People have taken up lots of hobbies during lockdown – knitting, bread making, DIY.
But with gyms and swimming pools closed, running has also been a pretty popular thing to take up to get some exercise.
For those who have never been into running before (or even those who haven’t done it in a while), the couch to 5k programme helps by guiding you through three runs a week, for nine weeks, to build up your fitness and go from not running at all to running for 30 minutes.
The idea has been around for a while and there have many success stories but searches for the app have been steadily increasing since lockdown started as people realise now is the perfect time to get through it and really get into running.
There are lots of couch to 5k apps online but the BBC Get Inspired app is one of the most popular as you can choose a coach (including some celebrities and sports stars) to talk you through and encourage you during each run.
We talked to 10 people about their experiences of the running programme during lockdown.
With many people still working from home and restrictions in some form set to continue for a while, there’s still lots of time to get started if you want to try running.
The Couch to 5K programme
Week 1
For your 3 runs in week 1, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then alternate 1 minute of running and 1-and-a-half minutes of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 2
For your 3 runs in week 2, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then alternate 1-and-a-half minutes of running with 2 minutes of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 3
For your 3 runs in week 3, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 2 repetitions of 1-and-a-half minutes of running, 1-and-a-half minutes of walking, 3 minutes of running and 3 minutes of walking.
Week 4
For your 3 runs in week 4, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 3 minutes of running, 1-and-a-half minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running, 2-and-a-half minutes of walking, 3 minutes of running, 1-and-a-half minutes of walking and 5 minutes of running.
Week 5
There are 3 different runs this week:
Run 1: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking and 5 minutes of running.
Run 2: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 8 minutes of running, 5 minutes of walking and 8 minutes of running.
Run 3: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 20 minutes of running, with no walking.
Week 6
There are 3 different runs this week:
Run 1: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 8 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking and 5 minutes of running.
Run 2: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 10 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking and 10 minutes of running.
Run 3: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 25 minutes of running with no walking.
Week 7
For your 3 runs in week 7, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 25 minutes of running.
Week 8
For your 3 runs in week 8, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 28 minutes of running.
Week 9
For your 3 runs in week 9, you will begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 30 minutes of running.
Emma Barnes, London
I tried the Couch to 5K programme last Autumn but I really struggled to commit to it. I’ve never enjoyed exercise and in the past I have found it really difficult to stick to an exercise regime long enough to see results so I decided to give it another go.
I often felt that work and commuting meant that I didn’t have enough free time to run. Being in a small flat in London, I was looking to spend more time outside and I felt that this was my best chance of committing to a running routine long-term.
At first I found it really difficult. I couldn’t even make it through the 60 second runs without being completely exhausted (which, looking back, is really embarrassing!).
By the time I got to week four (I did re-take week three a few times) I noticed a real change in my fitness and mindset and I started to enjoy the satisfaction of increasing my running time each run. The structure of the programme makes me feel like I’m seeing a real change each run and this really keeps me going.
Improving my fitness was actually easier than I expected but changing my mindset has been difficult. You get used to running in blocks with sections of walking in between, so once these are phased out and you have to run for 20-30 minutes at a time, it’s hard to believe you can make it through the runs without stopping.
Lockdown has meant that I have no excuse not to run which has made it much easier to stick to the plan. In every day life I felt too busy to exercise and I thought that I needed time at home to relax and unwind after work. Now running is my excuse to get outside and do something interesting with my day.
Running has really helped my physical and mental health during the lockdown and now I’ve committed to running long enough to see the health benefits, it has become so much more enjoyable and I’ll definitely incorporate it in my routine post-lockdown.
Kayleigh Lambert, 31, Somerset
I have dabbled with running in the past but I’ve always made the mistake of trying to achieve too much too soon – boom or bust I think they call it – and then giving up when it’s too hard. I’ve completed a couple of 10k races in the past but never trained properly and found it (predictably) very hard, which put me off running.
I started the couch to 5k app before around 16 months ago before finding out I was pregnant. The nausea and various pregnancy complaints put a stop to any exercise at that time.
I decided to start the couch to 5k app again during lockdown as I found myself feeling very anxious with everything going on in the news and needed an outlet to protect my mental health. I have also been struggling with my self-image after having had my baby last October. The half-hour sessions give me back a bit of ‘me’ time and have really improved my confidence.
The first couple of weeks were really quite challenging. Those 60 second running intervals seemed to last forever and I really struggled to recover in between runs.
I’m now in the middle of week 5 and finding that it feels slightly easier and definitely more enjoyable. The main struggle has been forcing myself to stick to the program after having a particularly difficult night with the baby. However I’ve managed to power through with the mantra ‘If I can do it today, I can do it any day’. Mantras have really helped – with my main one being ‘Get fit for Elsie’ (that’s my daughter).
Lockdown has definitely played a part in helping me stick to it as my husband is working from home and can be quite flexible with looking after Elsie while I go out running. There’s also zero other distractions.
I really am determined to keep it up after normal life resumes. I know it won’t be as easy to stick to the specific days all the time. My husband is a lecturer in health and exercise psychology so I know he will be very willing to support and encourage me in any way he can.
Tinni Guha Roy, 37, London
I had no running experience and still wouldn’t consider myself a runner. I’ve started it before but never finished. The lockdown seemed like an ideal time to force myself to do it without life getting in the way. The one hour permitted exercise a day helped because I really wanted to go outside so it forced me to stick to it!
Starting was fine but I was somewhat worried about the later weeks. I really didn’t think I would be able to complete it.
I definitely struggled towards the end and had to throw in a 20 min run because I was beginning to think I couldn’t run any more!
I finished the app last week but was very conscious that I was only running 4K in the allotted 30mins so on Sunday I tried running 5k and managed it! That was quite a big thing for me so I think I’m going to try and keep it up and get my 5k time down now. I’m missing Michael Johnson so have downloaded the Nike Run app so I can still have someone in my ear telling me what to do.
Megan Salter, 30, London
I’d tried doing the plan before but never made it past the 20 minute runs and would always give up for some reason. I used to go to park runs on a Saturday morning but could never run the whole thing and I have ran some adidas 10k city races in the past but it was always a combination of some jogging and walking. I’ve never been able to run the whole thing and always wanted to.
Working from home meant I didn’t have a daily commute to work taking up time, so started to get myself out in the morning to help build up a better routine. I don’t have any outdoor space either, so running in the park was the only way for me to enjoy some time outside.
I felt very unfit when I first started out. I didn’t know how I was going to make it to 30 minutes within the nine weeks. But within the first couple of weeks, I enjoyed seeing my progress with how far I could get each session. It was also helping with my mental health, so felt the positive effects of this pretty quickly.
I struggled with pace a lot, I found I would run at different speeds and tire myself out too soon. A runner I follow online suggested listening to podcasts instead of music and this helped me so much! It was a great distraction for the longer runs and also helped me establish a comfortable pace. I now don’t run without listening to one!
I think lockdown gave me the time to focus on it, I didn’t have any excuses holding me back and as we were allowed out once a day for exercise I soon started to look forward to them. Only being allowed out for short amounts of time made me appreciate my local park and the good weather.
I finished the plan a couple of weeks ago and I’ve continued running since, sometimes mixing up how long I go for as I want to work on my pace, and found I wasn’t able to quite run 5k in the 30 minutes (it’s still a goal I’m aiming for!). I’ve also entered a half marathon to help motivate me to keep going – I’m determined to run one.
Florence Battersby-Bates, 31, Hinchley Wood
I have run a few half marathons in the past but purely for fundraising purposes. I am in no way a runner and never really enjoyed it before. It is an endurance test for me and I do find it difficult. To be honest, I do get a bit bored of running and have to mix up my playlist to keep me going. The worst is when you’re mentally done with your run and then realise you’re half an hour away from home still.
I had just completed the 100 days of fitness challenge and had donated £100 to the NHS to mark it, whilst in lockdown. I was so thrilled to stop exercising, that I literally went cold turkey after I completed the challenge and within a few weeks I immediately saw a change in my body.
I am not a skinny girl and LOVE food and so while I was doing the challenge, I noticed that my body was maintaining my weight or even losing, even when I was treating myself to yummy snacks and takeaways.
I decided to restart the 100 days fitness challenge again and basically do it indefinitely. That’s when I found couch to 5k and decided to take part as knew it would cover at least three of my seven days of exercise per week.
I found I was wanting a bit more from the first few weeks, as it was quite walking focused to begin with. It really eases you into it, so for a beginner runner it’s really important to follow the rules but for me, I was generally quite fit, so keen to sink my teeth into the running side of the training as I went into week four and five.
It’s so easy to stay indoors for several days on end. Committing to Couch to 5k has pushed me to go out on my lunch break or when I’ve finished work. I’ve actually discovered new woods and parks in my local area, which I had no idea existed. So it’s helped from a mental health perspective and learning more about my lovely little town I live in.
It will be tricky to keep it up though. I commute into work, which eats up time but now I know I need to exercise every day, it will push me to keep it going. I’ve actually already downloaded a similar app which takes you up to 10K, so I have a plan in place for when I finish Couch to 5k. It has been good to see from a stamina perspective how my body and mind has changed since starting 3 weeks ago.
Charlie Bennett, 37, Cardiff, Wales
Having the time to do it has done me the world of good. Having two children and my job as a teacher means I was busy and constantly rushing to pick up, drop off.
By the time I got home, I didn’t have the energy to go (talked myself out of it). With lockdown, I thought that if I got the hard, painful bit (the getting fit bit) out of the way while I had the time (and energy), I’d find the maintenance easier once work resumes. I’m hopeful that it’ll happen as I find 5k fairly standard by now.
My first runs were harder than I thought they’d be. I’m battling with baby weight and muscles that haven’t been used properly in years. I found three minutes of running hard but the app was structured brilliantly. The warm encouraging tones of Michael Johnson in my ear helped a lot!
My family are very supportive and usually meet me at the park at the end of each run.
Olivia Seymour, 42, York
I’d started C25k a little while ago but my job involves a lot of driving and working evenings. That always made it challenging to plan.
With lockdown, I’ve had space outside the working day to build in my three runs a week
I was nervous about whether I could do it but my husband has done at least one a week with me and that encouraged me to keep going.
I think it’s hard sometimes to motivate yourself to start but I’ve found the pacing really helpful. It’s amazing how over a short few weeks you can move from running 1 minute to 30.
I think using it as a motivation to make best use of my daily exercise allowance has helped alongside my husband being also at home to run with me has encouraged me to keep going.
Now I’m past the pacing bit and just doing long runs, I feel more confident of keeping it going and building in two or three runs a week. I’m now a lot more confident that I can do it.
Jodie Tipper, 23, and Hattie D’Souza, 26, Birmingham
I started before lockdown but then didn’t keep it up after finishing week one. Hattie (my colleague) then said she wanted to do it, which spurred me on to do it again. We did week one apart, but then when the announcement was made you could social distance with a member of another household we decided to do our runs together to stay motivated.
We had absolutely no experience in running before this. We both work in PR together so evenings and weekends are usually jam packed, now that we have more time our old excuses were no longer valid so we just thought we’d do it.
We both struggled at first, however now we are getting more comfortable with the running and look forward to them.
We have a couple of new aches and pains, due to using muscles we haven’t use before. Also not being able to high five and congratulate each other afterwards is a tough one!
I hope we can keep it up. Having put in the hard work now I’m hoping it comes a lot easier and makes me more willing to go for a run in the future.
Emma Neachell, 41, Sutton Coldfield
I’ve been running on and off for a long time, but have had a lot of injury problems. After trying to return to running too quickly and getting frustrated with my lack of fitness, I decided to check out the Couch to 5k I’d heard so many people talking about.
I started and finally managed to complete the Couch to 5k on my third attempt back in February 2017. I ended up writing what is now my most popular blog post ever.
After yet another failed attempt earlier at the Couch to 5k earlier this year – I’ll be honest, I stopped running at the start of lockdown due to a fear of running outside but I started the Couch to 5k again in the middle of May.
I think the realisation that spending the majority of my time inside, staring at the same four walls was starting to negatively impact my mental health. I bought an exercise bike at the start of the year and was spending 30 minutes a day on that instead of running. This started to get tedious as I’m not a keen cyclist and found spending 30 minutes on an exercise bike a chore.
I started to miss running outside and would feel envious whenever I saw other people running past my house. Stupid as there was nothing other than my complete lack of fitness to stop me heading out for a run myself. I think it took seven weeks of lockdown for me to realise that running outside and getting away from my house would be beneficial to my mental health.
I was actually really nervous as I was aware that runners had been the subject of quite a lot of negativity on online local community groups. I remember feeling incredibly apprehensive as I walked down my road. I’d delayed heading out my door until 8:30 pm as I thought it would be a little quieter later in the evening. I didn’t want to bump into anyone. Let’s just say it was so busy out I found the first Couch to 5k session quite stressful.
I now start my training sessions at 5 am and don’t spend the whole time worrying about having to run in the road to avoid others.
Running early in the morning is perfect as it’s cooler and quieter. For me personally, I sometimes think running early in the morning is easier as I don’t have time to think about what I’m doing. It’s a case of get out of bed, get dressed and go. I know from experience that I’d be tempted to miss sessions if I delayed heading out the door until the evening.
I used to spend three hours a day commuting to and from my office. Lockdown means that I have been able to reclaim those three hours and now have a better work-life balance and more energy.
As I have more free time, I’ve been documenting my progress with the Couch to 5k on my Instagram account and running blog. I feel that by sharing my plans for the week on a Monday morning, I’m making myself more accountable. On the odd occasion I haven’t felt like running, I remember that I’ve told people my plans for the week.
I love running and know that injuries permitting, I will always be a runner. I suspect that a large proportion of the people who have started the Couch to 5k during lockdown will catch the running bug and will continue to run when this is over.
Do you have a story to tell? Get in touch at metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/31/people-are-using-lockdown-start-couch-5k-running-programme-12782756/
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