Starting Couch To 5K This ...?
Make a difference to people with cancer and give yourself some extra feel-good motivation when you need it most!
Meet your fitness goals, support others going through cancer
Sign up. Donate. Tell everyone. Get running.
C25K is one of the best ways to get fit and healthy. After completing the nine week programme, you'll be amazed by your progress, but it's not always easy to find the motivation you need to keep going along the way.
To help you dig deep when you need it, we've got the perfect motivational tool: sign up to run C25K as part of the Cancer Support UK 'squad', make a donation, and declare it publicly on your social media.
Put your money where your miles are
Research shows that we are far more likely to finish a challenge when we have a 'stake in the game.' By making a donation upfront, you aren't just funding support for people with cancer - you’re creating a financial anchor. On those days when your couch feels more comfortable than the pavement, the knowledge that you’ve already made a difference will be the push you need to get out of the door. Don’t just start; ensure you finish.
The science behind the squad
Three ways running for our cause will help you stay motivated
- You'll want to stay consistent once you've committed: Science shows that making a commitment to others is the most effective way to keep a promise to yourself. When you fund a 'Cuddles' bear for a child with cancer, you’re not just donating; you’re giving yourself a reason to lace up those trainers.
- You'll get to double your endorphins. Combining the 'Runner's High' with the 'Helper's High'; every kilometre you finish will release a feel-good boost for you and vital support for a cancer patient.
- You'll make yourself more accountable: By sharing your goal and your cause, you'll create a circle of accountability that turns 'I might' into 'I must' - there's no going back once you've told everyone!
Sign up and match your impact to your running achievements
When you sign up to run C25K in support of our cause, you can choose from a range of donation values designed to suit your budget and the impact you'd like to make.
Time
You will spend roughly 13.5 hours (810 minutes) training. When you've graduated, you'll have funded an hour of emotional coaching for five participants.
While you’re training to breathe easier on your runs, you’re helping five people breathe easier through their cancer recovery.
£75
Distance
You'll run around 90km in total across C25K, match your distance with your heart and donate 50p for every kilometre you'll cover to fund a full Cancer Kit (or Kids' Kit).
90km of sweat. 90km of progress. One life-improving kit delivered to an adult or child enduring cancer treatment.
£45
Popular with runners
Sessions
Make every single run count. For just over £1 per session, you can fund three Cuddles bears. That’s one bear for every three weeks of training you complete.
By the time you've completed every session in the 9-week programme, you'll have funded Cuddles bears for three kids!
£36
Make a difference every step of the way on the journey from couch to 5K
Around 65,000 people will start Couch To 5K this month in the UK, we're looking to inspire just 100 to support our cause when they do, we'd love for you to be one of them!
At a time when Matthew was feeling extremely low, a Cancer Kit arrived from Cancer Support UK. He was thrilled to receive the bag full of thoughtfully chosen goodies.
“The contents were useful, as well as comforting. Everything in the kit was very welcome and highly appreciated. It was a sign that people care. Thank you so much."
Samuel received a Kids' Kit when he was being treated for a rare form of cancer, neuroblastoma. “He was very excited as he unpacked the bag. The microwavable ted is his favourite soft toy for snuggling up with when going to sleep, especially as he’s been feeling the cold more than usual due to the treatment," explains mum Heather. "He likes the fact that the kit showed an understanding for what his needs are at this time in his journey. All the contents are useful, fun and comforting."
Natalie has benefitted from our free coaching as part of her cancer recovery journey. "It provided a supportive place, where you could be honest, share your deepest cancer fears, cry and actually have a good laugh about cancer moments. Although my friends and family have been truly phenomenal, it was really beneficial talking to other people who have been though the wild ride of cancer."
By signing up to complete C25K in support of our cause, your kindness and generosity will help more people like Matthew, Samuel, and Natalie.
Inspired by one of our supporters
Lee from Preston in Lancashire set himself the challenge of running 2k a day in January 2025, but then turned his personal mission into a fundraiser by stretching his target distance to 65k and donating £1 per kilometre to help fund a kids' Cancer Kit.
"I was getting out and running anyway, but thought that I'd be even more likely to stick to it if I made it into a fundraiser and publicly committed to it! It's good to know that the money I was able to raise made a genuine difference to a child in hospital having cancer treatment. If it were one of my kids, I'd like to think someone out there might care enough to support them through their ordeal, and so that's what I did."
FAQs
What is Couch To 5K?
Couch To 5K, or C25K as it's often referred to, is a structured 9-week programme for novice runners or people returning to running after a break. During the programme, you'll complete three training sessions each week as you gradually build your strength and stamina. When you graduate, you'll be capable of running continuously for 30 minutes and/or able to run 5K non-stop.
What I am signing up to do here?
By signing up you're pledging to complete C25K in your own time, whilst making a donation to our cause that's designed to give you an extra motivational boost when you need it most whilst helping people impacted by cancer.
Do I have to start C25K in a particular month?
Nope, you choose when you want to start and just get on with it!
How do I prove that I've done it?
You don't need to, it's a pledge. But if you want to keep us informed so we can cheer you on, that's great! Be sure to tag or @mention us when you post regular updates to your social media so we can join in.
Am I expected to get sponsorship?
Certainly not, but we'll support you if you do decide to turn it into a fundraiser!
Who are we?
We're Cancer Support UK, a national charity that exists to provide practical and emotional support to people with cancer, during and after the treatment period.
© Cancer Support UK
Registered Charity No. 1105703 (England and Wales) SC039731 (Scotland)
By signing up for this challenge and donating, you'll be supporting our charity across all areas of our work. All the money raised will be used where it is most urgently needed to support children and adults affected by cancer. This initiative is not linked to or endorsed by any official body associated with the Couch To 5K programe.