* Warning this is kind of a long post, but a good one!
Wanna start running? Don't know where to start? Intimidated by plans that call for 4 miles in week 1? I know just how you feel. I have been running for almost a year now, and while I still get discouraged and lose my way I am so thankful that I have found this sport that I can now say I absolutely love. Running is one of the easiest forms of exercise, and also one that has the maximum amounts of benefits. All you need is a pair of running shoes and the open road. I always recommend road running as opposed to the treadmill simply because the treadmill can get boring after a while (lets face it, its like your a hamster on a wheel. Your not going anywheres) Yet when your on the road, or a trail, your body is moving you forward and you can actually see your progress. There are so many benefits of running:
- Increase in physical strength
- Weight loss
- Heart Health
- It can reduce the effects of diabetes
- Improve overall mental health
I started running last year because a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to Run a 5K with her during the summer. I agreed because it was on my 26 things to do before I turn 26 list. I had run in the past, when I weighted much less, but I had never stuck to it simply because it wasn't something that I loved or even liked for that matter. But I trained, and I ran that first 5K with her and two other friends. And I caught the bug, I loved it. I loved crossing the finish line and so that helped me keep going. I ran a second race in August, which was harder that the first and yet I did it, that alone was a confidence boost. The real challenge came though at Thanksgiving. I was running a 5K with one of the kids who had expressed an interest in running with me, and we had been training for weeks. The weather was crappy, super cold and windy, like below freezing temperatures. Everything was going great until we got to the last downhill and I felt my knee give out and pain radiate all the way up to my ears. That had never happened to me before, but I still crossed the finish line. The fact that I never stopped running is evidence of my increased confidence. To combat my injury, I focused on shorter runs for almost a whole month and worked on increasing the muscle mass behind my knee. And while there is still a little pain when I run, its something that I run through and at the end of my run I feel better because of it.
My next goal is to run a 10K which I am planning on doing in May. I am very nervous, because it is a trail run, and a Northface challenge, which can be intimidating. But I am going to try and that's all any of us can do.
So long story short the reason for this post is because I think you can do it too!! Its best to start slow and build up, I found this training schedule on Google and wanted to share it with you guys:
Always walk 5 minutes slow and easy to warm up before each session and again to cool down after each session (this is included in the session times):
Week 1
Session 1 - 34 min. Run 1 minute. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 8 times.
Session 2 - 28 min. Run 1 minute. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 6 times.
Session 3 - 31 min. Run 1 minute. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times.
Week 2
Session 1 - 38 min. Run 2 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times.
Session 2 - 31 min. Run 1 minute. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times.
Session 3 - 34 min. Run 2 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 6 times.
Week 3
Session 1 - 45 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times.
Session 2 - 34 min. Run 2 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 6 times.
Session 3 - 40 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 6 times.
Week 4 - EASY RECOVERY WEEK
Session 1 - 40 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 6 times.
Session 2 - 30 min. Run 2 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. Do this 5 times.
Session 3 - 40 min. Run 2 minutes. Walk 3 minutes. Do this 6 times.
Week 5
Session 1 - 46 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 9 times.
Session 2 - 34 min. Run 2 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 8 times.
Session 3 - 42 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 8 times.
Week 6
Session 1 - 52 min. Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 7 times.
Session 2 - 38 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 7 times.
Session 3 - 50 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 10 times.
Week 7
Session 1 - 54 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times.
Session 2 - 40 min. Run 4 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 6 times.
Session 3 - 52 min. Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 7 times.
Week 8 *EASY RECOVERY WEEK
Session 1 - 54 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times.
Session 2 - 38 min. Run 3 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 7 times.
Session 3 - 46 min. Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 6 times.
Week 9
Session 1 - 68 min. Run 10 minutes/walk 1 minute; Run 15 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 20 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 10 minutes.
Session 2 - 46 min. Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 6 times.
Session 3 - 54 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times.
Week 10
Session 1 - 72 min. Run 10 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 20 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 30 minutes.
Session 2 - 54 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times.
Session 3 - 57 min. Run 20 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 15 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 10 minutes.
Week 11
Session 1 - 71 min. Run 40 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 20 minutes.
Session 2 - 54 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times.
Session 3 - 57 min. Run 20 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 15 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 10 minutes.
Week 12 *EASY VOLUME WEEK
Session 1 - 60 min. Run 50 minutes.
Session 2 - 43 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times.
Session 3 - 52 min. Run 15 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 15 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 10 minutes.
Week 13
Session 1 - 50 min. Run 40 minutes.
Session 2 - 43 min. Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times.
Session 3 Event Day 10K: have fun, and take care not to start out too quickly.
Give it a try, commit to trying week 1 and go from there. You can do anything you put your mind to, because your AWESOME!!
Laters!
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