Running for Beginners

Perhaps "beginner" isn't strong enough. How about "Introduction to Running" or, even more appropriately, "Remedial Running 101"?

Regardless of the title, it should be known that one of my closest friends and I have embarked on an 8-week training program to prepare us for our first 5k. The program consists of 30 grueling runs over the course of 8 weeks; each run exceedingly more challenging and horrible than the last. Currently, Hannah and I have completed Day 1 of Week 2, wherein we were forced to walk 5 minutes before jogging 2 minutes (clearly we are firm friends). We had to repeat that cycle a total of 3 times! I know what you are thinking, "how were you able to complete such a physically taxing and extremely strenuous activity?" The answer is simple: sheer physical prowess.

Okay, fine. Perhaps a total of six minutes of light jogging in a day is not necessarily the most impressive feat, but it is a huge step for us. Neither of us are very good at running. In fact, my parents used to overhear other parents discussing my awkward form and slow speed during my middle school basketball games (note: this was a while ago, I am not currently a 6th grader). Hannah and I despise the activity to the very core of our beings; however, we realize its importance, and want to be capable of it. We know that there are times in our lives where we have little choice but to run. We have both chased after runaway dogs and missed classes because we refused to run for a bus. Most importantly, neither of us want to end up like that chubby kid on the football field in the beginning of Zombieland.

Considering our utter disdain for running, we have actually done a very good job at sticking to the program thus far. Part of our motivation stems from the fact that we usually run with the two extremely adorable dogs that Hannah rescued, but most of our motivation is because we are running together and talking all the way. We don't want to let each other down, and being together makes it way more enjoyable and way less embarrassing.

We have both attempted this same program by ourselves in the past, with less successful results. Well, I shouldn't say that. I actually got up to Week 7 last time I tried it. My downfall lied in the fact that I had been training on a treadmill. The minute I moved my training outside, I met the usual difficulties that come with moving an activity out of a controlled environment and into the untamed wild of suburbia, and promptly gave up.

I think we will be picking up tomorrow evening with Week 2, Day 2. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated!


Finally, if you are itching to get into running as well, but don't know where to begin, try our 8-week program that I found on some random website!

Week 1 - Run 3 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 6 minutes
     3) Run - 1 minute
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 2 - Run 3 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 5 minutes
     3) Run - 2 minutes
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 3 - Run 4 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 3 minutes
     3) Run - 4 minutes
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 4 - Run 4 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 2 minutes
     3) Run - 5 minutes
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 5 - Run 4 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 2 minutes
     3) Run - 8 minutes
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 6 - Run 4 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 2 minutes
     3) Run - 9 minutes
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 7 - Run 4 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Walk - 2 minutes
     3) Run - 11 minutes
     4) Repeats steps 2-3 2 more times
     5) Cool down - 5 minutes
Week 8 - Run 4 times during the week
     1) Warm up - 5 minutes
     2) Run - 30 minutes - Note: if this is too difficult, try jogging 20 minutes at first
     3) Cool down - 5 minutes