Start to Finish Step 3: Set goal!

Your Goal:  Sign up for a race!

If you are reading this, then you obviously have a little bit of an interest in running.  You might be feeling a bit scared, maybe intimated, overwhelmed, and insecure.  Banish those thoughts.  You got this!!!

Take a few minutes and search local races in your area.  I suggest that you find a 5K that will be in about 6-8 weeks from today.   Many towns have "Fun Runs" that are really laid back.  It's a great way to meet people and make running buddies.

This first race is going to be 100% for fun.  I know what you're thinking- FUN RUN is an oxymoron, right?!?!  This is where you will need to change your mind set.  Set yourself up for success, not failure.  Set out to have fun.  Plus, if you have never done a race before, you will for sure be setting your 1st PR (personal record) at this run .

Now- sign up for your 5K!!!  Right now!   Don't wait until you have started running.  This run will be your goal.  It's what you will be working on for the next 6-8 weeks.  The Law Day Fun Run is on May 3, so this is what will be the Start to Finish Running Group's goal.

Start to Finish Step 4: Make Plan

For the Start to Finish Running Group, we will be following the Couch Potato to 5K program.  It is a 9 week program, but we only have 7 weeks so I will have to make some adjustments.  

A 5K is 3.1 miles.  In this program we will be gradually working up to this distance.  We will be focusing on time, not distance.  Each workout session will take about 20-30 minutes, three times a week.  I like to run 3 to 4 days a week because then I can use the other 2 or 3 days to go to classes at the gym and/or do strength training.     

MAKE PLAN:  Decide what 3 days a week you are going to run and stick to it.  I schedule my workouts just like I do an appointment.  If someone asks me to do something during this time I say NO.  This is the one thing that I do only for me, so it is sacred.  It really is for my family's well being too that I get my daily workout in, because . . .

Let your family and friends know what your goal and plan is.  Tell them that you will be unavailable at the time that you have designated to exercise.   Let them know how important this is to you.

Be a good example. The other day as my husband and I were getting ready to leave for Kettlebell class at the gym, my husband asked my 14 year old son if he cared that we were going.  He said no, that he was glad that we were fit.  Our children see that we value our health and also their health too.  

Start to Finish Running Group Step 5: Get to Work

For the next 7 weeks we will be building on the time and/or distance that you can run without stopping.  We will not be focusing on speed.  All you will need is your running shoes (check out my blog about purchasing the correct Running Shoes), workout clothes, and a stop watch (see post on running gear).

Just remember to start slow!!!  Too many people hate running because they start out too fast.  I even like to have a day that I just run without worrying about time or pace.  These types of runs are some of the most enjoyable.

There are several training plans out there.  If you don't like mine, please feel free to follow a program that works the best for you and your needs.  I like the Couch Potato to 5K approach.  If you are fit from other forms of exercise, you may want to follow it.  Since we are doing a 7 week program, you may have to adapt make some changes or move your goal back 2 weeks.

Another idea is to follow a run/walk method.  I used this method when I ran over 26 miles at the Las Vegas Ragnar and for training for the Pocatello Marathon. 

 Jeff Galloway explanation of the Run/Walk/Run method.

Jeff Galloway's 5K training program

  

This is the Schedule that I developed using these 2 programs.  If you can't run the entire time, don't worry- you will eventually get there.

Week 1:  March 17
Workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 60 seconds
• walk for 90 seconds
• repeat 8 times (total of 20 minutes)

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 60 seconds
• walk for 90 seconds
• repeat 8 times (total of 20 minutes)

Workout 3

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly
• run at a comfortable pace for 90 seconds
• walk 2 min
• repeat 6 times

Week 2:  March 24

Workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly
• run at a comfortable pace for 90 seconds
• walk 2 min
• repeat 6 times

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 90 seconds
• walk for 60 seconds
• run for 3 min
• walk for 2 min
• repeat 3 times (total of 20 minutes)

Workout 3

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 90 seconds
• walk for 60 seconds
• run for 3 min
• walk for 2 min
• repeat 3 times (total of 20 minutes)

Week 3:  March 31

Workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 4 min
• walk for 2 min
• run for 4 min
• walk for 60 seconds
• repeat 2 times (total of 20 minutes)

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 4 min
• walk for 2 min
• run for 4 min
• walk for 60 seconds
• repeat 2 times (total of 20 minutes)

Workout 3

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 90 seconds
• repeat 3 times

Week 4:  April 7

workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 90 seconds
• repeat 4 times

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 90 seconds
• repeat 5 times

Workout 3

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 90 seconds
• repeat 5 times

Week 5:  April 14

Workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 4 times

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 4 times

Workout 3

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 5 times

Week 6:  April 21

Workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 5 times

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 5 times

Workout 3

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 6 times

Week 7:  April 28

Workout 1

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 6 times

Workout 2

• Warm up for 5 minutes by walking briskly.
• run at a comfortable pace for 5 min
• walk for 1 min
• repeat 6 times

Workout 3: May 3, Run/walk 5K