HOW IT WORKS
THE 8 WEEK
JOURNEY
Our Couch to 5K programme is designed from the ground up for absolute beginners. Every session is led by a trained CPRC coach who runs alongside you, adjusts to the group's pace, and makes sure no one gets left behind.
Sessions run twice a week with your coach, plus one independent "homework" run per week. No minimum fitness level. No gear requirements. Just show up.
EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN YOUR PROGRAMME
This isn't just a running plan. It's a complete beginner's education in movement, with everything you need to start, stay, and fall in love with running.
✓ 20+ Inclusions
✓ 8 Week Programme
✓ 16 Coached Sessions
✓ 1 Finish Line
"I highly recommend joining. It certainly helped me to achieve my goal of being able to run 5km with no walking- and this at 64 years old!"
5000+
Runners Supported Since May 2024
20+
Active Locations in South Africa
8 WEEKS
from the Couch to your first 5km
AS HEARD ON
Cape Talk 567am, KFM, Voice of the Cape, and Women's Health Mag
Sonja Briggs | Stellenbosch | Programme Grad 2025
Coached Sessions & Structure
✓ 16 Coached group sessions
2 sessions per week led by your dedicated CPRC coach. They run with you and alongside the group.
✓ Weekly programme plan & interval schedule
Structured week-by-week progression from 30 seconds of running to a full 5K. No guessing.
✓ Independent run plan
A third weekly session with a detailed plan so you know exactly what to do on your own.
✓ Missed session plan
Can't make a session? You'll never fall behind. Your coach sends the plan so you can catch up.
✓ 5K graduation run in Week 8
Every programme ends at a finish line. Your first 5K. The moment the whole 8 weeks has been building towards.
✓ Real time coaching throughout every session
Your coach adjusts to the group's pace, checks in with each member, and makes sure no one gets left behind.
Running Education & Technique
✓ How to run - proper running form
Posture, arm swing, foot strike, cadence. The fundamentals that make running feel easier and reduce injury risk.
✓ Warm up & cool down guidance
What to do before and after every run. How to prepare your body and recover properly so you come back feeling good.
✓ Breathing techniques for running
How to breathe so you don't feel like you're dying in session one. Practical, simple, and immediately useful.
✓ Pacing education
Your coach adjusts to the group's pace, checks in with each member, and makes sure no one gets left behind.
✓ Injury prevention basics
Common beginner mistakes that cause pain, and how to avoid them. So you keep showing up, week after week.
✓ Running kit guidance
What you actually need (and don't). How to choose the right shoes, what to wear, and who to trust for advice.
Support, Community & Accountability
✓ WhatsApp group support & direct coach access
A group that's active throughout the 8 weeks - session reminders, motivation, questions answered, and a community that shows up for each other.
✓ A community of people at the same starting point
Everyone in your group is a beginner. No comparison. No competition. Just people moving forward together at the pace of the group.
✓ Weekly motivation & mindset coaching
Running is 80% mental. Your coach helps you through the hard weeks - the ones where you'd normally quit.
✓ Nobody gets left behind - ever
The group waits. The coach stays with you. No matter your pace on any given day, you will never finish alone.
Beyond the Run
✓ Helping you fall in love with the sport
We don't just teach you to run. We change how you feel about running - so that by week eight, you want to keep going.
✓ Confidence building - not just physical
Members consistently tell us the confidence gained from the programme extends far beyond running. It changes how they show up in everyday life.
✓ A sustainable habit, not a quick fix
The programme is designed to build a lifestyle, not just get you to a finish line. The structure, routine, and community are what make it last.
✓ Post-programme pathways
Your coach helps you understand your options - from fun runs and race events to repeating the programme with a friend.
✓ Access to CPRC alumni community
Graduating from the programme doesn't mean leaving. You join a nationwide community of runners who started exactly where you did.
✓ Nutrition & hydration basics for runners
Simple, practical guidance on fuelling your runs - what to eat before a session, how to stay hydrated, and what actually matters for a beginner.