After recently graduating from the excellent NHS Couch to 5K programme c25k, I decided to give their own graduates Couch to 5k+ podcasts a go.

They are designed to improve your technique, speed and stamina over 3 distinct podcasts!

Structure

The 3 distinct areas in this series are stepping stones, speed and stamina that includes the usual 5 mins of warm up and cool down walks!

Each podcast has Laura as your coach there to support you and each set has specially designed music for you to be able to run to different speeds associated to the beats of music per minute that in turn replicates your running strides!

As the say “The music has a beat to match and drive your stride when you run to increase your performance and make your running easier.”

Stepping Stones

The aim of stepping stones is to run continuously for 30 minutes and you are instructed to run at ever higher beats per minute (bpm) over 3 time sections!

Set

• Warm up walk 5 mins
• Continuous running for 30 mins starting off with 150 through to 160 bmp for the last 5 mins
• Cool down walk 5 mins

Duration 40 mins

Speed

The purpose of this set is to enable you to improve your overall speed by running at alternative slower and faster interval paces over 16 mins!

Set

This is a simple continuous 35 minute run to music to allow you to be able to run at a faster pace for longer!

Set

• Warm up walk 5 mins
• Run 3 x 10 min sections starting with first at 158 bpm and then 2 x 160 bpm
• Final 5 minutes of running is at 165 bpm
• Cool down walk 5 mins

Duration 45 mins

Conclusion

These Couch to 5K+ podcasts successfully help bridge the gap for graduates of the C25K programme wishing to improve their running technique/pace in a very supportive way to specially designed music!

Finally on a personal level, I would like to thank everyone involved in this c25k programme in helping me get my running fitness back through this period of lockdown, top work guy’s!!

Best

Mark