Your First 5K – Finish and Have Fun

First steps to finishing your first 5K

Running intrigues you and even entering a 5K (3.1 miles) event some weekend sounds good. You’ve also heard about weight loss from running, so maybe that tickles your fancy a bit too.

But you don’t run. So where do you start?

Not all at once since that’s the way to get frustrated, hurt and depressed. Take it slowly so you can feel confident and successful!

Program I – If you don’t work out at all:

•    Be sure to see a doctor if you are older than about 40 and it’s been a year or more since you’ve done any regular physical activity.

•    Build up to being able to walk 20-30 minutes at a brisk pace without stopping, 3-4 days a week.

•    Do that by starting out with even 1-2 days a week, and start with as little as 5-10 minutes each time. Add a minute or two to each walk every week until you can lengthen them comfortably and feel OK the next day too.

•    Once you’re at about 20 minutes 2 times a week, add a day.

•    Keep up that progression until you’re there.

•    This will take 8-12 weeks.

•    You could at this point enter a 5K and walk it to see how that feels!

•    Now you’re ready to start your running program.

Program II – If you already walk regularly (meaning at least 3 times a week for about 30 minutes, otherwise go back to the above fitness program), or you even run occasionally:

•    Do walk-run intervals for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, slowly transitioning from mostly walking to mostly running. Examples:

•    Walk 4 minutes, run 1 minute, alternate.

•    Walk 3 minutes, run 2, alternate.

•    Continue to decrease walk time, increase run time.

•    When you reach all 5 minutes running, throw in a 30- to 60-second walk break every 10-15 minutes.

•    Now you’re running 30 minutes!

Startup Guidelines to Live By, no matter what level you are:

•    Build mileage by no more than 10 percent a week, as a beginner, and up to about 20 percent if you already workout.

•    Always follow a “hard” day (in distance or speed) by an easy day, which could mean a total day off!

•    Give yourself 8-10 weeks to get to your first 5K.

•    Your first 5K will be all about finishing, not speed. Walking isn’t a bad word – Take walking breaks as you need to in training or during the “race” so you can finish well.

-Therese Iknoian

The “Coach,” Therese Iknoian, has her Master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise physiology and is an American College of Sports Medicine-certified instructor. To read more about Therese’s coaching, outdoor and fitness background, click here.