Record numbers of people put on their running shoes and got fit for free this year with 8.7 million NHS Couch to 5K runs completed in 2024, new data revealed today (31 December 2024).  

Millions of kilometres were covered as 790,000 downloaded the NHS fitness app this year alone and 9.3 million runs were started.

Designed to help beginners gradually build up to running 5 kilometres, the app’s popularity has continuously grown with more than 7 million downloads since it was first launched in 2016. 

May was the most popular time of the year for running, as more than one million people chose to dust off their trainers and completed a run, while November was the least popular time of the year as colder nights drew in – with only 500,000 runs completed that month.  

As we move into 2025, people are being encouraged to download the app and join the hundreds of thousands of people who got last year off to a healthy start.  

Public Health Minister, Andrew Gwynne, said: 

New year is the time to reset, outline new goals and adopt healthier habits for the year ahead. For many of us, getting more exercise and implementing more movement into our daily lives is top of the list.  

The NHS Couch to 5K app is a great way to get fitter and build sustainable running habits. 

Keeping fit can have a positive impact on our health, preventing risks of developing serious illness like diabetes and heart disease and can help to reduce pressure on the NHS. With our Plan for Change, this government is committed to getting the NHS back on its feet by moving from sickness to prevention.

NHS National Medical Director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said:

The Couch to 5K programme is a fantastic way to get into running and be on track for a healthier new year.

We know that regular exercise helps reduce the risk of long-term illnesses and has enormous health benefits, as well as reducing pressure on the NHS.

I’d encourage anyone using the new year as an opportunity to look at living a healthier lifestyle to download the app and take up this enjoyable challenge.

Regular running has been shown to reduce the risk of long-term illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, as well as helping to maintain a healthier weight and improve your mood.  

Consistent exercise habits are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and help to shift the dial from sickness to prevention – one of the 3 shifts outlined in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.  

Achieving a healthier lifestyle helps relieve pressure on the NHS, helping support the ambitions set out by the Prime Minister in his Plan for Change to cut waiting lists and protect the NHS.  

Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said:

Being physically active – just getting going more, even from none to a little – has a really positive impact on your health.

Couch to 5K is brilliant and fun. It is supportive and suitable for all. Download, give it a try and feel the benefits.

Developed in partnership with the BBC since 2016, the app is designed for people who have done little or no running. It provides guided commentary from a celebrity coach of their choosing and helps users to easily track their progress by doing 3 runs per week. 

Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC Director of Sport, says:

BBC Sport isn’t just about telling stories about elite sport – it’s for bringing people together and inspiring them to get involved. With over 1.5 million more novice runners using the app last year it’s the perfect time to inspire our audience to make their own personal bests in 2025.

Runners are spurred on by one of many celebrity coaches, including Jo Whiley, Steve Cram, Sarah Millican, Dame Denise Lewis, Reece Parkinson, Yasmin Evans and Sanjeev Kohli.  

As each running challenge is completed, users receive celebration videos and summaries of their progress. ‘Discover’ and ‘support’ sections help people to overcome setbacks with helpful articles and videos. The app also points users to curated running playlists on BBC Sounds to make exercise more enjoyable.  

Buddy runs are also available where users can pair their run with a friend, in real life or virtually. This works well as a motivational hack since people are more likely to complete their run if they have made a commitment to someone else.  

Following user demand, Beyond NHS Couch to 5K ‘graduation’ content is now also available for people who successfully complete the running programme to help motivate people to make running habitual, helping them to improve further on speed, stamina and technique.  

NHS Couch to 5K app is an effective way to ease into exercising, developing new and healthy habits for the new year. The app is available on Apple and Android. To download it, search ‘NHS Couch to 5K’ in the app store.