The Couch to 5K ® Running Plan | C25K Mobile App
Follow the Couch to 5K running plan or use our C25K mobile app to go from couch to your very first 5K. Follow this beginner 5K training plan schedule and sign up for a 5K race.
By Josh Clark
Posted Saturday, 1 January, 2011
First things first: You might simply be wondering, “How far is a 5K?” A 5K is five kilometers or 3.1 miles—and completing a race of this distance is well within your reach.
Many newcomers to running become discouraged by the difficulty associated with the activity because they start too fast and push too hard. Their bodies push back and they end up resenting running. The Couch to 5K app isn’t just intent on getting you to race day, it has been specifically designed to instill a love of running.
With little or no running background whatsoever, Couch to 5K will transform you from couch potato to regular runner—one that can even exceed 3.1 miles—in just two months. Though it may be tempting to run out ahead of your training plan, resist the urge. If the program feels too strenuous, just lengthen it. Patience is the key.
Each session should take around 30 minutes, three times per week. Be sure to build in rest days between run days to allow your body to recover. Better, more thorough recovery will only aid in your process to becoming a better runner.
The app also provides to ways to follow your training program: Time or distance. Both methods are created equal, so just select the one that seems easiest for you to keep track of and you will be well on your way to living your best life.
NOTE: When using the mobile app, you must follow the plan by measuring your runs by time. Although it tracks your total distance with GPS, you cannot measure your runs by distance on the mobile app.
Last but not least, don’t forget to warmup and cool down! A five-minute warmup walk or jog and a gradual cool down (complete with stretching) is extremely important to your overall health and continued progress.
Cool Running’s Couch to 5K ® Program is available for purchase online through iTunes or the Google Play Store. This mobile version allows you to easily track your running progress online, access a host of easy-to-use training tools, connect with your friends & more!
Learn More About the Couch to 5K® Training Plan
