Crossing the line together: Ian Jones takes a moment to reflect on community, and the joy of the journey

The most powerful part of any Couch to 5K journey isn't necessarily crossing that final finish line. Although that's a great feeling, it's also about everything that happens along the way - the community you build, the people who keep you on track, and the belief you gain in yourself.

Nine weeks ago, All Blacks legend and AIA Vitality Ambassador, Ian Jones set off on a Couch to 5K journey with two of AIA's financial adviser partners. Self-proclaimed non-runners, Jay and Bianca, laced up their running shoes and began chasing the goal of completing the 5km at the North Shore Marathon. What started as a training plan quickly became something bigger: a shared commitment, an incredible support network, and proof of just how far consistency and community can carry you.

Now that they have successfully crossed the finish line, Ian reflects on what he learnt from the experience, the highs, the hard moments and everything in between. Ian also shares his advice for anyone who has ever thought about starting to run but hasn't quite taken that first step.

I'm still buzzing! I'm so proud of Jay and Bianca, the community we built and the resilience they showed along the way. Crossing that finish line together was a really cool moment. Watching their progression and that sense of achievement was amazing to witness.

Right from the start, I had a good feeling about what Jay and Bianca would get out of this experience. For Jay, who'd recently moved his family to Auckland, running with me introduced him to the North Shore community and helped him get his bearings in a new city. He brought workmates along too, which meant he was connecting with people along the way and building a great base for himself.

For Bianca, our training got her onto social media for the first time, where she shared her journey as a mum, and that resonated with other like-minded mothers who built a community around her. One of my favourite moments was seeing Bianca’s kids' faces when they finished the last stretch of the 5km alongside their mum. That connection was incredible.

What surprised me the most was just how much joy running can bring people, and how much confidence they gain along the way. People start out anxious, worried about what they look like or what others will think.

Watching Jay & Bianca’s anxiety wash away over nine weeks and transform into confidence brought me just as much joy as it brought them. Bianca started small, self-conscious about her running gear and anxious about the whole idea. With the help of her community, she built confidence and trust in her ability to persevere. By the time she stood on that start line, she knew she could achieve something pretty epic. That transformation, from anxious to genuinely proud, was the biggest shift I saw in either of them.

The difference between running solo and running as part of a group comes down to one thing: the time-and-place commitment. When you agree to meet someone at a certain time and place, you're far more likely to actually turn up. That's exactly what happened to us. We blocked out that time, made commitments to each other, and stayed consistent because of it. We'd chat and catch up while we ran, building friendships along the way, all at our own pace.

That accountability wasn't complicated. Sometimes it was as simple as a check-in message asking, "Did you run today?". Regardless of the answer, that simple question is what kept us honest and moving forward.

There were moments, including race day itself, when we were running up hills, where the easiest thing in the world would have been to quit. Everyone's mind works the same way at that moment. So, we came up with a saying: “don't give quitting a voice”. Whenever we thought about stopping, we'd commit to 20 more steps. More often than not, those steps got us halfway up the hill, and then we just kept going with 20 more. That's the difference a group makes. When you're alone, you don't always have that extra push. We used that mantra all through training, and again on the 5km itself.

It wasn't always smooth sailing, and that's okay. There were a few times that we couldn't all turn up together, and we learned to be flexible about that rather than seeing it as a failure. Missing one session doesn't derail nine weeks of training. Plans are wonderful to write down, but you need to be flexible enough to rewrite them when life doesn't play ball.

Over the nine weeks, our ‘why’ didn’t shift, it only got stronger. Getting moving, getting healthier and achieving something that Jay and Bianca didn't think was possible - this purpose carried us the whole way through. And what's been amazing to watch is how that purpose rippled outward. Jay and Bianca ended up inspiring others to get onboard, without even realising it at the time. That's the real lesson here for anyone starting out: you never know who you're inspiring just by being out there.

Keen to get started on your journey? My advice is simple: tell people your goal. Share it with your workmates, your friend group, your family, and you'll be amazed how many people want to support you or join you. When you tell others, you make that commitment and start building a community.

Having a target matters. It doesn't need to be training for a marathon. It could be a fun run with mates or simply a commitment to yourself. Having an end point gives you something to build toward, lets you train up slowly and consistently, and gives you a reason to celebrate once you get there. That's the pattern I live by: work hard, achieve, celebrate, reset. It's exactly what Jay and Bianca are doing now. They're already talking about tackling a 10km and bringing more of their workmates along for the ride.

If you haven't laced up your shoes yet, here's what I want you to know: you are amazing, and you are already a runner the moment you decide to move. It's completely normal to feel anxious about it. Start ridiculously small, be consistent and do it for your own reasons.

Today really is the best day to start.

As for me, watching Jay and Bianca cross that finish line, was one of the greatest privileges I've had in this space. Sharing knowledge and getting people moving, that's the biggest reward I could ask for.

So, get outside, lace up, and go for it. You'll surprise yourself with what you're capable of.