# Run 5k - couch to 5k program — interval training + stretches

> Beginner 8-week program to run a 5k with interval training and guided audio cues. (iPhone/iPad app by Felt Tip Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-5k-couch-to-5k-program/id313494823 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Felt Tip Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306118159)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Sports
- Price: $2.99
- Rating: 3.90/5 from 67 App Store ratings · 270 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 74 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2009-05-27
- Data updated: 2026-08-30
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-5k-couch-to-5k-program/id313494823/reviews.md

## What is Run 5k?

Join the hundreds of thousands of runners who have used Run 5k to go from a couch potato to a 5k (3.1 miles) runner. This app is great for beginner runners who have never run before or former runners who want to start up again. 

The Run 5k app has been featured on CNN.com, Boston.com’s lifestyle-health section, and in Health Magazine. Get into shape using our 8-week beginner training plan, complete with an animated warmup and cooldown stretching program. This app has voice cues that guide you even when your screen is locked. The app tells you when to run and walk and gives audio cues for distance and pace when you use GPS. You can use this app outside, on a track, or in the gym.

FEATURES
• Apple Watch app—you can leave your phone at home while you work out with our Watch app, or continue to use our Watch app together with the iPhone app.
• Speaks pace, distance, intervals, and halfway point. 
• Optionally uses GPS for pace and distance. (You can also use this app on a treadmill or indoor track without GPS.)
• Animated warmup and cooldown stretching programs with timer and voice cues.
• Tap out your heart rate on the heart icon.  
• Supports Bluetooth heart rate monitors.
• Integrates with the Health app. Set your weight in the Health app to calculate Calories burned, and to save your Active Calories for each workout.

ABOUT the WORKOUTS
• 8-week training program perfect for beginners or former runners.
• Each workout is about 30 minutes long.
• Interval training alternates between jogging and walking.
• Workout intervals gradually become more challenging.
• 5-minute warmup and 5-minute cooldown, which are skippable.
• Speaks each jog and walk interval, halfway mark, and 1-minute-left mark.
• Optionally speaks pace and distance information every 1/2 mile or 1/2 km.
• Automatically checks off each completed workout and records your date, pace and distance. 

AUDIO CUES and NOTIFICATIONS
If you’re not getting Notifications in the background, open the Settings app, select Notifications, then scroll down to find Run 5k in the list. Tap on Run 5k and turn on Notification Center, choose an alert style, and turn everything else on (Sound, Badge App Icon, Lock Screen). Check your volume and make sure your ringer switch is not set to silent/vibrate.

HEALTH
This app can be integrated with the Health app. Your weight set in the Health app can be used to calculate Calories burned during a workout, and the total Active Calories burned can be saved to Health app after each workout. Sharing this information with the Health app is optional.

GPS and LOCATION
To show distance and pace information, Run 10k can use GPS location tracking during a workout. For best results, use this app outside where you can see open sky. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Legal Disclaimer: This app and any information given by it or by Felt Tip Inc are for educational purposes only. They are not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any fitness program.

Run 5k was created by Lucius Kwok, Agnes Chan, and Kasten Searles. Made in NYC.

## Key features

- 8-week beginner training plan
- Animated warmup and cooldown stretches
- Voice cues for running and walking intervals
- GPS tracking for pace and distance
- Apple Watch app integration
- Bluetooth heart rate monitor support
- Health app integration

## What do users think of Run 5k?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Gradually builds endurance
- 💡 Helpful audio cues
- 👍 Motivating and enjoyable
- 👍 Versatile with music playback

**Cons**

- 🐛 Inconsistent audio cues
- 🐛 Tracking issues with Apple Watch
- 🐛 Bugs with screen locking
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Lacks advanced features

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Duplicate workout recordings
- Workout timer resets unexpectedly
- Audio cues not working when screen is locked

**Most requested features**

- GPS tracking and mapping
- Customizable interval timers
- Integration with other fitness apps
- Post-workout data and progress tracking

## Recent user reviews (10 of 270)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-5k-couch-to-5k-program/id313494823/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Pretty terrible

*2026-07-22, version 2020.5.12*

This app used to be great, but is now terrible. It stays open on the watch for hours after finishing a workout, and if you have the watch app you must play music from the watch to hear the voice commands. Seems that they stopped developing or improving the app years ago. I will be moving to a different platform.

### 5/5 — Great simple app

*2026-01-28, version 2020.5.12*

Fantastic easy to use good prompts

### 2/5 — App used to be good

*2024-05-22*

But it’s not anymore. Every single session now gets recorded twice in the health app. One with all the data but a incremental workout number (e.g. week 1 day 1 records as workout “0” while day 2 is “1”), and another, useless one, with only the time, though it does indicate week/day.

This app hasn’t been updated in years, so just find a newer app at this point.

### 2/5 — Has potential but has issues

*2023-10-11*

First off, it’s great to have a program with no ads AND no subscription fee. But two glaring things make it disappointing

1- The app doesn’t announce the “run/walk” times when my phone is locked! Why?? It will only interrupt my music and narrate properly when I have the phone unlocked in my pocket. So there’s a workaround but it’s still annoying. 

2- Even when I do the above and get all the way to it announcing “workout complete” it won’t actually record my stats and complete the workout for me in the app. I have to open the app again, and if I don’t do that right when the workout is over, it doesn’t save my stats. Since I usually go from my cooldown straight back to my family or to work, this is annoying. 

Fix these and my rating would go from 2 to 4 stars. Add GPS and a map of my workout and it would be a 5.

### 5/5 — Got me to my mileage

*2023-08-03, version 2020.5.12*

Wonderful app! Got me to running my 5K!

### 1/5 — Don’t Waste Time/Money

*2023-04-20, version 2020.5.12*

Won’t work with other apps or talk to you with cues when to walk or run. Unless you don’t listen to music or use other apps & want to hold your phone so the screen isn’t asleep, don’t waste your time with this app.

### 5/5 — Great!

*2022-06-28*

I’ve been running on and off for years, and this app is always great at helping me get back on track and work up my strength again.

Recently got an Apple Watch and was thrilled that this app worked well with it out of the box, even when I leave my phone behind at home.

Great stuff! Keep it up, Felt Tip! I appreciate you!

### 5/5 — Similar to original

*2022-01-02, version 2020.5.12*

Had the original C25K app RunDouble by CoolRunning for many years but they were bought out by a more expensive company that takes up a lot of memory over 100 MB. This app is only 15MB has all the original functionality and simplicity of RunDouble. I can still listen to Pandora as I run. It cost $2.99 but so did RunDouble in 2016. It will take a little time to find because the bigger apps appear first in App Store. It doesn’t break down the stats as well as the original and doesn’t show a map of your run but stretching feature is nice.

### 4/5 — Great

*2021-08-30*

I love the simplicity and effectiveness of this app. Now I am using the apple watch version and there is a little annoying bug. The app comes back on by itself even after I close it, and I cant see the clock because it’s always on the screen.

### 5/5 — This app works!

*2021-02-08*

I walk every day for exercise but do not run. I have a personal goal of running a 5K. A year ago I downloaded the app and followed it faithfully. And it worked! I can now run 3 miles, albeit not very quickly! I run 3-4 times a week now. The pace of the program is great. I have not been able to run an actual
5K yet due to pandemic, but I will. Best money I have ever spent on an app.

## Frequently asked questions about Run 5k

### What is the Run 5k app?

The Run 5k app is designed to help individuals go from being inactive to running a 5k race. It provides an 8-week training program that uses interval training, alternating between jogging and walking, with gradually increasing difficulty.

### What are the key features of the Run 5k app?

Key features include an 8-week beginner training plan, animated warmup and cooldown stretching routines, voice cues for intervals and pace, optional GPS tracking for distance and pace, an Apple Watch app, and integration with the Health app for calorie tracking.

### Is the Run 5k app free to use?

Based on the provided information, the app is free to use and does not have in-app purchases or ads. It is a free application for users to download and utilize its training programs.

### What kind of workouts does the app offer?

The app offers interval training workouts that consist of alternating between jogging and walking. Each workout is approximately 30 minutes long and includes a 5-minute warmup and cooldown, which can be skipped. The intervals become more challenging over the 8-week program.

### Can I use this app on a treadmill?

Yes, you can use this app on a treadmill or an indoor track without GPS. While GPS is optional for outdoor use to track pace and distance, the app's interval guidance and stretching programs can be utilized in any environment.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2020.5.12 — 2020-05-13

• Fixed a bug where the Apple Watch workouts were being recorded as a walk rather than a run in the Health app.
• Fixed a bug with how pace is shown in the workout completed screen.

### 2019.12.5 — 2019-12-09

Moved the support FAQ to felttip.com/support/run-faq.html

### 2019.10.2 — 2019-10-03

• Now supports Dark Mode.
• The music button now directly accesses the Music app, allowing you full control over your music.
• Replaced the Help page with a link to our searchable Support page of frequently asked questions and troubleshooting tips.

Apple Watch Improvements
• Improved the design of the Apple Watch app, which now includes real-time tracking of heart rate and calories burned during workouts.
• Added complications, so that you can add Run 5k to your Watch Face.

### 7.0.1 — 2018-10-26

• Fixed a bug so that stretches screen does not lock itself and pause the stretch program.
• Under-the-hood improvements.

### 7.0 — 2018-10-22

• Leave your phone at home when you use the Run 5k Apple Watch app! The Watch app can now run independently of the iPhone app.
• Updated for the new iPhones.
• Improved warmup and cooldown stretches interface.
• Audio cues now temporarily pause spoken word (e.g., podcast or Audible book) instead of play over the audio.
• Bug fixes.

## Apps similar to Run 5k

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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| [C25K® 5K Running Coach & Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c25k-5k-running-coach-and-map/id485971733) | 4.8 (170,670) | Free | Health & Fitness |
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## More apps by Felt Tip Inc.

- [Tuna Pitch - chromatic tuner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tuna-pitch-chromatic-tuner/id313492710)
- [Run 10k - couch to 10k program](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-10k-couch-to-10k-program/id350529744)
- [The Grix by eBoy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-grix-by-eboy/id501431754)
- [RunQuest 21k](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runquest-21k/id587108779)
- [Circle of Fifths, Opus 1](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle-of-fifths-opus-1/id637783279)

All apps by Felt Tip Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/306118159

## Related topics

[run 5k](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/run-5k) · [couch to runner](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couch-to-runner) · [couch to 5k free walk](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couch-to-5k-free-walk) · [couch to 5k workout](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couch-to-5k-workout) · [5k races](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/5k-races)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*