Starting to Train for a 5K
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Let’s talk about beginning to train for the most basic of races: a 5K. This should be an easy, fun, slightly demanding, but all around great run for beginnings and experts looking for a little challenge.
Starting the Training Program:
Before you begin any fitness program, the first step should be a complete medical exam. You want to make sure it’s safe for you to participate. This is particularly important if you are between 35 and 40 years of age.
Also, do you have enough time to prepare for the race you want to participate in? Depending on your training base, an eight-to-10 week program should be just enough time to prepare to run 30 minutes, which is the approximate time it takes a beginner to complete her first 5K.
If you have not previously been involved in a running program, it might be best to start with an eight-day walking program routine before you begin to run. Remember: running can be a lifetime sport. We don’t want to shoot ourselves in the foot, figuratively, before we get a toe-hold on the fun. (Whew! That was a week’s worth of bad run-puns, right?) The walk program consists of getting out at a fast walk pace for 20 minutes per day for the first four days, then 30 minutes the last four days.
If this causes no problems, next follow a 30-minute circuit of running for two minutes and then walking for four minutes, five times consecutively. This routine should be done three times per week until you are comfortable. Each week, add one minute to the running time and subtract one minute from the walking time. This should continue until the person is running comfortably for the full 30 minutes.
Be Smart
Again, gradual training and attention to safety are the keys to long-term success; and rest time is just as important as the time spent training. When looking for gear, runners should select proper shoes and clothing that fit well and suit the desired fitness purpose. The best running surface is a track. If no track is available, asphalt is better than concrete, and dirt or silt alongside the road is even better. But, when running near areas of traffic, special attention must be given to wearing highly visible, even reflective, clothing.
Have fun
Above all, have fun. You won’t want to continue if you don’t enjoy what you are doing. Make sure you enjoy your running. If you need to slow down, do it. But also remember to push yourself just a little every day. That’s why it’s called training.
Train safe!
