Couch to 5k: The End is Near

I can’t believe that this week is my final week of Couch to 5k. As I enter week nine, my final week, I wanted to take a look back at how far I’ve come.

I realise that when I started Couch to 5k I wasn’t a new runner. Having previously completed two half marathons and the London Marathon, but that just goes to show that Couch to 5k really is for everyone regardless of your ability.

The reason I started Couch to 5k was because I sustained a stress fracture to my tibia and had to rest for a minimum of three months. The thought of returning to running after injury (although I have done so many times before) was daunting. More so this time around because of the nature of the injury which is so far the worst injury I’ve sustained.

I started really tentatively and worried that any slight ache or niggle meant that I needed longer to recover, but here I am! Week 9 and almost at the end.

Couch to 5k is such a great app for anyone looking to get into running or, like me, for returning to running after a break. You choose your trainer and then they’ll guide you every step of the way. You can still play your music in the background and your trainer will just talk over it.

The first few runs are a mixture of walking, followed by running for set amounts of time and you’re counted in and out of each section.

When I first started Couch to 5k I wondered how on earth I’d ever be able to run 5k again without stopping, but now I feel confident enough to do that and I’m looking forward to training for the Cardiff Half Marathon again. I still have a long way to go and I’m nowhere near as speedy as I was before, but my love for running has definitely come back along my confidence.

Have you completed Couch to 5k or have is it something you’ve thought about? Let me know in the comments below.