I want to run in a 5k!?

Question

I have never ran at all and am a little out of shape. I want to run in a 5k in 12 weeks. What is the best advice that you can give me?

Answer 1

well first off you should come up with a 4 mile route. then you can start off easy and go for a 4 mile walk every day for the first 2 weeks. start jogging your route for the 3rd week and for the 4th and 5th weeks run it. also i recomend going to a pharmacy or any place in your town that sells magazines and buying Seventeen. look at the workout for that month and do it up until the 5k. this will get you fit and you will be happy with your appearence.

Answer 2

Start of simple, Tell yourself you'll do .5 k the first day.

If/When you get tired don't turn back. Speed walk it, I run every other day, that way there It gives my muscels time to relax. If you have no problem doing the .5, next time do the 1k. and so on, good luck :)



By the way, the first answer said "Dont forget to stretch", Do not stretch before you run. It rips your tissue. Think of it this way, your muscels are cold. All of a sudden, when you stretch they're going to have sudden heat on them. Do warm up excersizes, like humping jacks, running on the spot, squats, and so on.

Answer 3

you need to get out there and practice.  Start by walking then jogging. Like walk for 2 minutes then jog for 2 keep switching OH and make sure you stretch first!!! don't get frustrated. Best time to run is early morning or around 6pm, make sure you drink lots of water when your finished and stretch again.

Answer 4

run 2 miles 5 days a week for a month.

run 2.5 miles 5 days a week for a month.

run 3 miles 6 days a week until the 5k.  

Answer 5

Plan in a diary when you have time to run, ideally on a regular basis, every other day would be ideal as you then have some recovery time.

There's two methods.

1.  Start out jogging a short distance, decide yourself what you are comfortable with depending on your fitness and age etc and then gradually increase it until you are running 5k.  Once you reach 5k try to run a little faster, but don't overdo it.

2.  Start out walking 5k and then repeat but increase your pace until you are jogging and then running.

Don't eat heavy meals before running, if you are hungry then a banana is a good thing to eat as it will release energy quickly.  Also make sure you are not thirsty before running, drink some water or a sports drink but nothing fizzy!

Get some comfortable running shoes so you don't get blisters and you may want to put vaseline on your feet as you get longer distances to prevent blisters.

It can be a bit boring running on a regular basis so listening to some music at the same time might be a help, but be careful when crossing the road etc as you wont hear traffic!

If you have an iPod then this may be useful:

http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/

If you have a Nintendo Wii then the Wii Fit is quite handy as it includes a jogging game which would be good if you are really out of shape.

You may find that 1 rest day isn't enough in which case just reschedule your plan to incorporate more rest days.

Finally, make sure you have plenty of rest before the actual event, you will know by then how much time you need.

Answer 6

Start jogging, Start out slow the first week and keep going a little farther each day as you jog.  

Answer 7

Start out on a treadmill. Walk 3 miles, should take about 40 minutes if you're on an easy level. Do this 3 times a week. Take your time, don't rush. The next week, speed up the level and do intervals of high and low speeds. Don't stop until you have reached at least 40 minutes. Do this for about 3-4 or 5 times a week. Continue this for one week to get your body in shape. This on the fourth week, start jogging on like level 5.4 of a treadmill for 5 minutes and then walk for 5 minutes on a lower pace. Continue for 40 minutes and do this for about another couple of weeks. Soon, you will build up your endurance and become back in shape! Don't give up and be consistent. Get a feel for the treadmill and you'll know your limits. Be strong and good luck!