Back in 2020, Jo Whiley was my best friend. She wasn’t aware of this because our relationship was parasocial; she was there next to me as I, the woman who had never exercised before, plodded my way through Couch to 5K with her calm, reassuring voice in my earphones.

The popular programme – which aims to get newbies running for 30 minutes straight in just nine weeks – worked amazingly well for me. I opted for the official NHS version (other plans are available), complete with celebrity coaches. And it changed my life. I’ve since run three half-marathons, more than 50 Parkruns and earlier this year, I completed my first London Marathon. I’ve basically made running my whole personality, even writing a newsletter about it. But here’s the thing: when I finished Couch to 5K, I still couldn’t run 5K in under 30 minutes. In fact, I can count the number of times I’ve run 5K in under 30 minutes on one sweaty hand.

That might sound like I’m a rubbish runner, but the truth is, I’m totally average. In fact, I’m better than average these days. Did you know the average 5K time for women stands at around 36 minutes? This means that ‘Couch to a bit less than 4K, actually’ would be a more realistic name for most beginners. That’s not quite so catchy, though – especially given the fact that for decades runners have been indoctrinated with the belief that a ‘good’ 5K time should be sub-30 minutes. 

The problem starts when the Couch to 5K concept becomes so ubiquitous that it makes women feel rubbish about managing anything less. I’ve heard plenty apologise for ‘not being a natural runner’ or talk about feeling self-conscious when looking ‘too slow’. Sometimes, those anxieties stop them from running altogether. While the official programme has been downloaded 6.5 million times in the past three years, only about a quarter of people complete it.    

Bethan Taylor-Swaine, a sports sociologist and advocate for inclusive sport, says that if the aim is to get more people active, this fixation on time and distance – and therefore pace – could be a barrier.

“The fear of not being good enough can really affect participation,” she tells Strong Women. “If people are so focused on performing to a particular level, they can forget the enjoyment. For most of us, running isn’t our job – it’s a hobby and, if you want to train like an athlete and love doing that, that’s amazing. But if your enjoyment comes from just moving your body, pottering along and enjoying the scenery, then that’s also awesome.” 

Of course, a lot of our feelings about speed are tied in with body image. Not hitting an arbitrary target can feel like confirmation that we don’t fit the intimidating image of a lithe, leggy ‘proper runner’. This is something Mel Bound, founder of nationwide running club This Mum Runs, often encounters. She’s doing her best to give Couch to 5K a rebrand. She calls her TMR beginners programme Run30. 

“For women just starting out or getting back into running, that omnipresent goal of running 5K in 30 minutes can feel like such an incredibly huge barrier to even starting,” she says. “A focus on the number of minutes moving sounds ridiculously simple, but it has been such a magic unlock for women new to running or trying to build up to more regular running.

“They know if they follow the programme at their own pace, by the end, they will be able to run non-stop for 30 minutes. Just flipping it on its head feels so empowering.” 

Ironically, this approach has seen some of her runners achieving the elusive sub-30 5K after all. “The incredible thing has been the number of women I’ve seen get faster by embracing this approach,” she says. “By taking off the tech and focusing on how running feels, and by running at a consistent pace and then pushing a bit harder to see how it feels, they run more often, build confidence and enjoy it more. And yes, some cover more ground, more quickly.”

I find the thought of running without grimacing at my Garmin every couple of minutes and then poring over my Strava stats afterwards horrifying. But perhaps it’s worth a go if I want to get back to the heady days of my 29min 15sec PB – nothing special by athlete standards, but at the time, it felt like an amazing achievement.

When I feel rubbish about my pace, I try to remember that just running at all is brilliant. Along with the obvious fitness benefits, new research shows that running in groups can be as effective as antidepressants for low mood. Tentatively downloading Couch to 5K is a great start – especially if you’re more comfortable with Jo Whiley or Sarah Millican in your ear than a pack of people beside you – but joining a club can be a better way to make the habit stick.

For me, going to events like Parkrun also hammers home that ‘proper runners’ come in all shapes, sizes and speeds. At the free community running event which over 350,000 people attend each week, the average 5K time has slowed down by almost 10 minutes, from a speedy 22:17 back in 2005 to over 32 minutes now. This might not sound like something to shout about, but the organisers are delighted, seeing it as a sign of how inclusive the events have become.  

“I completely agree that a 30-minute 5K can make people feel inadequate,” says Kirsty Woodbridge, Parkrun’s global head of communications (and avid runner). “Even feeling like you have to complete 5K can be too much. At Parkrun we’re really proud of just letting people participate however suits them. Walk a bit, only do one lap, walk it all, volunteer, come along and watch, it simply doesn’t matter – movement is movement!”

While I get a thrill from watching mega-impressive runners crushing it in under 15 minutes, I’m also inspired by the ones towards the back of the pack, like the 84-year-old man I found myself jogging alongside recently at a Parkrun in south London. He asked me to guess how old he was and we had a chuckle about him being exactly double my age. It was a heartwarming moment – until I gave him a smile and a wave and overtook him with a sprint finish. Since I won’t be winning gold at the Olympics any time soon, I’ve got to get my kicks somewhere. 

Images: Getty