Whether youre running your first 5K for charity, fitness or to support friends (or all three), read on for everything you need to know to finish in style. Training help Q. Ive never run before, how should I start? A. The best way to start is a little jogging with walk breaks. It may feel odd, but youll get twice as far, twice as quickly and feel a huge sense of achievement as you progress. More than half of the women in your Race for Life event will continue the run/walk routine right through to race day. Our beginner and intermediate programmes both include walk breaks. Q.What equipment do I need? A. All you need is a properly fitted pair of shoes, a suitable sports bra (for women) and some comfortable sports clothing that makes you feel good. Q. What should I eat? A. Just a good all-round diet, with plenty of fluids and a slight emphasis on low-GI carbohydrate. Aim to eat 50-60% of your calories from carbohydrate, 20-25% from protein and 20-25% from fat. Only half-marathon runners need go wild with pasta. Q. Will I lose weight (please...)? A. Nothing (except cross-country skiing) burns more calories per minute than running. But dont forget to eat and drink enough to exercise at your best in the first place. Youll still win out. Q. How fast should I run? A.The easiest way to make sure youre running at the right speed is to go with a friend and make sure you maintain chatting pace – if you cant talk, youre running too hard. In the brisk sections of the intermediate and advanced training plans you should still be able to get a few words out, even if theyre just how… much… further...? Q. What if I get bored? A. You wont! Going for a run or a walk means setting aside time for yourself – you can go with a friend and chat the time away, or designate it me-time. No phone, no kids, no distractions – you can concentrate on how youre breathing, how your body is moving, or just let your mind wander and see where it takes you. Q. Help! I dont feel like Im making progress A. If you’re new to running, wed call going from doing no regular exercise to doing a run-walk programme pretty good progress. Dont measure yourself against other people – if youre running or walking further, more often, more quickly or more easily, youre making progress. Improvements come in steps, with inevitable – but not insurmountable – plateaus. Q. Help! I have aches and pains A. Feeling a bit achy after running isnt uncommon. Minimise it by starting and finishing each run with a few minutes of gentle jogging or walking, and do some stretching when you finish your session. If your ache turns into a pain then you may need to ease up, or take a few days off running. Q. Help! I feel self-conscious A. Whatever shape or size you are, the very fact that you are out there and getting fitter means you have plenty to be proud of. More likely than not, anyone who looks at you when youre training is envious of your get-up-and-go. Whether youre in the gym or in the park, hold your head up high. Q. Help! Im behind with my schedule A. Dont panic! Hardly anyone gets through a whole training plan without missing or trimming a single session. If you only have time to run for half the time scheduled, do that half. If you fall behind, dont try to accelerate through the programme; instead, repeat the earlier, easier sessions and gradually increase the time on your feet.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 08:22:52 +0000
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