Back in July I had this crazy idea that I was going to become a runner. Running has never been amongst the list of things I enjoy. I have no idea where this desire to do Couch to 5K even came from. It was more of an impulsive decision. I decided to try it and then felt like I had to stick with it.

Ever since lockdown I’ve been trying to live a healthier lifestyle by doing more exercise and eating a healthier diet. It’s helped a lot with my mental health during these difficult times. Originally I was just doing workout videos on YouTube (I’ve already done a post on my top fitness YouTubers). Running felt like a major step up from my at home YouTube workouts.

Anyone who knows me might remember that last year I did the Royal Parks Half Marathon. Crazy, right? Why would I put myself through that when I hate running? Basically my co-workers at the time were doing it as a team activity to raise money for charity. It’s really hard to say no when you’re raising money for a good cause!

I vividly remember googling the night before how to run a half marathon with inadequate training. My ‘training’ consisted of maybe going out for a run once a week for 20 mins in the 2-3 months prior. Would not recommend thinking you can run a half marathon this way. Somehow I managed to complete it and have the medal to show for it, but I suffered for an entire week after. I had never even ran again since doing the half marathon at this point. So wanting to do Couch to 5K came out of nowhere and weirdly I ended up enjoying it.

Weeks 1-4

The first few weeks were obviously going to be the easiest. At the start they really ease you in and it isn’t as difficult as you think it’s going to be. The programme really helps a beginner runner learn how to pace themselves. All runs start and end with a 5 minute brisk walk to warm up and cool down too!

It’s structured so you run for a certain amount of time with walks inbetween to catch your breath before doing another burst of running. Each week consists of 3 days running, and increases the running time every week to build up your stamina. I always felt like the plan gave me enough time to recover between runs.

Weeks 5-6

The fifth week is when it changes up and starts to get a bit more challenging. For the previous weeks, each day has always been the same structure. But in weeks 5 and 6 each day starts off with 5-8 minute runs and then builds up to a 20 minute run on the third day. 

It felt like the 20 minute run came out of nowhere and I wasn’t prepared for it. That was the first time I genuinely felt like I was struggling. But after that 20 minute run, week 6 goes back to starting with smaller runs before doing another 20 minute run on that last day. Despite finding it difficult, I managed to pull through and complete them both without stopping. I was very proud of myself!

Weeks 7-9

Week 7 was such a disaster for me. Each day has you running 25 minutes non-stop but I just felt like I wasn’t ready to do this. I struggled with the two 20 minute runs in the previous couple of weeks even though I still did. The extra few minutes on top of that just felt like too much. I found myself choosing to run for about maybe 10 minutes and then taking a minute walking break before repeating.

Weeks 8 and 9 were a similar experience. I found myself making up my own plan and choosing to walk a couple of times in the middle for a minute or so. At first I felt like I was letting myself down. I came home and felt really defeated and thought about giving up. They say it’s more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge, but sometimes I just physically felt like I needed to take a breather. Either way I still found my speed increasing each time I did it so progress was still being made (which I tracked using Nike Run Club). I later just accepted that it’s okay that I’m choosing to take some walks in between the running. 

After Completing Couch to 5K

The programme says it basically wants to get you running for 30 minutes straight at the end of the 9 weeks. That didn’t happen for me and I still have not run for 30 minutes non-stop. But I’m okay with that. At the end of the day, I’m still running for longer than I ever have before and I feel a lot fitter than I was before starting the programme. Whilst this may not have been the goal of the plan, this was my personal goal and I feel like I smashed it!

Now that I know I can run I’m planning to continue it. Maybe coming up with my own plan and goals to meet my own personal targets instead. At the beginning of this, I really hated running. I’m not saying I now always enjoy going out for a run, but half the time I do and I feel like that’s a step up. Either way, at the end of a run I always feel a sense of accomplishment and I end up being more productive for the rest of my day. I would definitely recommend beginner runners (and people who hate running) to give Couch to 5K a chance!