Newbie here. What's your run schedule?

[Popstess]

Hey I'm a newbie,

I completed W1R2 yesterday and I'm planning on completing W1R3 tomorrow. I've left 1 day between each run but my question is after Thursdays run do I leave a couple of days and start W2R1 on Sunday/Monday OR do I do it on Saturday keeping my one day gap but technically starting W2 in W1?

How does everyone schedule/space out their runs? I'm completely over thinking this I know! I'm interested to hear what others do though.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

As long as you leave at least one rest day between runs, just fit it around your life. Some like to run regular days. I prefer flexibility.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

Popular patterns are:

- Mon/Wed/Fri (2-day rest @ weekend)

- Tue/Thu/Sat (2-day rest Sun-Mon)

- Wed/Fri/Sun (2-day rest Mon-Tue)

- Thu/Sat/Mon (2-day rest Tue-Wed)

- Fri/Sun/Tue (2-day rest Wed-Thu)

- Sat/Mon/Wed (2-day rest Thu-Fri)

- Sun/Tue/Thu (2-day rest Fri-Sat)

What your R1 day is entirely up to you and how best fits into your week. Hope that helps.

[nowster Graduate]

I did it by running every other day with the occasional extra rest day.

The "weeks" in C25K are just convenient groupings of runs in threes. There's nothing to say you have to only do one "C25K week" per calendar week.

Conversely, there's absolutely nothing wrong with running every third day, or having a haphazard schedule.

I'd suggest not running less often than twice a week.

Never run on consecutive days for at least the first six months. Your body needs some downtime to repair and build.

[Thommo23 Graduate]

I run every other day, so although I am now in week 6, I have only been running for 5 weeks - as you gain a day each week by avoiding a 2 day rest each week. Its worked well for me although now I am going into the long runs without intervals, I may reassess that.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Thommo23]

Just replied to your post re: walking on rest days and your tight legs. Reading this makes me think you should take a 2-day rest each week. You'll be doing yourself a favour as a new runner - trust me. You're in no rush.

[Thommo23 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thanks John

[Pigpog Graduate]

I also started this week. I did W1R1 last Sunday, R2 on Tuesday and will be doing R3 tomorrow. That will give me two days off before starting W2 on Sunday. I believe flexibility is good because of external factors such as weather and life in general. I definitely need my rest days, my thighs are really aching! And I've been running really slowly too.

[Popstess Graduate]

Thanks everyone love hearing all the different ways people are doing it.

I think I'll continue as I am like Pigpog and do my 3rd run tomorrow then start week 2 on Sunday.

[ele123 Graduate]

I usually like to do Mon/Wed/Fri because I like to relax at the weekend and maybe have a drink etc but I guess it’s up to you. All my weeks are different to be honest as an how I feel like it! So enjoy the runs and don’t worry to much about it because you might have unexpected events like injuries anyway 😊😊

[Cmoi Graduate]

Hi Popstess ! Do whatever suits you, as long as you have at least one rest day between run days. My run weeks never matched calendar weeks. The idea of having fixed run days was and remains anathema to me, as that just doesn't fit my work commitments or lifestyle.

[ScathingFool Graduate]

I worked generally on the basis of every other day, but liked the flexibility of having the extra rest day in my back pocket for when work was busy or it was pouring with rain/scarily icy. That meant that I was pretty much following calendar weeks throughout the programme but without a set schedule.

As others have said, it doesn't matter - just figure out what works best for you and don't fret if you feel you need an extra day off from time to time.