If you weren’t the most motivated or driven of people before then you should consider running in aid of a 5k charity.

There are loads that you can choose from and virtually any worthy cause will have some form of representation in almost any race you can enter.

Part of the appeal of running 5k races is the fact that they now seem to almost exclusively support charities and worthy causes. Whichever 5k charity you pick should be something that is near to your heart.

The great thing about running for a 5k charity is that you’ll have an extra reason or motivation for doing it in the first place and actually completing the necessary training to get you to race day in peak condition.

You may have a close friend or family member that has been affected by the cause that the charity supports.

Selecting a cause to run for this way this will help you no end.

Go here to find out more about running for a 5k charity

If you’ve completed a 5k in the past and have an idea of some 5k run times to beat already, then use that to set yourself the challenge of beating this time around. If you haven’t run one yet, then my advice is to simply aim to get round in one piece without having to stop and this time can be your next target.

Accomplished runners get better by increasing the speed they run at over successive races and it’s actually the challenge of beating previous times that keeps them motivated to run faster and train harder.

If you’re a new runner however, you may be interested to know what the average 5k run times are?

Click here to find out what are good, average and poor 5k running times – 5k run times

Here’s the latest page added to the my running site – couch to 5k .com with some of the latest testimonials and a complete restructure of the package and bonuses available.

I’ve combined some very interesting facts and information in this page which is essentially all about my new ’5k Training For Beginners’ running program.

The system is essentailly an 8 week training program containing various plans depending on what starting level of fitness you are currently at.

I include a range of the most up to date training programmes and eating techniques to increase speed and reduce training times dramatically.

Go here to find out more – couch to 5k runner in 8 weeks

This post is all about 5k training for beginners and the amount of training that you as a beginner actually need to do in order to be able to comfortably run a 5k race.

The real secret is to do the right amount of training at the correct level of intensity so that you continue to get better, increase your mileage and see results. What you don’t want is to end up doing too much and putting yourself in an over trained state.

Overtraining is very common particularly in enthusiastic newbie’s because they love the feeling that exercise gives them. They love seeing their fitness improve quickly and they love getting stronger and stronger each week.

Ideally you’ll follow a specific 5k training for beginners running program which contains exactly the right advice to take you easily from couch potato to 5k runner in the shortest amount of time possible.

As a beginner and to make quick progress, you shouldn’t run more than 3 times a week, building up distances very slowly and using a range of different training approaches to keep your body both stimulated and fresh.

Workouts needn’t be any longer than 30 minutes if you are training properly.

Doing too much can take you in an over trained state. When this happens you’ll notice a number of key things start to happen. Look out for the following warning signs.

• You’ll start to feel tired in the mornings

• You won’t have any energy

• You’ll lose interest in your training

• You’ll be susceptible to any bugs or viruses going

• Your fitness levels will plateau and you’ll stop getting fitter

• You’ll lose your appetite

• You’ll feel run down

It’s at times like this that you’re more likely to pick up injuries and stop your training altogether because of a lack of motivation and interest in your running.

In effect you’re challenging your nervous system far more than it’s able to cope with and this is a more common occurrence than you might think. However it only usually happens when you keep pushing yourself too hard all the time without allowing adequate rest and recuperation.

It’s easy to sidestep this problem by training correctly and allowing adequate rest between running training sessions. At the start of your 5k training you need to make sure that you allow at least 24 hours recovery between particularly challenging runs or longer if your legs still feel heavy or tired.

A good 5k training for beginners running program that is well designed will help you to get to race day easily and without the risk of overtraining, so you’re ready and willing to take on the challenge of the race ahead.

Ok by now we should all realize the importance of drinking water, not only throughout the day, but more especially during your training for a 5k.

Well, let’s start with a normal, non exercise day. On days like these you’ll need to drink around 1 to 2 litres of water each day. Now to some this might seem like a tall order and it can be quite a challenge if you try to force it down all in one go.

However if you take small drinks throughout the course of the day and for example break it down to ¼ of a litre every hour and a half, then it becomes a much more achievable task.

A good idea is to keep a jug or bottle cool in the refrigerator and take your water from there throughout the day, this way you can easily keep track of how much you’ve drunk.

If you can’t even manage this then just drink whenever you can and instead of drinking coffee or tea, opt instead for a glass of the clear stuff. Drinks such as fruit or herbal teas are excellent choices as these don’t contain the caffeine but DO supply other vitamins and minerals and in the case of Rooibos tea – antioxidants.

What about when you exercise?

This is a completely different kettle of fish, but just exactly how much should you drink if you’re training for a 5k and when?

The key is to drink little and often. Take small regular sips every 5 minutes instead of a huge swig at one time.

Bear in mind that during your 5k running training, you’ll be sweating and exhaling moisture from your body and it’s this that needs to be replaced.

The longer your run or exercise for then the more fluids you’ll need to drink. Generally speaking one of the hand held specialist running water bottles of the smaller size will do for any shorter 30 minute sessions and the larger size for any lasting longer than this.

Another factor is the effort you put in to your training for a 5k, again the more challenging it is, then the more you’ll sweat and the more fluid you’ll need to replace.

There is actually a good technique to test how much water you lose throughout exercise which you can do simply by weighing yourself without any clothes on before exercise and then again after your training. The difference in weight is the amount you need drink throughout your workouts.

So for example if before exercise you weighed 166 lbs and after your session you weighed 165.5 lbs, then you know that you need to drink ½ lb of water ( 8 fl oz ) throughout the course of your next run to maintain that balance –

One last point to consider is the temperature you are doing your running in. The warmer it is, then the more you’ll sweat and the more you need to drink.

Here’s some weight/volume conversions for you to do your own calculations with…

1 lb = 16 fl oz

½ lb = 8 fl oz

¼ lb = 4 fl oz

If you want to check your current level of hydration, then ‘5K Training For Beginners‘ contains a clever little test you can do at any time. You can find out more here – Go from couch potato to 5k runner in just 6 weeks

An effective 5k training schedule should always include training techniques which help to boost fitness and endurance levels way faster than simply pounding the streets using a steady and constant pace.

One of the best ways to do this is by using interval training.

Interval training is the use of small segments of higher and lower intensity effort throughout the duration of a workout. It is a great way of pushing your body further than using steady state training (one constant level of intensity) whilst using short periods of active rest to recover.

The wonderful thing about using interval training is that you can choose your own length of time for rest and work periods, however it’s important to understand that for interval training to be effective, it must be planned out in advance, not chopped and changed as you run along.

Using interval training in your 5k training schedule allows you to increase your lung efficiency, your leg muscles lactate threshold and improve your recovery times during your runs.

This is perfect for any routes that contain hills, as interval training closely mirrors the level of effort and recovery needed when running uphill and then recovering downhill afterwards.

So how should you use interval training in your own running sessions?

Well this really depends on your current level of fitness, but for the purposes of explaining how it works we will take an active beginner and explain how this should work.

Here is our example runner – her name is Anne, she is 36 years old, she is a little overweight and only just recently started running. At the moment she runs 4 times a week and has built up to being able to run for up to 15 minutes without stopping.

My advice would be to…

• Cut out one session, so she only runs 3 times a week and replace this with a different aerobic activity such as swimming or cycling etc.
  

• Once a week she should try to increase the distances she can keep going for, building up over time to 5k distance.

• Once a week she should do a shorter but faster run and…

• Once a week she should be doing an interval training session. This session should be structured the following way…

5 minutes warm up, followed by 1 minute fast running, 1 minute moderate pace and then 1 minute slow recovery running or walking. The recovery minute should be at a pace that allows you to fully return to normal, so your breathing rate lowers and your legs feel ready to go again.

She will repeat this 10 times for a total of 30 minutes without rest, followed by a 5 minute cool down and then stretching.

In future sessions, she will increase the work intervals and reduce resting times as she feels able to.

You can customise your own interval workouts, but you should plan and record this before you begin. Also you need to ensure that you progress your own sessions accordingly.

Interval training should feel harder than normal running, but if used as part of a balanced 5k training schedule, will give you fitness and endurance improvements far faster than simply running at a steady constant pace.

A common problem that I see with inactive new runners, is that once they’ve made up their minds to get off their couch to 5k training, nothing seems to stop them. They seem to discover the incredible buzz they get from running and taking control of their own health and want to run all the time.

But there are some real problems with this approach.

First and foremost, it’s very probable that you’ll end up doing too much too soon. Remember I said beginners here and inactive ones at that. This means that their bodies haven’t been subjected to the constant stresses and strains of regular exercise before.

All too often the most motivated beginner runners lack any structure to what they do and simply feel that they must run every day, otherwise they’ve failed in their mission.

This leads to being driven the wrong way. Instead of listening to their bodies and taking rest when they need it, they have a stubbornness to complete the mission; it has to be all or nothing. Curiously enough, this is how many people also approach dieting. Now we know for a fact that at least 95% of dieters fail in their mission to lose the weight they want to.

Does running have a similar failure rate?

I’m not sure, but I suspect so.

But one thing I am sure of is that if you don’t have a realistic and balanced structure to your training, then it’s very unlikely that you will achieve your goal of going from couch potato to 5k runner.

So the real key here is to structure rest days in to your schedule. I know that may sound hard to do for some people, but it’s essential that you do.

The reason this is so important is that your rest days allow your body to recover and adapt to the stresses and challenges you are putting it under throughout your training.

If you’re running every day, or three or four consecutive days then I feel you are overdoing it.

For effective and safe 5k training I recommend that you run no more than 3 days a week, preferably with a day’s rest in between.

However if you do any particularly challenging runs and feel extra sore or tired afterwards, don’t stress about taking an extra days rest, so you’re fully recovered before your next run.

Getting up off your couch to 5k running takes commitment and motivation, if you’ve got this far then well done, just don’t go ruining it all by doing too much too soon.

Don’t be afraid to take rest days, they’re vital to your progress.

But perhaps the most important piece of advice I can give you here is to follow a structured and balanced 5k training schedule, that way you’ll know what to do and when to do it.

If you’re thinking of training for a 5k race anytime soon, then one thing that you’ll need to know is what and when you should eat to firstly boost your performance and secondly, speed up your recovery.

These are actually 2 very important points as the fuel that you put in to your body can have a very significant effect on your performance and the speed at which your body recovers after training.

So what, when and how much should you be eating if you’re training for a 5k race?

Firstly let’s look at your pre training or pre race meal. This should be mainly made up of complex carbohydrates, to ensure that you have enough energy supplying nutrients stored in the muscles.

Foods such as pasta, rice, wholemeal bread, potatoes, cous cous, bulgar wheat and quinoa are great examples of these and should be eaten at least 2 hours before a run.

If performance is your goal and not weight loss, then I recommend eating as much of these foods as you can. They can be eaten with a small amount of any low fat source to make them more palatable, but keep fats to a minimum as they can make you a little sickly during a run.

Ideally you’ll have some protein earlier on in the day.

During your run, I recommend simply taking small regular sips of water. If you’re running or exercising for longer than 60 minutes, then you may benefit from some type of sugary sports drink, again be wary of these if one of your goals is weight loss.

After your run, you need to refuel quickly as this is the time when you will absorb any nutrients at their fastest rate. So within 20 minutes, try to eat or drink something. You’ll need both carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves and protein to replace and repair damaged cells.

Here are a couple of suggestions you can use throughout your training for a 5k…

• Wholemeal sandwich with tuna and rocket, or…

• Stir fried prawns, mushrooms, pepper and baby corn with brown or wholegrain rice, or…

• Banana and a glass of half fat milk.

Just one quick word of warning, don’t try any new foods on the day of a race or before any particularly challenging training runs as you won’t know for sure how well your body will tolerate them. Just use common sense and stick to the things you know. Alternatively try anything new on a non training day to make sure you’re ok with it.

Eating well can definitely help in your training for a 5k, so don’t neglect this important aspect. Get it right and you’ll run further, faster, easier and recover much quicker in to the bargain.

OK so you’ve decided to run a 5k race sometime soon, congratulations that’s a big step out of the way.

There’s just a couple of small points left to do now.

You should have hopefully sat down and gone through all of the planning and preparation techniques next as shown in ‘5K Training For Beginners‘ so now all that’s left is to put that plan of action in to practice.

Sometimes you’ll feel totally motivated to do your training for a 5k, but other times it will feel like a real chore. So I thought I’d put together my top 5 motivation techniques to kick start you in to action…

• Call up a friend or running buddy. Why not enlist the support of someone you know to call round and get you out running.

• Take some time to visualise yourself running the last few metres of your 5k race. Doing this properly will help to get you back in the mood.

• Look back over your training log to see exactly how far you’ve come. If this doesn’t motivate you to get your running shoes on then nothing will.

• Revisit all the reasons why you decided to run a 5K in the first place. Try to relight the feelings and emotions that inspired you to take action in the first place. Think about all of the people you’ve told and how disappointed and humiliated you’ll feel having to tell them that you aren’t going to run the race after all.

• Load up your MP3 Player with your favourite uplifting tunes and ramp up the volume for an instant ‘pick me up.’

Always remember that you might not always feel like running every training day, but that shouldn’t simply mean that you don’t.

If you just can’t face a challenging run one day, just run easy for the session or do a much shorter route. Don’t be afraid of taking the easier option sometimes. If you take the decision to do it before you set off and not when you are actually out running, you’re still in control and more importantly you’ll still feel great for doing it when you’ve finished.

If you’d like a 5K Training Plan that gets you motivated and keeps you motivated right up to the day of your race then check out this page – Couch to 5k

Can weight training improve your running? Or perhaps more importantly can it help with your 5k Training?

The answer is both yes and YES!!

Weight training will definitely improve your ability to run further and faster for 4 main reasons…

• It reduces the risk of injury because it improves, muscle, tendon and connective tissue strength and endurance.

• It improves balance and co-ordination.

• It improves the body’s ability to store more fuel (glycogen is held within the muscles)

• It gives you more power to run faster or easier over challenging terrain.

The obvious focus is to concentrate on the lower body only and whilst this should be your priority, it is also important to work the upper body as well because overall strength and increased muscle density will help to increase the body’s ability to store more glycogen all over the body.

Also more lean muscle tissue will help to increase your metabolic rate which means you will potentially burn more calories every day. This also reduces the amount of calories that are stored as body fat from the foods we eat.

Good exercises for the legs are squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises and hip adductions and abductions. Don’t go too heavy to start with. If your aim is to run a 5k then you should begin with using a rep range of 12 – 15 reps, for 3 sets and gradually increase the weights you lift at the same time as reducing the reps.

One word of warning, leg training is quite challenging and can take a few days to recover, meaning throughout your 5K training, you’ll be running with heavy legs unless you structure your running and weight training days accordingly.

Have you ever tried weight training? Did it help or hinder your 5K training running? Let me know, please add your thoughts by clicking on the blue highlighted comments link below…