C25K® 5K Running Coach & Map

• Unlock Your Potential — $29.99

Last verified 30 Aug 2026

4.8 170738 ratings · App Store

1. 5/5Grateful

   I’ve wanted to get in shape for years but was convinced that I should resign myself to just being frumpy. When one of my kids joined track, I remembered how much I loved track when I was the same age. (At all other ages before and after I didn’t like running though lol) I’ve made small efforts here and there to adjust my lifestyle so that I could be healthier for myself and my family. Fear of actually winding up overweight and frumpy for the rest of my life, and fear that I’d never get energy back, be at a healthy weight, or see my actual knees and have real calves again, led me to decide to use the C25K program. I was surprised how many people hadn’t heard of the program, but I’ve been sharing it through social media and through word of mouth whenever I finish a session. The app makes it easy to share to social media so that my friends and family can cheer me on and keep me accountable, while giving me pride in seeing what I’ve accomplished. There’s a community area of other people using the program, and even a place on the app to locate local 5K runs to sign up for so you have a goal to push towards! I’m excited about continuing my journey, and happily surprised at how easy it is. I recommend setting up a playlist on your music since the app chooses the same series of songs otherwise. Just trust yourself to get the first few steps out of the door and let the app do the rest! HAPPY RUNNING!

   JuliaJoySmith · 30 Aug 2026

2. 5/5-1 Star: Great app, but doesn’t tell you how fast to run.

   I am a completely new runner. Goal is to run 5K and 10K without dying. This is a great program to help train you. The mix between walking and running at the scheduled intervals and time lengths was perfect. The only problem? It doesn’t tell you how fast to run. Only on and past Week 5 Day 2 does it start telling you to jog specific distances for X number of minutes. Example: 3/4 of a mile for eight minutes. If you do the math? That’s 5.625 mph that I’m supposed to be running!! Prior to this I would complete each run+jog interval, but only at 3.5 to 4.0 mph. The reality that I should’ve been going 5.625 at a sustained run literally crushed me and demotivated me big time as I realized I wasn’t keeping up with the actual intended program. That was 2 weeks ago. I’m over it mentally now and am going through the program again; working to increase my speed. This is a lifestyle change so I will repeat the program numerous times, as well as working through their 10K program. Eventually, I’ll be able to get my 5K time at a sub-30 minute pace of which I’ll be extremely happy… I’ll owe it all to this program. Definitely the best money spent for the subscription.

   VallejoKev · 30 Aug 2026

3. 4/5Back into shape and an active life

   I used to be an avid runner- my Mile was down to 4:50 pace. As you get older, muscles and dynamics change especially if one does not keep up with fitness. I was trying to get back down to 6min but was going about it the wrong way with a slow jog and getting mileage in. It was frustrating and would take a lot of time just to run. I couldn’t keep at it because I also had this sore on the side of my knee. Come to find out I was going about my run all wrong because of my defeated mentality. This app has changed all that. The mixture of walking and jogging encourages a faster pace and to kick up your knees. The reason; because it’s only 30 min- it’s like that carrot dangling to encourage one to run harder and correctly to build not only calve and thigh muscles, but also the glutes. I cannot emphasize enough on how this app encourages kicking up my knees and picking up my pace during the running portion, thus targets the correct muscles and taking pressure off my knees. Because of all those factors, I can remain consistent and actually look forward to it. I still don’t like running- but 30 min isn’t that long and is a nice escape either with music or talk radio. The best part- being active helps me keep up with my son when I’m playing with him. Just 30 min of my own three days a week- enables me to go the extra mile with my son after a difficult day at work.

   Daalgrim · 30 Aug 2026

4. 4/5Life changing app

   I’m 46 years old and haven’t exercised regularly since high school. My philosophy about running has always been that it can’t be worth it because I’ve never seen a jogger with a smile on his face. But once I realized that I was 30 pounds overweight and was out of breath after just a few minutes of basketball with my 10 and 7 year old sons, I knew I had to make changes. I saw this app and decided to give it a try. On my first day it was all I could muster to run for 60 seconds, but knowing I had 90 seconds of walking afterward gave me just what I needed to get through. That pattern continued each day as the app gradually ramped up my running time. Suddenly after three weeks I found that I was able to manage the work load with a bit more ease. Encouraged, I thumbed through the next two weeks to see what was ahead. However, I forgot to thumb back to the day I was supposed to be on when my next run started, so suddenly I went from the end of week three to the beginning of week six. To my amazement, I was able to do it! So, I just kept going. This morning I ran 5K and felt exhausted but great afterwards. I have lost 20 pounds and have gone from barely able to run for 60 seconds to comfortably running for over 30 minutes. This app works! I doubt that I have a smile on my face while I’m jogging, but I sure do have one afterwards!

   gcrowland · 30 Aug 2026

5. 3/5Helpful, but with one BIG flaw.

   I am about to start week 8 and I am grateful for this app’s help in motivating me around my health and wellness. I appreciate that for free, you can get a reasonable incremental training program. I like that I can listen to music (I stream my Pandora and can still hear the run/walk prompts). I thought in the beginning that some of the progressions were strange/too big, but I now see the benefit from these big jumps (sometimes followed by a step back) in building your endurance. What I despise about this app is that in order to align the prompts with the proper distance, you must run at a pace of exactly 5mph. While in the further-along weeks, it gives you the option of running a distance OR a time duration (ie 2 miles or 20 mins), if you run slower than a 10 minute mile, the app does not adjust the time accordingly, EVEN as it is actually mapping your route!! So if you run slower than a 10 minute mile, the app will tell you you are “half way there”, or “finished”, when in fact you have not completed the appropriate distance. If you are not simultaneously running another GPS app and tracking your distance (therefore ignoring the prompts in C25K), then you may end up way off in your distances and not be ready for an actual 5k. For the last couple weeks when you just have to run 2.5 or 2.75 miles, you’re almost better off not even using the app, because it serves no purpose since there are no longer run/walk intervals. Wish this app was smart enough to track distance and base run/walk intervals on distance versus minutes ran.

   LovEriN26 · 30 Aug 2026

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