"I'm soo slow! 😢" "I'll never get to 5k in Week 9😔"

[John_W]

Is this you? It probably is you know ... But guess what? YOU ARE NOT ALONE 😉

Because believe it or not, you are in the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of 1st time C25Kers.

Have a look at this poll from 5 years ago, which got 1714 respondents and posted by the dearly departed IannodaTruffe aka Tim (RIP) .

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Only 216 of 1716 respondents (12.6%) claimed to have gone 5k or more in Week 9 - or to put it another way , and rounding up a bit (I'm a scientist ... this is allowed )...

.... 9 (NINE) out of 10 1st time C25Kers do NOT reach 5k in Week 9.

In fact, 886 of the 1716 did 4k or less - just a bit more than 50%.

So if you're feeling a bit sad or frustrated ... don't be. You're normal - well within the 'bell curve' 👍🤩

Yours,

John

[Mezzysu Graduate]

OMG, John where have you been. I have silently always beloved I am a failure as I’ve never reached 5k. I just couldn’t understand why not. I kept on thinking whether it was because , I have short legs, not as fit as everyone else or carrying far too much weight. Thank you so much for making my day. I was actually thinking running is not for me.

[John_W Graduate in reply to Mezzysu]

I've always been here 😎. I just don't post very much...

But anyway ... you're very welcome! KEEP ON RUNNING!!

[RunBrianRun Graduate]

A great reminder John. 👍 I remember feeling a little deflated that I didn’t make 5k at the end. Didn’t matter though as I was delighted to have completed it and will it remain as one of my special life memories. Getting to 5k is complete nonsense anyway. It should be couch to 30 minutes, but I guess that doesn’t sound quite as compelling.

[Hidden]

Thanks John....I think the problem is in the name of the programme. Couch to 5K is a catchier and more marketable name than Couch to 30 Minutes, which is more accurate. As a newbie 12 weeks ago, I began to feel most disappointed in myself because I was never going to get to 5K by week 9. I wonder if the app should do a better job with expectation management....or at the very least simply explain that reaching 5K depends entirely on the speed at which you run. Given your (and others) encouraging emphasis on slow running, I feel there's an inherent misunderstanding or confusion within the 'selling' of the programme. It almost encourages you to run faster all the time. This, I've learnt to my cost, is not right for all of us.

[John_W Graduate in reply to Hidden]

You make some excellent points. If I could, I'd completely re-make the C25K app and videos ... The C25K app with Laura's commentary and tips is far from perfect in my and others opinion.

I wonder if 'Couch to 30' might be a better name ... (many of us have tried to come up with alternatives down the years).

C25K was created by an American, Josh Clark, for his mum to get to 5k and the original website actually included a distance version of the program, as opposed to the time-based one we've all used.

Maybe 'Couch to 30' could be an official NHS/UK version ... With '30' deliberately vague ...

"30 what?"

"Minutes!"

 RunBrianRun

[Hidden in reply to John_W]

I heartily agree ...but as a former journalist also I know that Couch to 30 isn't quite as punchy...and that Couch25K has enviable brand recognition. I wonder if Couch to 5K more easily attracts more confident people... and possibly deters those of us less physically confident who need it most and benefit from it most. Perhaps us real 'couch-ees' might feel a bit daunted by 5k but can just about relate to or aspire to 30 minutes. Who knows? All I know is I temporarily felt knocked back when I realised that 5K was going to be a LONG way off - if ever. And it made me feel a bit of a failure until the lovely community members explained it!!! I hesitate to say I was mis-sold (because I totally love the programme) but a bit of clarification could be useful to attract more people - especially given the publication of this week's report on lack of exercise generally.

[John_W Graduate in reply to Hidden]

And that's where the app and video could do better. An overhaul is long overdue.

Why not "Couch to 3k" ?

[KayBee1000 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Think Couch to 3k would be a much better name!

You’ll always get people who don’t reach whatever arbitrary distance is picked by the end of the plan, as we’re all individuals - as well as people who are easily running that distance by week 8! - which is why I think it should focus on the timed aspect rather than distance.

But couch to 3k would be an improvement at least 👍

[John_W Graduate in reply to KayBee1000]

I honestly think 'Couch to 30' could work also... 30 is easier to say than 5k I think.

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I (partially) listened to an ep of the Running Explained podcast on distance vs. time training (see pca.st/02jzv6sn ). What I found interesting is her point that if we train by distance we might force a workout into a particular time slot - and thus run faster. I decided to (try to) focus on time after listening to that!

I am also not really training for anything other than health, so using time as my marker is far more helpful since I can also plan my workouts better that way... Another interesting bit of info: Any run 90+ minutes is considered a "long run." As I am working my way back to 60 minutes, I am still quite a ways away from that...

The "try to" is in there because it seems that the running world is very focused on distances, which has also gotten into my head even though it's not as helpful. SO! I'd vote for Couch to 30 as a better name, short C30 😎 (or C-3-Oh!)

[John_W Graduate in reply to ChannelRunner2]

LOVING that!

[nowster Graduate in reply to ChannelRunner2]

I'm certainly guilty of forcing a workout into a particular time slot by trying to run certain routes within the time available to me.

For example, I might know I have 90 minutes before a particular commitment and go out for a 10km run (which will usually take me about 75 minutes including warm up/cool down walks).

This has sometimes caused me a problem. It certainly did once when I had to walk from the 8km point onwards and was late for a work meeting (video call).

[Hidden]

I agree with you and KayBee - what a brilliant idea! Couch to 3K is so much more realistic...and yet aspirational at the same time. Reading all the posts over the last 12 weeks (my own included) the majority of graduates seem to reach somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 K by the end of week 9 ....and so many of the undergraduates (myself included as was) fret that they're not achieving the 5K and beat themselves up because of it.

[John_W Graduate]

"Couch to 30" (C2-Three-Oh)

"Couch to 3k"

I think both of these could work ... we may be onto something. HealthUnlocked

[Hidden]

what fascinating and thought-provoking posts - great to read others' experiences. As an Ambassador John, do you know people in high places? Could we get something going? I like both Couch to 3K or Couch to 30. Anyone else got any ideas?

[Yesletsgo Administrator]

I found the prospect of running for 30 minutes terrifying when I started C25K. 5k was a lot more abstract so somehow a better goal, especially once I got into the process and realised 5k wasn't the actual goal.