You can complete the two 5-Day Challenge runs either alone or with the club.
For consistency:
Use the same route for both runs
Always complete a proper warm-up
Use your watch or running app to stop at 20 minutes
Save the run and record your average speed
Run 1 – Setting Your Baseline
(Usually Monday or Tuesday)
Run 1 should be a controlled effort, not a flat-out time trial. How hard you run depends on how much running you’ve been doing recently.
If you’ve been running regularly
- Lots of running recently: ~90% effort
- Restarted running recently (4+ runs in last 2 weeks): ~80% effort
- 3 or fewer runs in the last 3 weeks: ~70% effort
If you’re a Couch to 5K runner
- Jog as slowly as you can
- Walk whenever your breathing becomes laboured
- The aim is to spend more time jogging, not to push the pace
At the end of the 20 minutes, make sure you save the run and note your average speed.
Run 2 – Using What You Learned
(Usually Wednesday, Thursday or Friday)
Run 2 is where you apply the lessons from Run 1.
Experienced runners (injury-free, not racing soon)
- The aim is to beat your Run 1 average speed
- Pace the run more evenly
- Avoid starting too fast
- Try to finish strongly so you achieve the highest average speed possible
Restarted running recently (4+ runs in last 2 weeks)
- Aim to run at the same average speed as Run 1
- Start pacing properly from the first 2 minutes
- The goal is a much nicer, smoother run than Run 1
- If you’re feeling good and injury risk is low, feel free to finish fast
Couch to 5K runners
- Aim to jog at your Run 1 average speed for as much of the 20 minutes as possible
- Walking is absolutely fine if needed
- Keep the pace relaxed and you’ll often find you need less walking than you expect
Why This Matters
Your Run 2 result gives you a strong indication of:
- Your current fitness
- How well you can pace yourself
- Which running group is likely to suit you best
This helps us guide you into the right group for our next 13-week programme, which begins next week.