---
title: 'I Tried the Couch to 5K Running Program (full experience)'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=zXe3a290B7w'
video_id: 'zXe3a290B7w'
date: 2026-06-30
duration_sec: 1832
---

# I Tried the Couch to 5K Running Program (full experience)

> Source: [I Tried the Couch to 5K Running Program (full experience)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=zXe3a290B7w)

## Summary



## Transcript

hi I'm Sierra I'm Jess we don't run no
but uh that changes now starting today
we are going to try to follow the couch
to 5K program running 3 days a week
increasing run intervals until in theory
cuz I'm not actually sure how much I
believe I'm going to be able to do this
you will be able to do it in theory at
the end of this we are going to be able
to run a 5k 3.1 miles so today is week
one run one let's freaking run I got
winded walking here we're using using
the watch to 5K
app we start with a 5 minute warm up
brisk
walk all right 1 minute till our first
run
interval we're on our first run interval
3 seconds and
walk now we just rinse and repeat that
eight times
this be
[Music]
last we've got a minute left of our cool
down feeling good look we get this
little little award well done you ran
for 8 minutes we did
it run one in the books how'd you feel
pretty good the initial nerves are gone
you know I feel a l slightly more
confident that we'll be able to do this
at least that like I'm starting at a
point where the beginning is doable oh
100% so that I have to believe that my
body can adjust with the increasing
intervals and build the stamina so that
in uh 3 months or so we can do a 5K and
we can sing the whole time Pink Pony
Club I'm going to keep on daning we just
finished our first run it was really fun
it's like ironically the Run did not
wind me but walking back to my car did
it was so nice having SE like with me
cuz I feel like I get so in my head when
I'm running and in the past like I've
used running as kind of a meditative
thing to get me you know into my body
and out of my head and it's always kind
of backfired that's something I was a
little nervous about and so having her
there and also like she was counting at
the times and we would be like talking
when we were running which is also part
of the couch to 5K you're supposed to be
able to you know talk I was more nervous
showing up today than I was excited and
now I'm just excited I definitely think
I have a history of like shin splints
and some other stuff so I'm going to
preemptively kind of handle that um I
didn't notice anything too bad today I
just want to make sure I'm on top of
that okay run one in the books and I
feel good I feel motivated and just
really excited that we're doing this I'm
four months postpartum right now and I
just I really want to feel more
connected to my body I want to be really
consistent with my exercise and I want
to also increase my stamina and I feel
like doing this and trying to run a 5k
having that tangible goal is hopefully
going to be a a really really good
motivator to keep me consistent work on
all those things and hopefully feel
really accomplished at the end of this
if I'm able to do it and running like
this trying to do a 5k is this is not
something I've done since I was like a
teenager I played soccer growing up so I
ran a lot but it was always like the
means to an end of keeping up on the
field like it it was always for
conditioning I never would just run to
run and this is this is something I want
to do for myself build stamina connect
to my body be assistant and prove to
myself that I can do
[Music]
it always
[Music]
[Music]
all right y'all I have finished my first
two weeks of couch to 5K I'm six runs in
and feeling really good I did not expect
to enjoy running as much as I do but I
think starting with these lower
intervals and slowly building up the
stamina everything has felt really
doable and it's made it more fun because
the running doesn't feel like a strain
or a punishment it's something I'm
enjoying and and looking forward to and
also something that is within my range
of capability so I hit all my runs both
weeks week one doing the one minute
intervals everything felt pretty
consistently easyish and then week two
moving up to 990c intervals I kind of
had that same mindset at the beginning
of my first round I was like wow this
really doesn't feel any different this
is so easy and then I really started to
feel it on my last few intervals and
really slowed my pace so that's
something I'm working on now is not you
know going too hard right out of the
gate and just really keeping a nice
consistent slow pace that I can maintain
through my whole run week two I was gone
for 3 days we went on a trip with Disney
and so I didn't want to run on that trip
since we were doing so much walking so I
just had to be strategic with planning
out the runs making sure that I did one
before the trip and that the day I got
home even though I was really tired
doing my second run so that then I could
have a rest day before my third run at
the end of the week and I think doing
this couch to 5K program definitely
keeps me accountable I really don't want
to miss a run because I know that would
set me back in terms of building up that
endurance so even though I was dragging
my feet a little bit on that uh week two
run two wanting to stay on track with
this training program is really what
motivated me to to get up and go to the
gym anyways so yeah feeling good I'm
excited and slightly nervous for week
three where I'm now going to have to run
for 3 minutes non-stop which sounds like
a lot I mean that's double what I've
done up until this point so fingers
[Music]
crossed it's amazing how a minute and a
half felt so easy knowing that my next
interval is 3 minutes I'm a little
nervous for this 10
seconds and then I'm running for 3
minutes the longest I have yet here we
go and done wow 2 weeks ago running for
3 minutes nonstop would have seemed
unconceivable that was okay that felt
good
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
I'm running on vacation here on Pismo
Beach it's gorgeous and I just did my
first 5 minute interval I was nervous
but I did it I am surprised by my own
capability
[Music]
that was
hard I'm going on my third run of week
four and I've kind of been dreading it
because run two was terrible I don't
know why I struggled so much with that
run it was the same as we as run one and
the first one felt fine but for whatever
reason it felt like the longest
intervals of my life I felt exhausted I
was not enjoying it so kind of been
dreading going back out for a run again
whereas up until this point running has
been something that I've been really
looking forward to so I forced myself
out of the house a little early today so
I don't have time to overthink it and
I'm hoping hoping it feels slightly more
[Music]
doable last 30 seconds of my last run
interval oh my God this was like night
and day difference from my second run
this week oh my gosh like I feel tired
right now but not depleted like it's a
little bit of a push this last minute or
two but I'm not miserable
so maybe it was just an off day and also
I'm finding that I have a much easier
time running outside than I do running
at the
gym I am now officially 1 month in to
the couch to 5K program the last two
weeks week three and four went pretty
well for the most part week three was
honestly like a breeze as much as I had
kind of worked it up in my head doing
those 3 minute intervals I feel like my
body was really ready for that and that
week marked the switch of doing now more
running than walking with the intervals
hit all my runs I also increased um the
strength training that I'm doing on my
off days cross training like that
obviously good for building strength but
also should eventually
helped me run faster I feel like week
three I really hit my stride for lack of
a better word like I got into a good
group uh it's part of my routine now I
go running in the morning usually I feel
like it's been really good for my mental
health too and I just really look
forward to to getting out having my run
time and then week four we upped it to
uh alternating between 5 minute run
intervals and 3 minute run intervals and
that first run I was pretty nervous for
the 5 minutes but honestly was fine I
was out on vacation for that first run
so I was like running on the boardwalk
and it was just it was cool I enjoyed it
now my second time doing this exact run
for whatever reason could not have been
a more different experience this was by
far the worst run of the video honestly
week four run two I was like questioning
why am I doing why am I even doing this
regretting My Life Choices um I here's
the thing I had also just been kind of
having a hard couple days and I had
actually pushed the run off a day
because I didn't want to do it was
having a really hard time and then I
finally got myself to go to the gym and
do the run and here's the thing running
at the gym feels like a freaking
eternity whereas running when I'm
running out and about like the time goes
by so much faster I tried to make this
more fun for myself cuz I knew I had
kind of been dreading it I knew it might
be hard I brought like my little phone
scroller for Tik Tok so I could watch
Tik Tok while I ran honestly that didn't
help at all I still absolutely hated
this run and it was humbling I felt 10
times more tired than I did doing the
first run of week four I just absolutely
hated it it was a terrible run and I
felt bad after too I had kind of told
myself you know I'm giving myself a pep
talk I'm like you know just get up go to
the gym do your run you can watch Tik
Tok you can have some alone time you're
going to feel so good after think of how
good you're going to feel after and then
after I was like I feel terrible inside
and out so that sucked but here's the
thing I went back out for run three 2
days later and I did it out of the house
this time and mentally I was in a better
place and let me tell you that run was
great it was a breeze oh my God I'm so
glad I didn't let that one bad Run keep
me down because week four run three I
was right back to where I was with the
first run that week I felt good I
enjoyed it yeah for the 5 minute
intervals I had to like push myself a
little bit but a healthy amount of
pushing and it wasn't The Struggle Bus
that week four run two was so I don't
know what was up with me that day but I
think it's a good reminder that like
there's going to be bad runs and I I
shouldn't just you know throw in the
towel because of that push through try
again um also I think I I think I need
to just stop running at the gym on the
treadmill the the time just ticks by so
slowly and I really enjoy being outside
I've loved doing like Trail runs and
runs at the park it's just it's nice so
now I am headed into week five I'm
actually about to go do my first run of
week five and this week we are ramping
up to running 20 minutes non-stop which
seems like a huge jump but also starting
this week I'm now no longer doing like
the same run intervals every Run for the
week it's changing now so like today
week five run one I'm running for 15
minutes broken up into three 5 minute
intervals run two this week I jump up to
doing two 8 Minute intervals with just
that one short walk in between the two
and then couple days after that we drop
that walk interval all together and up
it to uh 20 minutes non-stop I'm
anticipating possibly having to repeat
this week like I'm anticipating maybe
not being ready for that but I don't
want to jump to that yet I want to push
myself a little bit I want to see if I'm
capable and who knows maybe I will make
maybe I'll be able to do it maybe I
won't have to repeat this week but I
feel like now things are really starting
to kick into gear so I want to balance
that like pushing myself proving to
myself that I can do hard things and uh
keeping this fun and doable and you know
being kind to myself giving myself time
so yeah that's where I'm at a month in
going into week five we got this and a
quick update just had to stop after last
week for personal reasons I so
appreciate her help and support getting
started with this and I'm going to miss
my training
[Music]
buddy all right I am about to do my
first 20 minute run at least attempt it
we'll see I have to walk I have to walk
but my goal is to do a mile so at the
current Pace that I've been run walking
the intervals for the past few weeks
that should be very doable so let's go
run a mile
maybe I'm 10 minutes in I just hit 1
kilometer halfway through I think I
might actually be able to do this it's
almost kind of nice not having the
intervals cuz I'm not like checking my
watch for anything or thinking about
what's next I just have to run 3 minutes
left definitely feeling it very sweaty
kind of want to walk but feel like at
this point I'm committed in 3 minutes I
can push I want to do it I want to
complete it one more minute let's go I
just ran for 20
minutes wow the last few minutes was
definitely a push but I got there I did
it wow
[Music]
B
all right week five was successful I
completed all my runs I felt good in
these intervals I did start my period
this week which just kind of led to me
feeling a little meh overall but didn't
affect the runs too much uh we're also
in like a major Heat Wave so it was a
bit of a struggle just to make sure that
I was getting out early enough cuz I've
decided that I just don't want a
treadmill run anymore like that is not
for me so in the heat morning runs got
to be pretty early in the morning but uh
we got there and the week finished off
with that 20 minute run and I really
surprised myself I ran 20 minutes
nonstop 2 km and it just feels so
awesome to be hitting these goals and
making progress and having such like a
tangible exercise goal that is
completely disconnected from my weight
and my appearance cuz in the past I have
gotten so hung up and like hyper fixated
on that and it really ruled my life and
dominated my relationship with exercise
for so many years and this feels so
different like it feels like a a
celebration of what my body can do and
just like I'm showing up for myself I'm
enjoying it it it's motivating to have
such a tangible goal and being able to
measure that success in a way that is so
completely disconnected from what my
body looks like it's just what can my
body do and that is that's like freeing
for me so moving into week six I feel
like I was in a really good head space
really the hardest part this week was
just actually finding time to run it was
just a busy week with the kids there was
a lot going on and then Steven had a big
week at work so he wasn't as available
to be with the kids so I could run I I'm
thinking about getting a jogging
stroller cuz then I could run with the
kids I don't even have to set aside
extra time but anyways I haven't missed
a run yet but I came close this week I
decided I didn't want to let that happen
so uh one of the evenings when Stephen
was working late I went over to my
parents house we had dinner and then
they watched the kids while I went
running in their neighborhood which was
such a throwback cuz I did one of my old
running routes that I used to do when I
was a teenager and I was conditioning
for soccer um and that was very humbling
let me tell you but it was kind of fun
to do an evening run I I worried that I
wouldn't have enough energy by the end
of the day but honestly it had just been
something that I had like been looking
forward to all day and so I just gave it
everything that was left in the tank and
then this morning I did my last run of
week six I ran for 25 minutes non-stop
the last few minutes was hard but I did
it and now I am officially done with
interval training the next 3 weeks the
runs increase from 25 minutes to 28 and
then finally to 30 which one thing I am
realizing is I am not going to be
running 5 km when I finish couch to 5K
this program is designed to be able to
get you to run 30 minutes without
stopping and I do believe that I'm going
to get to that point now which is like
kind of crazy and so cool but all the
metrics for couch to 5K are time based
not distance which is part of what makes
this so accessible for any Fitness level
but I as a slow Runner am not running at
a pace where I am going to be doing 5 km
in that 30 minutes my current run walk
Pace has been about 10 minutes per
kilometer which is very slow but it
feels good for me for now I'm going to
keep it that way just focus on
continuing to run longer instead of
faster take it run by run focus on my
consistency and building stamina maybe
more speed can come later but yeah I'm
realizing at the end of this program I
am still going to have a lot of work to
do to get to actually running a 5k
[Music]
oh my gosh it's actually chilly out this
morning there's like a crispness to the
air this is so much more enjoyable
[Music]
he
[Music]
week eight let's go
[Music]
[Music]
n
[Music]
week seven we increased to 25 minute
runs I tried listening to audiobooks and
YouTube videos instead of music because
I was just finding it kind of hard
mentally and that helped a lot in just
passing the time faster so I've actually
been rarely listening to music now when
I'm running it's also finally starting
to cool down and oh my gosh running when
it's not blazing hot out is so much more
enjoyable like when it's a little chilly
in the morning and the air feels crisp
it's it's a lot more refreshing I did
have a big set back this week though I
got Co I had done two of my runs for
week seven um and then tested positive
the next day all right I am past Co now
I'm ready to get back into things but it
has been a week since I last Ran So I
have no idea what this is going to be
like I've honestly been really nervous
to get back out just because I feel like
I lost the momentum that I had probably
going to have to like go back a week
maybe two but for this first run back I
am just going to pick up where I left
off I was supposed to do another 25
minute run for my third run of week
seven I'm going to run as much as I can
I might need to walk a little bit in the
middle to catch my breath but I'm going
to give it my all I completed the 25 5
minute run and I felt a big surge in my
confidence comeback that like I really
can do this so I repeated week seven
that week three 25 minute runs and
actually I ended up doing four because I
wanted to make up that run that I had
lost the week before and everything felt
good my stamina felt strong so I was
ready to move on to week eight stepping
up to 28 minute runs my motivation went
down a little bit this week I just like
I wasn't looking forward to the runs I
really had to like push myself to get
out there um I also got my period this
week so correlation probably but I
completed all three of my 28 minute runs
and that step up felt pretty mild so I
moved into week nine my last week of the
program I ran for 30 minutes what we've
been building towards I just ran for 30
minutes that's that's the last step of
catch a 5k I'm not running a 5k I ran
a little over 3 km but did it I got to
30 minutes I'm super proud of myself
although my motivation still did feel a
little low at times you think I'd be
feeling motivated since I'm reaching the
end but I literally did everything else
I could think of today to put off
running and now it's freaking hot and I
have to run and it's hot but we're doing
it but knowing my race was a few weeks
away really kept me going and I just
can't believe I did this like I'm really
proud of myself I'm really surprised by
my own capability like when I started
this a few months ago and those 1 minute
and 3 minute intervals were a push like
I just wasn't really sure if this is
something that I would be able to do but
I'm here I am a couch to 5K graduate I
have completed the 9we training program
it took me 10 weeks 30 runs 11 hours 65
km and now couch to 5K is complete
although actually running 5 km is a
different story my pace is still very
slow I'm completing a little over 3 km
in that 30 minutes so my plan is to keep
running 3 days a week and keep
increasing that time every week and
building my stamina towards that 5 km
Mark although the race is in 2 weeks so
I won't be there by race day but my plan
for the race is just to run as much as I
can and there's no shame in Walking the
rest my goal is just to finish or maybe
finish in like under an hour would be
nice but I'm excited to keep running I'm
I surprise myself at how much I actually
enjoy this I'm also going to start doing
a longer walk after my runs that way I'm
always getting to that 5 km distance
even if it's not all running all right
so 2 weeks until the 5K race we were
signed up for I am going to keep going
with my runs which means right now I'm
filming this right before my run so see
you all right the time has come the race
is tomorrow I went and picked up my bib
today I've kept up with my three runs a
week leading up to the race and I made
it through the entire couch to 5K
program with no injuries no joint pain
not even really any muscle soreness I
think since it's just such like a a
gradual workup my body responded really
well to it and then last week my left
hip flexor randomly started hurting
during a run and it hasn't gone away it
hasn't really gotten worse either but
pretty much as soon as I start running
like a couple minutes into the run I
start feeling it and it's not it's not
that bad but I'm kind of stressed about
just injuring it more so I feel like
that's held me back a little bit and
also just added a little bit to my
nerves for tomorrow but you know what I
am mostly excited for tomorrow I'm
feeling good about it I'm feeling I feel
pretty ready I still haven't worked up
to actually running the full 5 km in my
runs but I got up to running for 37
minutes I did just under 4 km in that
time so I feel like either tomorrow I
can take a little walking break at that
point and then you know run the last bit
or if I'm feeling good I might just push
and see if I can run the full 5 km that
would be freaking awesome that's like
beyond my expectation for myself so if I
can do that that'd be really cool but my
main goal tomorrow is just to finish and
to feel good in my body to feel
accomplished at what I've done and to
have fun cuz at the end of the day like
that's what this is all about me just
connecting with my body feeling good
having fun getting some movement in and
uh all of that is going to happen
tomorrow 5K here we come
okay we're lined up it's about to start
I'm glad I brought my visor it's
sunny listening to Hamilton the
Pre-Workout is hitting I'm
ready one mile
two miles the last minute my brother
decided to run this with me which has
been super cool and just making the time
go by faster having someone else out
here he's training for a half marathon
so this is a literal Walkin park for him
but I feel like it's helping me to keep
pushing I'm going to try and run this
whole thing I think I can do it
I did it from couch to 5K I really
surprised myself I was able to run the
whole thing without stopping and I feel
really proud of myself I feel so
accomplished and genuinely just
surprised by my own capabilities which I
feel like has been kind of the running
theme through me doing couch to 5K
proving to myself that I can and uh
pushing myself connecting with my body 3
months ago this seemed impossible but
here I am I did it and if I can I think
anyone can I'll put my final race time
up here it was like 47 minutes and
something my goal was under an hour and
I made it so that is going to be it for
this video thank you so much for
watching be confident be kind to your
body and I'll see you next time bye
[Music]