Welcome to running! I assume this is your first 5K (hence searching for Couch to 5K.) You are about to embark on a journey. A journey you chose to complete or one that someone guilted you into signing up for. You might be excited and can’t wait to get started.
Or, more likely, you feel reluctant, scared, concerned, or even dread. That’s normal. In fact many seasoned runners still feel all those things before races, training, or having to talk to people about things that aren’t related to running.
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Couch to 5K Starting Point
Chances are you need to pick a plan. There are so many it can be daunting to find something. But here’s the truth, unless you are working directly with a coach, none of the plans you will see will be perfect.
The levels of fitness for individuals starting Couch to 5K programs is wild. And in all honesty if you are considering a plan like this you should get a physical first to make sure there is no underlying health risks.
More to the point is that these plans are either assuming you are in better shape than you are, or they assume the worst. Trying to fins the one that is right for you requires sitting down with a professional.
So What Do You Do?
If you can’t hire a coach then the best move is to pick a plan that looks like it is accomplishable. It is better to choose one that seems easier than one that is harder. During training you will discover that life gets in the way. It’s alright, but you might miss a session or two, or your performance is not where you want it to be. This just happens.
Also running is difficult if you haven’t done it in a while, or ever. Once your body gets in the practice of running it gets easier, but the key is consistency. Picking a plan that you can consistency do all of the training runs will be your best bet.
Couch to 5K is a Journey
First glance at any training plan and it seems like a simple endeavor. Do the training, run the race, be done with running. It’s a lot more than that. Couch to 5K is more of a quest than a checklist. Each run will present all sorts of challenges, dilemmas, and variables to keep you on your toes. there is also the time in between the runs, where you balance, family, fun, work, hobbies, and everything else life throws your way.
Blend the Couch to 5K Into Your Life
First you need to step back and see the forest from the trees. It does make running seem even more daunting, but it’s not. Life is about blending different aspects together and you need to blend your running into your daily life.
Create opportunities in your schedule to run. Go before you take your regular shower, so you don’t have to shower twice. Use the cool down time to check emails, plan your day, or connect with loved ones. Use the run itself to work out problems or issues that have arisen in you daily life.
Blend, don’t bend, the run into your life.
Define Your Running
Forget what you think running is. Running is not defined by good looking athletic people running top speed through cities, up mountains, and on tracks. It is not defined by the efforts of the best athletes in the world, or whatever influencer is hot right now. Your running is defined by you.
If you are new to running watching everyone else is not going to work. The reason is that you are at the beginning, you are not going to be as good as other people. And that’s ok. None of us were good at it in the beginning, and nothing says you won’t be better than them later on.
Begin with You
Forget what you see on TV, the internet, your local park, or in races through your town. Now just start running. That is how you define running for you. You may have shuffled more than ran. Maybe you walked a good amount of it. You may have stopped to throw up a couple times, but hopefully not. It was still a run. More importantly it was your run.
Running is not defined by pace or distance, but by your inner drive and determination. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing and just enjoy doing what you do.
Listen to Your Heart
I don’t mean this is cheesy way, but your heart rate is one of the best indicators of your running effort. Running is called cardio for a reason and that reason is all about how well your heart pumps blood during your effort.
Your heart rate determines what level of effort you are putting in that day. Depending on the day you might find you will run faster or even slower at the same heart rate. That is because it is influenced by many different factors like diet, hydration, outside temperature, breathing, and even your running form.
Your body uses blood for a lot of things, and the more efficient it can move it around the better at running you will be. If your heart feels like it is about to pop out of your chest, then slow the F-TRAIN DOWN.
Sorry, but over exertion during running is only good every once in a while. Running at your top heart rate consistently will lead to injuries. Now you might not be able to run with a low heart rate yet, but it’s good to start trying.
Its Couch to 5K, Not 5K to Couch
During your training there will be runs that are labeled as easy, recovery, or base. These are meant to be simple runs that do not tax your body very much, but help increase your ability to run more at a lower heart rate.
The mistake people make is that they don’t go slow enough. These runs really are the secret to keep you healthy and injury free. Going slow allows your body to keep getting fitter, but not get stressed and injured. If you are a bit stressed or sore these runs will help smooth you out and help you feel looser and more prepared for the next hard run.
Your current easy/recovery/base pace might not be much different than your walking pace. That’s ok. It might seem annoying to be going that slow, but it’s not forever. In fact, people who train at slower paces, and limited high intensity work, can see significant improvements in their cardiovascular system. There are even training plans built around it.
Set the Bar Low
We are all prone to flight of fancy or two, but when setting your goals to run your first 5K it’s good to be humble. On race day anything can happen. Bad weather, bum tummy, tripping and falling, or just having a bad day can rob you of the glory at the finish line. The hardest part of any race is finishing.
That doesn’t mean you will have those issues, but things can happen. All you can do is your best with your training and come as prepared as possible. Most likely everything will be great and you will have a awesome race.
Remember You are Starting Somewhere
But it’s still your first race, so be reasonable on what you expect to do. Having plans to break 25 minutes is a big stretch, or finishing top 3 in your age group can be real tough. Average 5K finishing times are much more modest than what most people would describe as good. So really don’t worry about how long it will take you.
Keep it simple. I always promote the idea of just finish should be the number one goal for any race. The reason is that if you can’t finish then no other goal is relevant.
Another reason I like the goal of just finishing the race is that it doesn’t matter how you do it, as long as you do it. My first marathon I ran way too fast in the beginning and my legs froze up at mile 22. Couldn’t run anymore, I could walk but not run. So I walked the last 4.22 miles, and got passed by so many people. But I finished, I had finished a marathon. That’s what motivated me to try again.
Skipping Days is a No-No.
I know I already said that life gets in the way and things happen. And that is all true, but you need to minimize the chances of missing any days running as much as possible. The reasons is that you are building a habit and a routine, not a workout regiment.
Follow me on this. if you think of it just as working out, building strength, and getting faster then in your head you can always just make it up later. Running doesn’t work that way. In fact, no form of exercise works like that.
Fitness and strength do not wait around. The effects of any workout only lasts a few days to a couple of weeks at best. In fact if you miss two weeks of training as a beginner you are probably back to square one. We all know how skipping one day can lead to two days, then 3, 4 ,5, and training has failed.
Exceptions
There are always exceptions. Injury would be the most likely reason to skip a day. Injuries are sharp stabbing pains, broken bones, torn ligaments, and so on, not legs feeling sore or tired. In fact, if you start out a run gently enough soreness, tightness, aches, and mild pains can melt away after a few minutes. Generally you just need to loosen your body up a bit.
Menstrual cramps are also a reason that you can skip, however use your judgement. I am not about to tell you how to navigate this at all, except to say that my wife has days she can run with them and days she absolutely can not. So, please just be honest with yourself about what you can do that day.
Illness is another reason to skip. Obviously stomach bugs are going to make any sort of running impossible, but even mild colds and flus should be respected and allowed to rest so you can heal up.
Something > Nothing
If you feel that you can run, but absolutletly cannot do the work out you are suppose to do, that’s ok. Just go out and try. A bad run is always better than no run. Just slow it down, take your time, add in a couple stops, or a few more walking sections. We all have days where our energy is zapped, and we don’t feel our best.
You Can Go From Couch to 5K
I didn’t write this to hold you hand and make you believe that everything is perfect and easy. I wrote this because you deserve to know what you are about to do will be difficult, but it’s not impossible. And let’s be honest, it is called “Couch to 5K,” so it must be doable.
I’m still not saying it will be easy, but you can achieve this. A 5K is only 3.1 miles and for the average person that is less than 10,000 steps. This is very doable for you. The only thing that will stop you will be you.
That’s right, the ABSOLUTE HARDEST PART is believing you can do this. The mental roadblocks your body and brain are going to put up will be immense at times. You may feel there is never a way around it.
There is though, just run through it.
Running is actually a gift. A cruel gift at times, but it is the gift of perseverance, patience, confidence, empathy, and strength.
You get all of those gifts the first time you step outside on your first run. It’s just up to you to use them.
Now get running.
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