DailyQuad Start today

Couch to 5K, in one Playbook.

Lexy is a trainer. Jake wants to run a 5K. Here is the whole nine weeks as it happens in DailyQuad: Lexy builds the plan and sends one code, Jake checks off each run, and Lexy sees how it is going without ever having to ask.

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Free. iPhone and iPad, iOS 15 or later. The runner needs no account.

Lexy's planner on week 5, three different runs across the weekLexy's planner on week 5, three different runs across the week
Jake's Run 30 min tile, done on the last FridayJake's Run 30 min tile, done on the last Friday
Lexy writes it Jake runs it
The plan

Nine weeks. Twenty seven runs.

The classic walk to run program: three runs a week with a rest day between, from one minute of jogging to thirty without stopping. Each run is one goal, named for what you do that day.

Walk and runLonger intervalsNo walkingStrength

  1. Week1
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 1 min, walk 90 secAlternate 1 minute of jogging and 1.5 minutes of walking, 20 minutes in all.
  2. Week2
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 90 sec, walk 2 minAlternate 1.5 minutes of jogging and 2 minutes of walking, 20 minutes in all.
  3. Week3
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 90 sec and 3 minRun 90 sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min. Twice.
  4. Week4
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 3 and 5 minRun 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min, walk 2.5 min, run 3 min, walk 90 sec, run 5 min.
  5. Week5
    MonRun 5 min three timesRun 5, walk 3, run 5, walk 3, run 5.
    WedRun 8 min twiceRun 8, walk 5, run 8.
    FriRun 20 min20 minutes of running, no walking.
  6. Week6
    MonRun 5, 8, 5 minRun 5, walk 3, run 8, walk 3, run 5.
    WedRun 10 min twiceRun 10, walk 3, run 10.
    FriRun 25 min25 minutes of continuous running.
  7. Week7
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 25 min25 minutes of continuous running.
  8. Week8
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 28 min28 minutes of continuous running.
  9. Week9
    Mon, Wed, FriRun 30 min30 minutes of continuous running. Your 5K.
  10. EveryWed
    A second tile, Lexy's own additionLeg strength 15 minSquats, lunges, calf raises and a plank, three rounds, after the run. Wednesday carries two goals; Monday and Friday just the run.
Step by step

Two phones, nine weeks.

Every screen below is the real app, in the order it happened. Lexy's steps lean left, Jake's lean right.

  1. LexyFriday, October 23

    She builds it in the planner.

    A new Playbook, Weekly, nine weeks from Monday the 26th. Each workout in the plan becomes a goal, named for what the runner does that day, painted onto Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On a second tile she adds leg strength, Wednesdays only.

    Create a Playbook in DailyQuad: named Couch to 5K, Weekly, from 26 October to 27 DecemberCreate a Playbook in DailyQuad: named Couch to 5K, Weekly, from 26 October to 27 December
    Weekly, nine weeks.
    The week planner on week 5: three different goals on Monday, Wednesday and FridayThe week planner on week 5: three different goals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
    Week 5: three different runs.

  2. LexySame afternoon

    Every run, spelled out.

    Each workout carries its full breakdown as instructions. A guide covers the whole program: warm up and cool down with a walk, a rest day between runs, and repeat a week if it felt too hard.

    Instructions for each workout goal in the plannerInstructions for each workout goal in the planner
    The minutes, in order.
    The Playbook page, week by week, a different run on each day and the leg strength on WednesdaysThe Playbook page, week by week, a different run on each day and the leg strength on Wednesdays
    The Playbook page, weeks 5 and 6.

  3. LexySame afternoon

    One code, sent by text.

    An invitation is a single use code with a QR code and a link. She texts it to Jake. It works once, for him.

    The invitation sheet: a single use code with a QR code beneath itThe invitation sheet: a single use code with a QR code beneath it
    One code, for one person.

  4. JakeFriday, October 23

    He joins without an account.

    He installs DailyQuad, taps Have an invite? and types the code. Before anything is shared he sees the whole plan, Lexy's note, and exactly what she will see: whether he did each run, and nothing else.

    The invitation screen: Lexy invited you to a Playbook, Couch to 5K, with her note and the first weeksThe invitation screen: Lexy invited you to a Playbook, Couch to 5K, with her note and the first weeks
    What he is saying yes to.
    Jake's Goals page after joining: one Run tile that starts MondayJake's Goals page after joining: one Run tile that starts Monday
    In. It starts Monday.

  5. JakeOctober 26 to 30

    Week 1.

    His run tile shows today's workout, and after the run he taps it. Wednesday brings a second tile, the leg strength. On the days a goal is not due, its tile rests, and nothing counts as a miss.

    Jake's Goals page on Monday of week 1: Run 1 min, walk 90 sec, and the leg strength tile restingJake's Goals page on Monday of week 1: Run 1 min, walk 90 sec, and the leg strength tile resting
    Monday: the run.
    Jake's Goals page on Wednesday: two tiles, the run and Leg strength 15 minJake's Goals page on Wednesday: two tiles, the run and Leg strength 15 min
    Wednesday: two goals.

  6. JakeMonday, November 9

    Week 3. Same tile, harder run.

    The tile changes with the plan, so he never has to look up which week he is in. Trends counts the runs that were due, not the days of the week.

    Jake's Goals page on Monday of week 3 showing Run 90 sec and 3 minJake's Goals page on Monday of week 3 showing Run 90 sec and 3 min
    Today: Run 90 sec and 3 min.
    Trends for the week: 3 of 3 due days done, the days off counted as neitherTrends for the week: 3 of 3 due days done, the days off counted as neither
    3 of 3 runs that were due.

  7. LexyTuesday, November 10

    How it is going, without asking.

    Lexy opens Jake's page: every run so far, the last seven days, and a checklist of every run day in the program. No messages to send, no screenshots to ask for.

    Jake's page in Lexy's Playbook: every goal so far done, and his last seven daysJake's page in Lexy's Playbook: every goal so far done, and his last seven days
    Everything so far.
    The checklist of every run day for Jake, done or notThe checklist of every run day for Jake, done or not
    Every run day, done or not.

  8. JakeFriday, December 25

    Week 9. Thirty minutes.

    The last run of the program: thirty minutes without stopping. In nine weeks he missed one day, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, run and strength both.

    The Goals page on the last Friday: Run 30 minThe Goals page on the last Friday: Run 30 min
    The last run.
    The Run 30 min tile completedThe Run 30 min tile completed
    His 5K.

  9. JakeMonday, December 28

    It ends on the date it said.

    The Playbook closes itself. The app tells him so, and he decides whether to keep the goals it gave him. Nine weeks of runs stay in his Trends.

    Trends at 90 days: 26 of 27 due runs done since October 26Trends at 90 days: 26 of 27 due runs done since October 26
    Nine weeks in Trends.
    The Goals page after the Playbook ends: Couch to 5K ended, keep or remove its goalsThe Goals page after the Playbook ends: Couch to 5K ended, keep or remove its goals
    Ended, and his to keep.

  10. LexyMonday, December 28

    34 of 36.

    Every goal day in the program, runs and strength together. Lexy can look back at it for fourteen more days, then the shared copy is removed.

    Jake's page after the Playbook ended: 34 of 36 goal days doneJake's page after the Playbook ended: 34 of 36 goal days done
    34 of 36 goal days.
26 of 27runs done
8 of 9strength sessions
1code sent, and no messages asking how it went
30 minwithout stopping

Write one out for somebody.

Couch to 5K, a strength block, a month of early nights. Build it once, send each person a code, and watch the days fill in. See the swim example How Playbooks work

Download on the App Store

Free. No ads, no subscription. Lexy and Jake are an example made on test accounts. Check with a doctor before starting a new exercise program.