Why I recommend Couch to 5k to everyone - even though I don’t run anymore
It was the spring of 2020. You know the one - the UK population was in the middle of its first Covid lockdown. We were all allowed to have one hour of outdoor exercise per day, and after several weeks of being cooped up in my tiny one-bedroom flat, I was desperate to get my body moving.
Running was one of the few exercises that could be done within an hour, in the fresh air and at a good distance away from other people. The only problem was that I hated running; the thought of pounding the pavement for an entire hour felt incredibly boring and I had little stamina to start with.
My overall fitness levels were poor, to say the least. I have always been strong and strength training with weights was, and still is, my preferred form of exercise. But Covid stopped me from going to the gym and I didn’t have space in my tiny flat to keep weights, so working out became a rarity in the weeks of peak lockdown.
This is when Couch to 5k came into my periphery. I can’t remember how, it may have been through social media or a news story on TV. But after a bit of reading about the app, I decided to download it and give it a go - it was free, after all! Now, I recommend Couch to 5k to anyone who wants to start running.
On my very first Couch to 5k session, I pulled out a pair of exercise leggings and a sports bra from the depths of my wardrobe, laced up my (very old) running shoes, and popped some earphones on. The dulcet tones of Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, who is one of five trainers on the app, filled my ears, telling me how fast or slow to walk, how deeply to breathe, when to break into a jog, when to slow down.
The nine-week plan asks you to commit to going on a run three times a week, which initially sounded like a lot. As a running hater, I was admittedly nervous about going on these runs and worried about what people would think when they saw me huffing and puffing.
But as it turns out, I needn’t have worried at all. The app is a gentle and encouraging way to get off the sofa and start putting one foot in front of the other. It starts slow, with constant reminders to take things easy and enjoy just being able to move your limbs.
A couple of weeks into the app, and I was discovering that I could run for much longer than I realised, even if it was just by a few minutes. While I didn’t try any of the other trainers available on the app, I found Johnson to be the right fit for me as he would both challenge me to go further and encourage me to ease off when things got a little too hard. It was sometimes surprising to remember this was pre-recorded - how did he know how I felt??
Halfway through the program, I found myself excited to go on these runs. Back when I was weight training, I loved an early morning class, and rediscovered my love for early morning exercise with Couch to 5k. As late spring progressed into summer, so too did my running journey as I logged more miles and more time in the park near my flat until finally, I managed my very first full 5km run. When the program ended, I continued to run, using the Nike Run Club app for more motivational, guided runs.
Watch: Meet the retired couple who have run and walked 8,000 miles EACH in the past four years
As one of the 2.36 million people who downloaded the Couch to 5k app between the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to July 2021, I’m far from alone in my praise of the program. Former Love Island presenter Laura Whitmore said she rediscovered her love of running through the app during lockdown, while Emily Clarkson used the program to get back into a running routine after giving birth to her first child last year.
Unfortunately, I have to admit that I’m a fair weather runner. As winter drew in, with its biting cold and dark days, I became less and less inclined to go on a run. Safety was also a concern, and running in the dark had zero appeal to me. So my running journey petered out, but as lockdown eased and we were able to go back to the gym, I’ve found other ways to stay fit and I still occasionally go for a long-ish run on the treadmill.
Despite that, I still think the world of Couch to 5k. In fact, I’m thinking about starting it again this spring, as I really did enjoy the freedom that came with lacing up my shoes and just heading out the door. You don’t need much to start, but I would definitely recommend investing in a pair of good running shoes if you are able to, and a supportive sports bra is important too. Apart from those, take it easy and enjoy the journey - you may surprise yourself with how far you can go.
Read more about fitness:
How to protect your knees, ankles and feet while running (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Why you need to start running today - and how to do it (The Telegraph, 13-min read)
Another win for running: Research shows that running can reduce joint and muscle pain in later life (Runner's World, 2-min read)
