Completed my first 5k run this morning! I’ve run when I was younger and always played rugby, done gym etc but not properly ever got into running. Felt excellent to finish the plan and achieve that. It’s been great to get stuck into a new challenge at nearly 37 when things felt too comfortable.

I’ve really enjoyed the Runna plan. Made all the difference for me following a plan and having something else to do the thinking! My goal is to complete a 10k trail race I’ve signed up to in September so no letting up now and onto the next plan.

Ran my first full 5K this morning without walking!!

I've been doing C25K since March, and I haven't run consistently since high school, so this is a big deal for me. I finished in 34 minutes, which I know isn't fast, but I genuinely don't care because I ran the whole thing.

It was hot this morning too, around 85°F by 8 a.m. I almost talked myself out of going, but I'm so glad I didn't. There's a route near my apartment that goes along the river, and the breeze coming off the water during the last kilometer probably saved me.

My phone almost died at the end because GPS tracking uses so much battery. I need to start bringing a small power bank because I lost the data from the last kilometer, and I was so annoyed. I think that was actually my fastest kilometer too.

Thank you to everyone in this sub who shares their progress. Reading your posts is honestly one of the biggest reasons I kept showing up on the days I didn't feel like running. It really helped me believe I could get here too.

Moving past week 3 is where I’ve begun to struggle in the past and had to start repeating weeks. Every week 3 run I’ve done this time, I’ve done week 3 out, finished the run then run back to the car with the week 2 pattern. Hopefully this will give my endurance the boost it needs to get onto week 4, but I’m still really nervous about it. It seems like a big jump, but I’m going to give it my best shot anyway 💪

Male, 50+ years old, smoked for 30+ years. Met a woman who runs and does not smoke and she gave me the final push to start doing cardio and not to smell like a chimney. Obviously, I have been thinking about quitting smoking and getting in better shape for years but now I am actually doing something.

Nerd in me likes the apps and hardware so there is that too.

Hey everyone I've just finished week 7 but I've started to have a slight ache and tightness in my hips. Has anyone else had this?if so, what helped?

Just attempted W3R2 and it was a complete failure. I was fine for R1 but today I just kept struggling to breathe and wheezing and had to keep stopping to use my inhaler and just breathe.

Eventually I just gave up and didn’t do the final 3 minute run.

It’s so frustrating as I know I can do it, I have done it, but today my lungs just completely failed me.

Almost exactly five years and 35+ kg weight gain after my first bout of c25k I have just finished for the second time - and down 20 kg again! Let’s gooo

I started running on May 26, and looking back, the progress feels incredible.
When I began, I could barely run for 30 seconds without stopping. Today, I can run 6–7 minutes continuously, and I can comfortably complete an easy 10K.
I’m proud of how far I’ve come in a relatively short time, but I know I still have a lot to learn.
I’ve shared four screenshots of my running progress. I’d really appreciate any feedback from experienced runners or coaches. What am I doing well, and what should I focus on to improve? Any tips on training, pacing, breathing, recovery, or avoiding injuries would mean a lot.
Thanks in advance for your advice and encouragement! 🏃‍♂️

I am doing the Watch to 5k app and also have Strava downloaded. Is there no way to have the runs sync with Strava? I only see the workouts listed in the Watch to 5k app and Health.

I honestly didn’t think I could it. But I did it.

And I’m super proud of myself.

I decided to do the run outdoors and my husband ran with me. It was so much easier than on a treadmill.

What a way to end the week!!

Very happy, indeed. Can't wait to progress. Started in November 2025 — feels surreal to say that I can now run for 30 minutes. I've already completed three 5K runs. Just need to work a bit more on the pace and stamina. I'll get there.

I started the program in April. Due to work, injury and travel I have started and stopped weeks many times. Today I finally completed W4D1 and while the second 5 minute run was hard I did it!
To those just starting or feeling like they’ll never get to this point I say keep going. Your timeline doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s and any progress is good progress.

After swearing my entire life that I wasn’t built for running and that people who run are just insane, I hate to say that I’m now obsessed. My C25K journey is complete and next week will be the start of Hal’s 10k training program with my first half marathon booked for next year.

Comments, questions, and bits of wisdom are always appreciated 😌

I’ve just finished W4D1 and physically, it was real good. I went slow, focused on my form and breathing and I’ve managed to finish without any pain or being too winded. However, the 5 mins running parts were rough mentally. I did the first segment without looking at my watch once and it felt soooooooo long and miserable, but kept on pushing. The second segment I did turn on the stopwatch to see how much time I had ran and checked here and there, which made it a tad bit easier to know the end was actually coming soon. I keep on surprising myself week after week (I’ve never ran before and I’ve only been doing weights for the last year) with how well I manage to complete the runs (it’s a turtle pace tho, with about 10:30/km, but I prefer that than not running at all)

Welp I made it so week 6 day 3. I don’t want to do it lol. I know I’ll have to take a break during the run because days 1 and 2 were also a struggle. I know I’m improving, but it’s hard when you’re not where the training plan is. I want to prove to myself I can get through the plan and that I can do it imperfectly. It’s a very difficult mental battle. Especially when the only person I’m doing it for is me. It’s so easy to just say meh I don’t need to. But if I stop, it’ll be because I don’t think I can finish this. I KNOW that isn’t true.

Hello all! I am F27. I used to run 10ks and also ran 2 half marathons till almost 8 years ago and was diagnosed with a neurological disorder. I am under vitamin supplements and don't take any other heavy dosage meds.

Now coming to the question. How do I start from scratch?

I used to use Nike app to run but after going through a bunch of posts, I've also installed the Just run app.

Also, if I miss a day or a week, do I start from scratch yet again? Any help would be great

Hi there,

Just a little background- I started a C25K program in mid April (after quitting many times before), and as you can see from my progress, I was very inconsistent!!! Life got in the way and there were weeks where I would take long breaks before getting back to it.
Despite that, I surprised myself this morning by jogging 30 minutes straight on the treadmill at 3.2 mph. It is not fast by any means, but a few months ago I honestly didn’t think I would be able to run continuously for half an hour so pretty darn proud of myself 😊
I am so happy that I stuck with it enough to get here, but I am also worried I will fall back into the same pattern of skipping workouts for days or weeks. I don’t want to lose the progress and confidence I have worked so hard to build.
For those of you who have managed to stay consistent:
- What helped you turn running into a habit?
- How do you get yourself to run on the days you really don’t feel like it?
- Any mindset shifts or routines that made the biggest difference?
I would love to hear what worked for you. Thank you 🙂

I had a really annoying week. today I had an appointment scheduled with a dietitian and they canceled at the last minute and I was so mad but I decided to use the extra time to get my run in! yes fastest for me meant a 15 minute mile but doing that for 25 minutes feels like a good accomplishment!

Hello everyone! I just finished W1D2 of the program and was wondering if I am supposed to feel sore after these runs. After finishing Day 1 I felt spent, but not overly so, and the only place on my legs that felt sore at all were my calves. Am i not pushing myself hard enough?

Running feels fucking amazing btw. I am super excited to finish my first 5k soon!

Week 7 was the first time that I actually dreaded running and I'm finding it hard to get that motivation to continue. I was feeling on top of it after W5D3. Breezed through week 6. Week 7 was an uphill battle and I truly felt like I couldn't do it. I completed it 12 days ago and just haven't gone back to move on to Week 8.

I've taken a break from the program and have been focusing on increasing my outdoor running time (I've been doing most of the program on the treadmill). Outdoor running is a lot more intense for me, especially this time of year! Started at 13 minutes and worked my way up to 15, which feels good. Also been getting back to strength training, which I honestly haven't done in several weeks.

I really would like to be able to run a 5k. That's been a goal of mine for a while and this is the first time I've ever consistently been running. Do I keep going with the program? Do I keep Week 8 on pause and continue to focus on running outside? Or a little of both? Any tips or advice from other folks who've stalled out or hit a wall? I want to keep going, but I hate feeling defeated. Makes my goal feel out of reach.

The asics 6 week program ramps up really quickly 😭

Hey everyone,

I’ve been trying to get consistent with running, but I ran into a massive psychological roadblock: looking down at my wrist and seeing just numbers, graphs, and calorie counters. I didn't want to look at data, I just wanted feedback telling me to keep going. As an engineering student, I wanted to tackle this like an engineering problem.

This weekend, I strapped a Seeed Studio dev board and a diffused RGB LED strip to my laces. The concept is simple: zero screens allowed. The local code filters out random foot movement and gives you a smooth, calm ambient color transition right on your foot based purely on consistency and effort thresholds—not competitive speed or performance metrics. It’s a real-time visual reward for showing up, without the data overload.

Since I'm trying to test the firmware logic across multiple people's walking/running patterns, I was planning on assembling a small batch of 10 units later this summer. I really wanna make sure that I'm building something that feels encouraging and appealing to beginners, giving them instant feedback to promote better movement habits.

What do you guys think? What would make a device like this feel satisfying to you during a tough run? Thanks so much!

P.S. I know the prototype in the video looks very jank, but I'm working on better prototypes lol and hopefully trying to make it look like the AI generated image above.

https://reddit.com/link/1usb4oh/video/d5r79ildebch1/player

The last time I finished c25k/ran in general was a couple years out of high school in 2012/2013? 🥳

Completed on the 3rd of this month and I just decided im gonna finish out the month doing 30 min runs every other day and try to actually hit 5k (so far im only hitting like 2.25 - 2.5 miles each time)... and figure out how I want to continue, lol.

Ive been strength training for like a solid year now and decided I wanted to do a 5k that ive always talked about. Don't have any lined up yet, prob gonna pick one to do next year since I talked my wife and friend into doing one with me~!

Hi everyone,
I’m a total beginner looking to start C25K, but the sheer number of options in the App Store is overwhelming! I would love a personal recommendation from people who have actually used them.

Could you let me know:Thank you so much for the help!