It’s fair to say I was a little underwhelmed after finishing the couch to 5K podcast, as I hadn’t achieved a distance of 5K. Well, on my next run and the first with the Nike+ Android app, I put that right. I am now a 5K runner – and here’s the proof!

Signing up with Nike+ was a simple process, although trying to fiddle with your phone as you start running isn’t ideal. I also had some GPS issues, meaning one false start and a phone reboot, but once I was up and running (ahem) it worked fine.

Of course I missed Laura’s encouragement from the Cto5K podcast, but Nike+ gives you a handy little update at each 1K marker that is useful rather than comforting; giving your total time so far, average for the last 1K and average so far in the run. It was really nice to know that my time was consistent throughout, which was obviously missing from the podcast – it makes you feel more like a ‘proper’ runner!

Unfortunately, as you’ll see in the image above, the actual splits didn’t translate from phone to online and I can’t seem to get them back from the app now, which is frustrating. The app is very icon heavy and pretty crappy to navigate once your run is over, but as long as it’s telling me the right total time and distance that’s good enough for now.

So what’s the plan, running man?

Right now I’m happy with the distance I’m running. It’s still pretty painful though, and slow, so I’m going to try and get my time down a little over the next few weeks and stick with 5K, see how things change (if at all). I’ll reassess things at the end of April.

I’m going to keep running 5K twice per week and, if I’m feeling confident, I’ll do a park run at the end of April. Currently I’m still running at night as I’m very self conscious about it. A park run would be with many other people, in the daytime, so I need to get my confidence up big time!

Spring’s arrival will force my hand a bit, as it gets dark later and later, but I also want to try running off of nice comfy pavements too. We’re pretty blessed in St Ives with some fantastic walking/cycling paths that are very easy on the feet – but its time to go off piste. I just hope my next post isn’t about a strain, rip of break of some sort…

But even if it is, right now I’m chuffed. All I’d say to anyone doing – or contemplating – Couch to 5K is GO FOR IT. If I can do it, as lardy and unfit as I am, so can you. And when you do that first 5K run, it feels absolutely brilliant. Good luck! And it would be great to hear any stories in the comments below.