Hi all
I will finish week 9 of C25K this week and want to ask what did everyone do after to carry on with getting fitter and running? Also what apps did you use?
I would ideally like something like the C25K app as I like something to work towards which is already structured out.
Look forward to hearing from you all
If you want to move on to longer distances, there’s a pinned post here on the NHS forums called Juju’s Magic Plan that sets out a plan based on time to get to 60 minutes or based on distance to get to 10k. You choose which path you follow. A lot of people choose time if they’re slow runners, then when they achieve 60 minutes they switch over to the distance plan and continue on to get to 10 k. Either way, it’s best to consolidate for several weeks or longer without trying to push yourself to do more just yet. Try to enjoy the 5k/30 minutes you’ve achieved and get comfortable with that first.
For apps, I like the Nike Run Club a lot. It has lots (like dozens, or more) of different guided runs to follow. Coach Bennett is awesome! “Just a Run” is really good, there are runs based on time or distance, or things like running in the heat etc. Speed runs, etc. You pick your own music or use Spotify and allow the app to recommend a Spotify playlist. Just a word of warning, the run by coach Bennett called “First Run” starts with you hitting start in the Nike Run Club app, then...nothing for 2 minutes! I kept stopping and checking my phone cuz I thought I’d accidentally turned it off or something!
I also enjoy the running game “Zombies Run!” Its a post apocalypse story told in 2-3 minute bursts with your own music in between. You can choose to allow “zombie chases” or not (I don’t, it stresses me out!) It’s fun and entertaining. You will be “virtually” collecting supplies as you run, more distance gains you more supplies, which you use at home to build your base (if you want to, that part is optional). You set it then put the phone away, you don’t have to do anything with your phone during the run.
I also sat down with my phone and my music playlist which I hadn’t updated in YEARS. I’m not much of a music person normally so I didn’t have a lot of songs to begin with, but I found about 25 of my favorites, the kind of songs you just want to dance in your seat when you hear them, and put them all into a “Running” playlist. Somehow I never get tired of my music!
There’s a bunch of good Spotify playlists that are public posted by a user from here on the forums, do a search for her username in Spotify, “jancanrun” and you’ll find at least a dozen good playlists.
I tried podcasts, and they’re ok but I found my times really slowed way down. Not a bad thing, but also I realized I wanted to let my mind rest when I run, which it can do with music, and even with the Zombies game because there’s only a total of about 8 minutes of actual dialogue in each Zombies episode, it’s interspersed with music. But with podcasts it’s distracting but doesn’t let my brain relax, ya know?
Sorry so long! Hope this helps.
That’s great thank you so much. I’ve looked and the Nike run club app but it’s really really confusing, because there are so many runs and I don’t know which ones to pick first. Where as C25K is set out for you.
Also on week 9 of C25K you run 30 minutes and the first run on the Nike run app is 20 minutes so I don’t know if that’s progress
Where’s the zombie run it sounds fun
Well done on nearly completing the programme. The usual advice is to keep running for 30 minutes for a few weeks, to embed what you've already done. You do not need to get to 5k in that 30 mins and most people don't run 5k in that 30 minutes. If you're not already doing strengthening exercises, it would be worth building these in too.
The Nike Run Club app has some 30 min runs and also s one shorter ones. You could try mixing it up a bit using that app if you're keen to use a structured approach. A bit later on, once you've got a few 30 min runs under your belt, you could try lengthening the times you're running for very gradually.
Once you've done that, you could follow the plans posted on the bridge to 10k forum. They aren't app based, but provide structure.
So it depends what suits you. I like to do my own thing without too much structure, but it depends what floats your boat!
Good luck on your final runs of cto5k!
That’s great thank you. I may do a few more 30 minute runs first and when I’ve moved in a few weeks look at doing strengthening exercises as I really just want to get fit
You will definitely get fit. I think it is a good idea to get used to running for 5K x3 times per week as already mentioned. Find a route which is 5K and run it, try it with music and also try it without music. Get used to running without an app. Then you can work on improving your 5K times. You can try interval training. Spend about 6-8 weeks running 5K x3 times per week before moving on. At that stage you will have a good base level of fitness. I got to 10K by adding 500 meters onto one of my 5K runs each week making it my long run.
I’ve been running now for 3 years. I have ran in a few 10K races but much prefer the shorter distances. I have ran in many 5K and 6K road races and I’m a big fan of parkrun. I’m looking forward to it’s return someday.
Damien
That’s great thank you I Will try that as I get impatient with myself and don’t want to overdo it are used to run with music but then I stopped because I know how long I’d have left so I run with podcasts but wonder if it makes me slow so I might just try running disk and download it
That’s great thank you I Will try that as I get impatient with myself and don’t want to overdo it are used to run with music but then I stopped because I know how long I’d have left so I run with podcasts but wonder if it makes me slow so I might just try running disk and download it
week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
