“A Journey of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step” – Lao Tzu
Information from NHS Couch to 5K – A running plan for beginners.
See NHS site here
The programme is designed for beginners to gradually build up their running ability so they can eventually run 5km without stopping.
The pace of the 9-week running plan has been tried and tested by thousands of new runners.
You can, however, repeat any one of the weeks until you feel physically ready to move on to the next week.
Structure is important for motivation, so try to allocate specific days of the week for your runs and stick to them.
Rest days
Rest days are critical. Having one between each week’s runs will reduce your chance of injury and also make you a stronger, better runner.
Resting allows your joints to recover from what is a high-impact exercise, and your running muscles to repair and strengthen.
Alternatively, you could do Strength and Flex on your rest days. This is a 5-week plan designed to improve your strength and flexibility, which will help your running.
Aches and pains
Some new runners starting the programme experience calf pain or sore shins (sometimes known as shin splints).
Such aches can be caused by running on hard surfaces or by running in shoes that do not have enough foot and ankle support.
Always do the 5-minute warm-up walks as instructed in the podcasts before each run, and check that your running shoes are offering good support.
For more information on preventing and treating injuries, read our page on sports injuries.
You will have good runs and bad runs – accept it, and don’t spend too much time analysing the how and why. Even a bad run is good for you.
So, let’s go! Remember you can join a group, go with a friend or if you can motivate yourself, do it solo.
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