, I would repeat week 4, as then you'll be able to convince yourself you're definitely ready, then move up next time.

I don't think you even need to follow the plan week-by-week, as long as you are increasing, then you'll get there eventually. So you could try alternating walk-run for the 20 mins and then the week after increase the amount of running Vs walking, until you are doing the full 20 mins at a run.

And remember, it doesn't matter how slowly you are running, as long as you keep going

Ooh thank you! A bit of a mix then - see that many are advising to repeat the week but some also suggesting moving to week 5 to see how I do. I do think I am not “running” really - i am SO slow!

Different versions of c25k offer different patterns. The main thing is to keep going. If you need to repeat a week or set your own intervals just a little bit more difficult and then move on to the next week on the plan.

No idea if anyone will see this update but…..

After last week and this thread I decided not to take a break and trust the programme (this is the official NHS version) - and have just completed the dreaded non stop 20 min run of Week 5 today.

Week 5 went surprisingly okay! The first run which was 5 min runs was - well - fine. The second run - which was laps of 8 min runs - I felt terrified of but was surprisingly again - just fine?! And today - it was a neat 20 min run - and it was fine?! Didn’t need to stop once or return to brisk walking at any point. Not sure how this transpired but it was just a 20 min light jog throughout - sometimes uphill sometimes downhill - sometimes flat - through the up and down landscape we live in but am so surprised it was fairly uneventful!

Obviously I am massively slow possibly but it just all is beginning to feel enjoyable and “okay” and normal somehow!

That is excellent!! What a great feeling to have achieved that, and feeling so comfortable.
Well done!

Bloody well done - I was just about to post some advice but then I saw your update! Basically what I would have said is that based on my running Facebook group, loads of people feel worried about week 5, and I certainly was myself. But once you’ve done it, the confidence boost is amazing. Like, my God, I just ran for 20 minutes! 20 minutes! I don’t know about you, but for me on week one of the programme, 20 minutes felt like a ridiculous idea but there you are, 5 weeks later, just doing it.

Onwards and upwards, be 30 minutes before you know it. And then the world is your running oyster 👍

Ah thank you! And for me I genuinely was at the “couch” end of couch of 5k five weeks ago. I was a busy exhausted FT working mum of 5 year old and 16 month old - mega stressed with high level career pressures and juggling small kids and didn’t have the time to exercise and had no confidence I could! Two things that worked : going first thing as I am an early riser and early sleeper I just use that time of dawn to get this done and also thankfully not having weight loss goals associated with exercise I think has also helped. I mean I could do with losing a few lbs but it just isn’t linked to the couch to 5k so doing it literally for fitness and mental health has been so useful.

I just name changed and now this is me! Total fail!

God yes, I know that feeling. When I started I was a SAHM to a toddler with (at the time suspected, now confirmed) ASD, dealing with a family bereavement, never took any time for myself to exercise or really do anything just for me, and I was at the end of my rope. Running really saved my mental health, it honestly did. Now DS is 5, and I’m training for my first marathon…! The possibilities really are endless with this programme, I’m a massive C25K evangelist

I did c25k last year and I remember thinking this about the 20min run! But I just did it, very slowly. I think the programme is very clever, the way it works, you look at it and say eh? How can I jump from that to that? But you just can!
However if you feel you are struggling there is no harm (or shame) in repeating a week.
I run regularly now and I love it, it's been amazing for my mental health.

Well done NavigationCentral you're doing great!

I started C25k a couple of days after Christmas with DH. He used to run when I met him but then started struggling with calf injuries and switched to spinning then cycling. I ran on and off but also had a bunch of injuries including last year when I developed a 'runners butt' and hamstring strain. Anyway, we repeated weeks a lot until we felt comfortable about moving up a week. He dipped out at week 6 when his left calf gave up but I've carried on and this week finally made it to the end. I can now run for 30 minutes again non-stop. I've not yet reached 5k but I'm close.

As other posters have said, it's OK to repeat. I repeated week 5 run 3 18 times but by the end I was adding 2 or 3 minutes. The jump from 20 to 25 seemed impossible! By the time I did run week 6 it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Good luck and keep going - you're doing brilliantly! 😁👍🏻

Oh well done. I did it over lockdown. I think the rule should be never ever look ahead to see what the next week involves. I remember being terrified of the 20 minute run and actually found it easier than the 10 minute run (I think it was) which nearly killed me.