Why is the program called Couch to 5k?

[Glitterjav]

Been reading some posts about how far graduates had run in 30 minutes and saw a poll of how far everyone was managing to cover and there was only a small percentage of people who actually manage to make 5k in that time. All the emphasis is on building stamina and just being able to run for 30 minutes, so why is the program called couch to 5k?? Just wondered as someone starting W6 tomorrow.

[Dave58 Graduate]

I thought the same when I started. I suppose c25k rolls off the tongue better than couch to 30 minutes.

[Maddee_6333 Graduate]

Because couch to 30 minutes, isn’t as snappy?

Seriously, I don’t know*, but when I graduated a couple of Christmases ago I was so close to 5k that I chose to run those extra couple of minutes before finishing. I know a lot of other people do that too, so the name does work as a pretty good carrot in that respect.

*though I suspect it has something to do with it being an attainable goal if you’re running round a track, which - let’s face it - very few of us do!

[Glitterjav Graduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

That makes sense, thanks!

[Irish-John Graduate]

I think it's either just a very clever "hook" to lure people in - for the noblest of reasons - or a very clever way to both hook us in AND keep us motivated.

"Stamina" "30 minutes" and so forth I could not get a "fix" on when I started. "9 Weeks" always seemed impossible anyway so we just another "subjective measure"

But 5k...that was concrete. Never thought I would actually achieve it mind you - but it was both a challenge and "fun" for me to see how close to it I could ever get (and for a long while 3/10ths of a mile was my idea of the outer limits for me )

So - looking at my times was never going to be fun and I kinda can still get hung up on that if I give it too much importance - but man, every time I reach a new distance is a HUGE moment for me no matter how slowly I run it

And think of it like this - there absolutely is a natural unsurmountable limit on how fast a human being can run. The sub 2 hour marathon being a poster child for that quest....but distance running is something I can legitimately keep upping for as long as I can run

It's great fun when you look at it that way

[icklegui Graduate]

The original idea was Couch to 5K - after all, there are 5K races, but not so many "30 minute" races. I think credit is generally given to a chap called Josh Clark, who came up with it for his mum.

There are a load of C to 5K programmes which instead of increasing your running time, increase your running distance up to 5K. For example, the Zenlabs app gives you the option to choose either. Whichever you do, speed shouldn't be an aim, if you increase distance it doesn't tell you to do the distances in a particular time.

I like Couch to 30 minutes as you know how much time you need to set aside for your workout. And, you can think of it as couch towards 5K, 30 minutes gives you what you need to eventually hit the 5K and beyond.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I think way back when at its creation it was designed to get beginners into running and there may have been a few assumptions made... like a low average starting age, and people would already be fit. As time has progressed and this plan has not only made runners, but also proven hugely beneficial for health, it has become something that has caught the eye of the press, doctors, and of course there’s word of mouth... so I believe that the average age starting this has risen and the average starting fitness has dropped over time.

As it happens 30 minutes is roughly the average time at parkrun on a Saturday morning... as an organisation they want this to move towards 40 as they become more inclusive... C25K is fully inclusive once the distance element is removed.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Josh Clark actually devised it initially to get his fifty something mother more active........ I have no idea if she ran a sub 30 minute 5k in the nine weeks.

The ability to hit that target has far more to do with starting fitness levels, regardless of age, rather than any magic from within the plan.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Good point... I’ve seen the film about this too 😂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

There are only about 10% of people who can run a 5K in 30 minutes by run 3 of week 9 of C25K , a few say that they have ran it by week 7 which means that they have ran a 25 minute 5K😊.

The important thing is to get 30 minutes of running, irrispective of the time. Couch to five kilometers or C25K is more eye catching than C230 minutes. Most people who have graduated and ran the 6/30 minute consolidation runs do eventually run a 5K, not necessary in 30 minutes although that is a goal they would love to achieve.

[Granspeed Graduate]

Such an interesting set of replies. Thanks for asking.... I certainly didn’t know there were those other apps out there too. New horizons. 👏🏼

[Glitterjav Graduate in reply to Granspeed]

Me neither!

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Yes couch to 5k is a generic term for a number of different programmes some of which are distance based and some like this are time based. But it’s not that much of s misnomer because the truth is most people who complete this programme will be running 5k a few weeks later, simply by continuing to add two or three minutes per week to their runs till they get there. It’s like the under 11s at parkrun who have to stay with an adult most of the way but are allowed to sprint ahead in the final straight. In the same way, Couch to 5k gets us to 30 minutes continuous running then says well done, you can manage the last little bit on your own now.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

The point is to get you running for 30 minutes non stop then you can build on getting to 5k in that time

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Because that is the name given to it by its creator, Josh Clark in 1996.

People were fitter in the last century..........

The 5k is aspirational and is a target that you can move towards, even if it is after the 9 weeks of the plan.