To make my kids do Couch to 5k?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

I've downloaded the app, dug out the running shoes and psyched myself up to haul my massive body across the park whilst following C25K as much as possible.

Trouble is, I'm either at work or with the dc.

They are 4.11 and 7.10. The 7yo could definitely keep up they enjoy running. Not sure if dc2 could. And they may just fall over and did with shock at their mum running.

Would you bring them along?

Guess it depends on your dc and how willing they are to join in. I’d say my 5 year old would manage the schedule easily.

Great idea! Maybe in park you could all keep your own pace too; i.e. You can still keep an eye on them whilst you run if they need to take a break on a bench or slow for a bit? Good luck

Park would be fine to do it with kids. Perhaps let the kids use scooter of bike?

There's often tiny ones at ParkRuns - the youngest age they allow is 4 so why not?

The first weeks are mainly walking so both could keep up. Or what about dc2 brings a bike or scooter.

If you take them along please be careful with the youngest as it actually not advisable for them to run those sorts of distances. I know people say they do it anyway when running around and playing but it's not the same really. My daughter was around the same age when I started to run and I used to take her with me but she was on a bike. We would find lamppost or benches etc that she could cycle to and from until I got there then pick the next etc.
Good luck. It's the best thing I ever did, I was an overweight, unfit non runner. I am still overweight but I can run a half marathon now and that's something I never in a million years would have thought possible

Sounds great. 4 year old can scooter/bike if necessary. 7 yo may show you how it’s done!

7yo would love to outrun me and she would be more than capable.

Ds could bring his scooter good idea.

My kids are the same ages. I run. My 7yo can do 5k but this is at the top limit of what is recommended for his age group and he tends to do bursts of sprinting then walking rather than jogging (really irritating when I just want to run steady!)

My 5yo is fit and healthy, but running 5k (which is what you WILL be able to do in a matter of weeks ) would be too much for him.

Could they scooter or cycle while you run?

Oh god I've been assuming it'll take months to run 5k. Will I honestly be doing it within weeks?

If you take them along please be careful with the youngest as it actually not advisable for them to run those sorts of distances

With the best will in the world, what are you basing this on? There's no evidence to support this, all the evidence we do have points towards children being fine to run as far as they are enthusiastic to do.

OP, if you're worried, here's a nice article about it but the take home is:

'the resounding medical advice is basically, if the child is excited and interested and there are no major injuries, running any distance at almost any age is acceptable'

www.womensrunning.com/2017/03/health-wellness/guide-starting-kids-running-safely_73428

I'd let your little one join for as long as they're keen/able and then use the scooter. My daughter was completing 5k parkruns at 4 but (now 5 and done quite a lot) but still run/walks both the 5k and the junior 2km parkrun. Good luck!

I don't know how couch to 5k works. Does it start with shorter distances? I would let them run if they want to but 5k is a long way for young children. My ds2 is 11 & has run the 5k parkrun a few times. He sometimes comes running with me. If he wants to run, we'll go about 3.5k, otherwise he rides his bike. I'd take them on bikes or scooters tbh. It isn't really advisable for them to run long distances.

Seriously, stick to the programme and you’ll be doing 5k in 6/8 weeks

My running club run sessions for c25k. They plan for 10-12 sessions
At the end of this it is not guaranteed you can run the 5km solidly but you can give it a good go.

Our running club doesn't train anyone below 8. Before that yes they can do the park runs but it won't be at any significant speeds.

Try for the first few weeks and see how they go but don't be surprised if they can't do the whole program

Don't force them. Try bikes or scooters or could you do it round a park whilst they play?

Sorry croqembou but that advice is bollox

English athletics advise no further than 5km until at least 15. They won't allow competitors under this to do further than 5 and only over 8's can train in an English athletics attached club.

Park runs allow younger kids to run as they know tbh it's run walk run walk and mainly walk. My son runs it all at 8 in 26mins. My daughter at 10 at about 32mins. But I've seen 4-5yt olds take 50 odd mins to complete as they don't have the stamina or lung capacity to do it all running

I wouldn't because it's really a time to focus on yourself and you will want to pay attention to listening to the podcast. Also while they might be ok to go along now and again I think 3 times a week will be too much for the 4 year old. Can you get up earlier to do it?

Yes take the scooter, my 4 year old was quite happy scooting & being in charge of the funny shaped water bottle which would hang onto the handle bars...he wasn’t coach too, tell me I was doing well & to keep going 😂

I can't imagine it would be particularly easy for you to focus on pace, breathing etc when you've got an excited four-year-old and a seven-year-old in tow. Also, your stride is going to be far longer than your kids' strides are, and kids that young tend to really struggle with keeping up a slow, steady jog, which is what C25K entails. I think they'd be fine with the early weeks, when you're only running for 60-90 seconds at a time, but might find it a lot harder when they've got to job at a gentle, sensible pace for 20 minutes solid. I agree with other posters that bikes might be a good option for the kids?

I'm sure they'd like to do the running and I don't think the distances are unfeasible for them - plus it's great for them to see their mum being active and getting fit, so there is a plus side to it. But you might find it hard to focus on the programme as much as you want to when you start to progress through to the later weeks, so do bear that in mind.

Would be lovely if you could all do it and end up doing a park run together, though, so it's definitely worth a try!

Yes definitely give it a try op they might live it and it gets you all out.
Yes I'm sure they will disrupt the programme slightly....I run with my dog and sometimes I have to stop running cos she's disappeared into the undergrowth etc, but so what?
I'm not training for the olympics!
I do couch to 5k to get out into the fresh air, increase my fitness, a mood boost etc...having your kids there isn't maybe ideal to completing the programme to the letter...lots of people find they cant compete in in the prescribed way, eg they repeat weeks.
I can only fit in approx 2 runs per week, so I don't follow the programme correctly (they want 3 runs per week) so it's taken me 12 weeks to finish, but so what? Anything is better than nothing....go for it op

I used to do one run at lunch, from work - we had showers, and I only did it if I didnt have meetings that afternoon, so a bit red faced and less than perfect hair didnt matter, and one with kids on bikes. Running with the kids was quite hard work.
I still cant run 5km in under 30 mins!

Different countries have different guidelines. England has one of the strictest. For example in America, they have kids doing marathons etc. Personally I think somewhere in the middle is more reasonable. If a child is having fun, is in no pain, why shouldn't they run? Couch to 5K is broken up into bits anyway, they'd be running for a few minutes at first.

5k is a bit far for kids. DS is 13 and does athletics, cross country etc and does a 5k maybe 2 or 3 times a year. Friends of his who did park run regularly have ended up with injuries.

I'm a running coach. I would say it's too far for the little one - cycling or scooting, yes, running, no.

But more importantly, never make children run if they don't want to: it needs to be fun for them if you don't want to risk putting them off in the long term, so you'd need to be prepared to stop the session when they've had enough. That includes the older ones, not just the little one.

If there's any way at all you can carve out a little bit of time in your day to do this without the children it would be much better, and you'd be more likely to be able to relax and concentrate on your own run rather than managing the children. Good luck.

Try to do it in a place where you can run laps around a field or park, then they can play with you in sight if they get bored.