Asked by: A Student Athlete
Category: Distance
My name is Lindsey and I am 16 years old. I am planning on running my first 5K with my mom. It will be on March 9, 2008 if I am ready or July 4, 2008 if I need more time. I was wondering if you could please type up a running plan for us or give me some tips? What is a good time to try for? Thanks. My email address is fitgirllindsey@yahoo.com Here's some stuff about me:
Name: Lindsey Knittle
Age: 18
Gender: F
Height: 5'4
Weight: 151 lbs.
% Body Fat: 29
Resting HR: 81
Reason for running: Fitness and Fun
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Answer By:
ian dobson
Hi Lindsey, I think that's really cool that you and your mom are going to run a 5k together. It'll probably really help that you're doing it together so you can keep each other motivated.
It's a bit hard to make up a training schedule for you without knowing if you've run before or anything like that, but I'll do my best! If you haven't been running at all, I think you should take a week or two of running and walking every other day, just to get used to it and to get over some of the soreness.
Once you get going I think you should plan on running about 5 days a week. Consistency will probably be a key for you, so just make sure you're getting out the door, even if you don't go very far.
Since you're running for fitness and fun, I think you should avoid intervals and most other types of race specific training. I think you'll have more fun and be better off this first time around if you stay on the conservative side and just focus on the fun parts. When I was in high school my mom and I sometimes drove to a lake near the town I lived in and did our runs and then had a great brunch together at a restaurant nearby. It was a great way to make a long run fun and it was nice to have the reward of a big brunch to look forward to after. So maybe you and your mom can come up with a routine similar to that where once a week you go somewhere really fun to run so you don't get too sick of the runs from your home or school.
Like I said, I can't really come up with an accurate training schedule without knowing more about you, but I'll put together a sample week here. If it's too hard or easy, go ahead and make changes.
Mon: 20 min easy
Tues: 30 min (10 min easy, 10 min uptempo, 10 min easy)
Wed: 20 min easy
Thurs: Rest or do something else like bike or swim
Fri: 30 min steady
Sat: 40-50 min easy
Sun: Rest
If you need to do less when you start that's fine, and when you start to get fitter you might want to run even farther. As far as a goal time, you'll have a pretty good idea of what pace you can maintain after a few weeks. If you want to know specifically what you should shoot for, 2 miles hard on a track a couple weeks before the race and then make that pace your goal.
Good luck and don't hesitate to write in again with other questions!
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