But we know youll have plenty of questions along the way, so heres what you should probably know.

Is couch-to-5K a good plan to start running?

Which is nonsense, of courseplenty of runners walk from time to time.

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It’s still part of the run.

So what are the advantages of couch-to-5K?

The biggest one is that it’s very accessible.

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You only need to manage a one-minute jog to get started.

The plan also teaches by experience.

It’s probably better.

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What happens in a couch-to-5K program?

On your first day, you run for one minute.

Then you walk for 90 seconds.

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Then you run for one minute again.

After 20 minutes of this back-and-forth, youre done running for the day.

(The program also recommends five minutes of warmup and cooldown, which can be walking.)

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Am I too out-of-shape if I get winded right away?

Whether you feel out of breath is a measure of theintensityof your running.

Every runner, even an Olympic medalist, has a speed that makes them feel out of breath.

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And everyone, even you, has a speed that is so slow it feels easy.

Or at least, easy-ish.

What gear do I need to start?

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At first, not much.

Some shoes that dont hurt your feet when you run; some clothes that cover your body comfortably.

No matter what the person at the store says,do notbuy anything that feels uncomfortable.

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(Research suggests neutral shoes are best for most of us.)

What should my heart rate be during a couch-to-5K run?

It doesn’t matter!

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I know thatzone 2 runningis trendy, so people often venture to run their couch-to-5K intervals in zone 2.

That’s a nice thought, but it’s not mandatory and it’s not the point here.

Remember, the only training metric in couch-to-5K is running time.

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That can be zone 2, or zone 5, or anything in between.

If Im not getting any faster, am I doing it wrong?

Even elite runners spend most of their time doing easy, boring miles.

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Slow runs help you get faster.

Want to tell if youre improving?

Try another race or time trial, andthenyoull be able to tell how much youve improved.

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When its not race day, just put in the easy miles.

Do I have to rest on the rest days?

Couch-to-5k programs typically ask you to run three days a week.

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But if youre already active, theres no problem working in other exercise around those three runs.

(Your tendons, ligaments, and bones will thank you for the gradual buildup.)

But feel free to swim, bike, lift weights, or whatever else makes you happy.

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Why does it make you jump from an eight-minute run to a 20-minute run?

Ahh, the infamous W5D3.

?We’re barely halfway through the program!

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How can it expect you to do two-thirds of your goal distance?

Take a deep breath.

you’ve got the option to do this.

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By the time you’re facing down the 20-minute run, you’ve already done eight-minute intervals.

It’s the same skill, the same pace or very similar.

The barrier is mental.

Just go out and do it.

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If you hit 10 minutes andreallyneed to walk, go ahead.

Beth said you’ve got the option to.

What do I do if I “fail” a run?

It’s a training program.

There’s no such thing as failure.

You got your butt out there and trained, didn’t you?

This probably isn’treallynecessary; see what I said above about facing down a scary run.

Let it scare you.

Use that to motivate you to make decisions.

But, sure, repeat a week or a day if youreallyneed to.

What if I miss a run, or a whole week?

Dont view the nine-week schedule as ironclad.

Your body is still getting the benefits of exercise no matter which week youre on.

Some people need a little more time than others.

You may find that partway through the program, youre ready for more.

It worked, and I completed the full workout without needing to slow down.

Youll get to that point too, if you just stick with it.

What do I do after couch-to-5K?

First, celebrate the accomplishment!

When you started, you could only run for a minute at a time.

Now, you could do 30 minutes straight!

The whole point of couch-to-5K is to be an on-ramp to a “real” running routine.

Now you’re in the habit of running for 30 minutes, three times a week.

That’s a respectable nine miles per week.

And before long, you’ll be ready for more.

If you were a runner, what would you do?

Because you are one now!

The only thing tonotdo is to restart the couch-to-5K program.

There’s no progress in that.

Not even if you do it at a slightly faster speed.

If you have fun withthat, you might see a half marathon in your future.

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

You’ve earned it.