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Every runner starts somewhere.
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The injury dealt an additional blow to my mental health.
When I canwalkagain, I told myself, Im going to keep moving.
So when I was cleared, I started walk-running.
Then I started running.
Within a year, Id completed my first racea half-marathon.
Its brought me deep friendships, job satisfaction, and a powerful way to cope with lifes challenges.
As I mentioned, my first race was that half-marathon.
If I were to do it all over again, Id begin with a shorter distance: the 5K.
Thats because its a challenging yet approachable feat, she tells SELF.
Another thing Id change?
Id also pull back the throttle and give myself more space to prioritizerecovery.
Fortunately, you dont have to repeat these mistakes.
If youre here, youre interested in running your first 5Kcongrats already on that super smart choice!
Here, five things to keep in mind to make the most of your first 5K training cycle.
Walk-run before you run-run.
Whats more, it keeps you from feeling defeated before you even start.
Gradually, your running minutes in your walk-run will increase while your walking minutes decrease.
Cross-train to incorporate movement that doesnt overstress your body.
Enter cross-training (and, as well touch on later, strength-training).
Including at least one day of this per week is an important addition to any beginner 5K training plan.
The choice of workouts is up to you.
Just keep it low-impactthat way, youre truly giving your body a break from the force of running.
Theres so much packed into it, she says, including muscular benefits and incredible cardio.
Build strength as a further buffer against injury.
The force of foot-against-road has its benefitsfor instance, running increasesbone strength.
Thats why a beginner 5K training plan should also make strength training a priority.
You dont have to spend hours at the gym to get in your strength work, either.
Here are five of SELFs great workouts for runners:
4.
Prioritize rest and recovery.
Rest is just as important as any of the movement-oriented parts of the plan we talked about earlier.
Rest in your program is not an afterthought.
As you ramp up your mileage, its a necessity, Farias says.
Theres a physiological reason behind it.
In the downtime between workouts, your bodyrepairsthisdamage.
So taking rest days as prescribedand even more, if you need themgives your body time to catch up.
And, good news.
But its more than just physicalrest days also give your mind a crucial break.
Finally, congratulate yourself on your efforts.
Yes, running is a rewarding activitybut its still a challenging one.
There will be days that dont necessarily feel joyous and effortless, even for experienced runners, Wijayaratne says.
Dont let days that feel tough derail you.
Why did I think I could accomplish this goal?
Thats part of the journey, part of the growth.
Persevering makes the finish line all the sweeter.
See more from SELFs Guide to Running package here.
