Walk, jog or run your first 10K: weeks 1-10 of 20 week program
By
David Holt
of
David Holt
Week One:
Not currently running? Walk briskly for
two to three miles, four to five days a week. When you
can walk three miles in an hour, without getting severely short of breath,
it will be time for interval training.
Week Two Previously sedentary? If
you've made
it to three miles of walking in under an hour, four
times a week without aches and pains, start your interval training. After your
first mile of walking, alternate 50-100 yards or 100 meters
of gentle running. No gasping for breath. You are not sprinting
for the bus. The cardiac unit staff is not following you in an
ambulance! Run slowly; land gently; then walk 100 yards. Run too
fast and your exercise will be finished for this year: you will be
back on the sofa. Run walk your middle mile on three walks a week.
Your forth and additional sessions can remain walks. Week Three Retired
sloths can
move to
the next level. Walk half a mile warmup, then do two miles
of alternating walk runs of 100 to 200 yards or meters. Do at
least one of your walk runs on grass or dirt trails. Add an additional mile
to one of your sessions. If you are one of those 97 million
overweight Americans, write down your food and fluid intake for
a few days, then find your wasted calories. Exercise heartrate goal. Do
your
walk runs at
or above 60 percent of your maximum heartrate. Stay close to 60
percent in the early sessions; once you. ve done several sessions,
guarantee that your cardiopulmonary system is sufficiently stimulated
by exercising at 70 percent. How do you know
what your maximum heartrate is? In your first few
training weeks, subtract your age from 220. You should be able to
maintain a conversation without huffing and puffing. Running pace must
remain modest to allow your muscles to adapt. Run too
fast and you predispose yourself to overuse injuries such as shin
splints. Week Four Begin hill
training. On
one of your
walk runs, try several runs or brisk walks up a gentle slope; run down
a few also while practicing landing softly. Grass or dirt trails
work well for this session. Change one session to
half mile runs alternating with 220 yard or 200 meter walks. This
will force you to run at a sensible pace. Incorporate a small amount
of running into that forth walk. Add another mile to
your long session of walk run; add it as brisk walking if you need
to.
Week Five Add mileage
this week.
Aim for three sessions of 4 miles and one of 6 miles. Week
Six Repeat last
week, but
consolidate by doing a little less walking and a little more running.
Week Seven You're
seeing the
health and fitness benefits of regular exercise, so you have two
goals this week. Add a mile to two walk runs to give yourself 20 per
week. 4, 4, 5 and 7 is ideal. Practice running for
two miles at a time on two occasions this week. Pace judgment
is vital. Adjust your running speed to the temperature, humidity and
terrain. Week Eight Take
a leap
of faith. After about 8 times 100 yards of gentle running in the
early part of your 7 mile session, run four miles non stop at easy
pace. 30 second water stops are OK. Run walk the last section. Stride a
bit faster up the hills in one of your other sessions. Week Nine Fully
consolidated at
20 miles per week, you may be doing more running than walking
by now. You have at least a 4 mile run, a series of half
mile runs, and numerous strides of 100-200 yards or meters. Keep everything
relaxed while developing efficient running form. Week
TenHalf way to the 10K, therefore it. s time
to run a 5K. Cut your mileage to 12-15 miles. Reduce that 7 to a 5. Two miles of
continuous running would be ideal. Many of you will be doing minimal walking by
now, but ease back by walking the first and last half mile of each session. On
race day, arrive early to register. Start your warm up with a half mile walk and
some stretching. Done mostly running? Warm up with a mile of running, then
stretch. Line up close to the back of the other entrants, and run the first half
mile slowly. Then it. s time for some of you to walk 200 yards before running
again. Pace it right, and most of you will run the whole way. Each mile should
take you the same time. Ran 11 minute miles for those 2-4 mile training runs,
and 10 minute mile pace for those half mile efforts? Ten to 10.5 minute miles
will be about right for 5K or 3.1 miles. Don. t sprint at the finish. If you are
feeling fresh at 2 miles, pick up the pace slightly, and enjoy the thrill of a
long sustained drive to the line. Walk a half mile or so after the race,
stretch, then re-hydrate and enjoy the day.
Walk, jog or run your first 10K: weeks 1-10 of 20 week program
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