Couch to 5K Training Plan
5k Training Plan Who is this for + Purpose: Someone who...
1) Is unfamiliar with running & training for a 5k
2) Frequents cardio (walking/bike) & wants to integrate running into their regimen
3) Wants a weekly guide to adding consistent (walking/running) steps into their life
How To Use This Plan:
Buy the proper running shoe for your needs before attempting a run. See my running shoe brand breakdown for my recommendations on running shoes. Google/Youtube/reddit also your friend here, it's a bigger investment than you think.
This plan was designed to be free flowing, if you find yourself needing more work before levelling up to the following week's plan, feel free to repeat the current week.
Gym-bros, feel free to add your lifting schedule on top of this schedule. (I prefer to do my cardio in the morning, I do not enjoy running with a pump - just a marathoners .02)
If you are "in shape" or consistently walk/bike but do not run, feel free to jump up to the later weeks if you are comfortable with the load on your legs.
I added a *rough* weekly consecutive step counter as the last column. It's not rigid, but a good guide to roughly eyeball as you go. Should be about 75% of total weekly steps. (The goal here is to build your leg muscles and get your body used to being under stress of your own body)
The final week can be viewed as a "test out" week, where you can see how you do actually running 3 times a week.
When running, start slow and stay in your aerobic zone, goal is to not be in an oxygen debt. For most people, around the 130-150bpm is fine, but the main rule is if you can talk you're okay.
If you find yourself rapidly mouth breathing, you have issues and need to slow it down. As stated, the goal is to make you able to run without being sore. That's why I push stacking consecutive steps up. It's the one simple way to make running pain free & enjoyable. Once we get you there, maintaining this is fairly easy & you start to see that your legs will feel fresh even after a solid run (of 10k+ steps).
The over arching goal with this plan is to STACK STEPS. We are conditioning the soft tissue muscle in your legs so you do not get injured. The plan goes slow and is a beginner level, but the rewards will pay you dividends down the road.
When you are *not* dealing with IT Band or Hip Flexor pain down the road, you will be thanking me for making this plan.