Which Couch to 5K app should I use?

A friend messaged me tonight and asked me that question … and yes, I know it’s  Google-bait, but I thought, “that would make a great topic for a post!”

Ease into 5K

 

 

When I started on my “fitness journey” (god, that sounds corny) almost 3 years ago, I was sitting at my computer drinking a beer, eating a slice of microwavable pizza and hating that I didn’t have the body I wished I had. So I googled “Couch to 5K app” and it took me to the Bluefin app.

At the time (2010) there were, like 3 apps available so it wasn’t hard to compare them and pick one. I just did a search on my phone and there are, like, 50 today.

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Oy vey. So I’ll admit that I have not done any market research here and looked to see what’s available in the world of Couch to 5K apps. But here’s a secret: The plan really isn’t very complicated.

Essentially what the app does (and I’m was very happy with Bluefin’s when I used it) is that it will run over your iPod app for music and just tell you when to start and stop running. It also tells you when you’re half-way done. The last killer feature is that you could fill out a diary after every run where you said how you felt, where you ran, and what the weather is like.

But even that last feature is just a bonus. The program is so simple you could just download a podcast that does the same thing — an audio track with music that tells you when to start and stop running — but I like to listen to my own music. 🙂

Thinking about starting the Couch to 5K? Here’s my advice: JUST DO IT. Just the first day. It’s probably not as hard as you think. ‘Cause here’s the secret about running: You don’t run balls-to-the-wall hard every time you go running.

Here’s my other advice: Keep doing it. You can run as slow as you want every time you go running. No matter how slow you go, you’ll still see results. As long as you keep running every other day, even if you have to repeat weeks, you’ll see results. I promise.

Pattie Reaves

About Pattie Reaves

I'm a new mom and renegade fitness blogger at After the Couch. I live in Brewer with my husband, Tony, our daughter Felicity, and our two pugs, Georgia and Scoop.