The Couch to 5k Plan – What to Do After Finishing

I finished Couch to 5k plan, now what do I do? I get this question a lot from both friends and readers. The Couch to 5k plan is an excellent program to get started with running, and it’s the program I always recommend to beginning runners. So many people have success with the program, and I would like to provide some resources for where to go when you are done with the program to keep reaching for new running goals.

After people have completed the Couch to 5k, they are often eager to continue running, but they don’t know where to go for additional training plans or guidance. Do you try to run faster? Do you run farther? The answer varies depending on the individual runner and their running goals. You generally have two options– get faster or go farther. Here’s how to do both:

Getting Faster at the 5K Distance

You have some options once you are done with the 12-week program and have completed your first 5k. Some people choose to stay at the 5k distance and work on lowering their 5k times. If you would like to work on increasing your speed, there are a number of resources out there including Runners World—they have a TON of training articles on speed work and sample training plans. Running Times is another great source of training plans for all levels.

Training for a Longer Distance and Improving Your Running Stamina

You may decide that, instead of working on your speed, you would prefer to tackle a longer distance race. If you visit the above resources, they also have many plans for the 10K, half marathon, and marathon.

One thing to be very careful of is doing too much too soon (TMTS). Often times, new runners get so excited with the changes in their body and their newfound love of running, that they ramp up their mileage and/or speed too quickly. This is a recipe for injury, and trust me when I saw it’s not worth it!

In doing some research, I discovered an app for smartphones called Bridge to 10k. This is a handy app that will help you go from 5k to 10k. The app is priced at $2.99. You can find more info on their website. If you’re looking for a great armband for your smartphone, this one is my favorite.

Increasing Mileage Safely After the Couch to 5k Plan

The general rule for increasing mileage is to increase by no more than 10% per week. This gradual increase allows your body to adapt to increased mileage slowly in order to decrease the chance of injury. Always make sure that you are listening to your body.

If something starts to hurt (other than general muscle soreness you feel from workouts), stop running until you no longer feel the pain. Trust me, I have made this mistake several times before!

Ready to get started? Here are some articles you may find helpful after you choose to run faster or go longer:

• Long Runs – How to Fuel
• 5 Popular Speed Workouts
• 5 Ways to a Faster 5K
• Speed Workouts for the Treadmill
• Compression Socks for Long Runs
• 5 Great Pre-race Breakfast Ideas 
• Compression Socks or Sleeves
• 5 Pieces of Gear that Make Running in the Snow Easier
• Running in the Snow
• 5 Tips for Running in the Heat and Humidity
• Hydration While Running
• How Caffeine Can Help Your Running 
• How to Prevent Blisters (and What to Do if You Get One!) 
• Epsom Salt Baths: Soothe Sore Muscles AND Get Better Sleep!