How does everyone feel about the 5 minute warm up walk, when its cold its hard to do and I feel like just starting the run to warm up but I guess its essential especially at my age.
When C25K is completed do people usually still do such a long walk at the start?
When I was doing C25K I always had a ten minute warmup walk to where I started my running, same at the end, if it's cold that brisk walk should warm you up a bit, wear appropriate clothes if the weather is wet or cold
Some months after finishing C25K I dumped both pre- and post-run 5-minute walks, in favour of dynamic and static stretches respectively. I didn't dump warming-up or cooling down as imo both are essential if you want to minimise the risk of injury.
I graduated C25K about 3+ years ago and I always do a warm up walk. My logic is my bones, muscles and joints are old and tired so they need to start moving gently. I usually do dynamic stretches while I'm drinking my coffee beforehand and then static stretches afterwards.
If I'm cold when I set off I just walk a lot quicker and try and enjoy the bracing air 🥶
I've read it's even more important to do a thorough warm up when it's cold outside to reduce the risk of injury, but as with most things there are a lot of ways to achieve this and walking works for me. From my gate to where I start my run is pretty much spot on a 5 minute walk 
I often warm up for much longer with my stretches... and then the five minute walk is just a gentle intro..
You need to warm up, especially in cold weather! After 6 years and Six months of running I can say that I always warm up. These days (i.e cold days) I start the process before I leave the house. I found some warm up exercises on the Nike Training Club free app which warm up my leg muscles and body before I hit the road. I then get out of the door and do my warm up walk with already warm muscles and finally start my run. Cold muscles are easy to pull or tear, which can mean weeks of recovery. Not worth the risk.
Don't skip the warm ups and down walk, if you can help it, especially if older or if it's cold. I have always done a 10 min dynamic stretch routine and 5 min walk before and 5 min walk and static stretch after any run - the warm up helps get oxygen pumping and ready for the run and helps combat 'toxic ten'. The warm down get your body back to normal and helps stop lactic acid build up in your muscles. You could do the stretches but at the start and end, jog very slowly instead of walking, but my routine has served me well.
Hello 👋
Could you explain the ‘toxic ten’? I’m thinking it might be that first 10 mins of running that isn’t very nice! I’ve only been running since late August so am a newbie x Thank you ☺️
Yes, it's that, and there's an explanation in this list of FAQs: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
I’m not sure as to whether it’s long enough. I like to walk and stretch for 15 minutes. Then do the five minute to get focused. When I complete the program I will continue with the 15 minutes but ditch the 5 minutes. Just go straight into the run.
apatsyf got it spot on.
I still do the 5mins at the start and end. In the cold I can't wait to start running, but persevere.
With apologies to those who have been around here almost as long as me and thus have heard me say this countless times: yes, although I don't time it strictly these days, I do the walk (not that fast) at the beginning and the end. I do not do any stretching before or after my runs... the only exception to this is, interesting, those times when I have run hard and for some reason skimped the walk at the end, then I can tell I need it.
I keep extremities warm with things that can be whipped off easily - neck, head and ears, hands and wear full calf covering unless it is proper warm, but otherwise the same gear, no jackets etc.
I have never experienced a running injury (apart from those caused by brambles and brashings)
Do you include your 5 minute warm up/down walk in your running distance?
Is 5 mins warm up walk really enough? 
Warm up 
The warm up walk
