It is not as scary and as intimidating as you think, trust me! Fun runs are a great place to start. The excitement, the costumes, raising money for a good cause, you name it!
How to make it easier:
1. Get a plan (Couch-to-5K)
2. Walk when you need to
3. Sign up to run a fun run or for a good cause
4. Run with friends
5. Dress up
A 5K race is 3.1 miles. You do not have to run the entire race, walk when you want and need to, nobody cares. Just completing a race will bring a huge amount of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment to you. When you are with a bunch of friends out to have fun, it is easier and more enjoyable than you think. Many are surprised at just how much fun it is, and some have even gone on to run 6K’s, imagine that. 🙂
You should ease into your running program gradually, alternating walking and jogging. Each session should take about 20 or 30 minutes, three times a week. Be sure to space out these three days throughout the week to give yourself a chance to rest and recover between efforts. And don’t worry about how fast you’re going. For now focus on gradually increasing the time or distance you run/walk.
There are two ways to follow this program, to measure your runs by time or by distance. Either one works just as well, choose the option that seems easiest for you to keep track of. Before setting out, make sure to precede each session with a five-minute warmup walk or jog. Be sure to stretch both before and after.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
The Couch-to-5K Running Plan (a 9 week program running 3 days a week)
The Couch to 5k Mobile App
Here are some 5K fun runs coming up, hope to see you at one of them!
5/11/13: It’s Glow Time
(These glow in the dark runs are new to Madison this year. If you want to join our team feel free to sign up under: Ali’s “Glow” Trotters, and we will be dressing up for this one!)
8/3/13: Electric Run
9/2/13: Safe Harbor (great cause and they have a kids race)
9/29/13: Henry Vilas Zoo Run (we love dressing up for this one and it’s a great cause)
10/19/13: The Glo Run
Active.com gives you a list of all the runs in any city. You can also find local races on Endurance House, Fleet Feet, or Moving Shoes websites.
So, what’s your first run going to be?
Grab your friends and make a date of it and let me know how it goes! Remember, have fun, isn’t that the whole point?!
Shine Brightly,
Ali
