Hi, my wife and I are about to start week 9
The question is; Should the 5 minute warm up/warm down be included in the total distance covered for the days run?
Currently we start our gps at the start of the 28 min running section only
At this rate I cannot see me achieving 5k in a 30 min run
If I include the warm_up/down, then I'll smash it
Grateful for your thoughts
The name of the programme is slightly misleading... it is really 'couch to 30 minutes' and many people spend a lot longer than the 9 weeks to be able to run 5 km in 30 minutes. Stamina, the ability to continue running non-stop for half an hour is what the programme is all about.
Add it if you want. It really doesn't matter.
Right now you are at the start of your running career, and the important thing is to build up your stamina and endurance to get you running non-stop. This will enable you to run 5k.
The aim then is to move on to 5km runs - park run being a good starting point, as it free and (usually) local. You can use this to record your times running 5k every week, and with a couple of training runs in the week, you should see your times running 5k reduce over the months.
Thanks very much Tomas. So you don't think the warm up etc should be included, as I thought
Your 30 min run is the important thing, not the distance. If you add in your 5 min walk each end Im pretty sure you wont be far off covering 5k. Your next aim could then be build to running 5k, taking as long as you like, just build it slowly.
Good luck runner, the podium awaits 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻
If you do not complete the 5k in the 30 mins of W9R3 you have failed the course and have to do it all over again from W1, only this time wearing a conical hat.
*elements of this may not be entirely true
ROFL!!!
The reality is Tomas, we did a survey here and less than 10% graduated "on time/with distance".
After graduation most of us decide to focus on speed or distance anyway, depending on personal whim or body type etc.
You can literally almost set your watch by my 5k speed on regular running days - no matter what the conditions are I am usually only thirty seconds off 38 minutes - but the one race I was in, and taking it "easy" as it was my first - I did it in 33 something.
Lot of variables come into play but right now don't worry about speed or distance, you are basically laying the stamina foundation for them later 
Wishing you many happy miles in your future
If you want to know how far you run in 30 minutes, then start and stop your watch when running, otherwise you are measuring walking as well.......which is not running.
Distance
runners knee after third run
Park run
Increasing your distance
Park run warm up
