Prepping for a 5k run

Last week, we touched on the pross and cons senior adult running. We’ll assume this time that we had gained some endurance to do some distance running.

We need at least 5 weeks to train for our very first 5k.

New York Road Runners running coach Gordon Bakoulis had this to share for running newbies.

How far should we run?

It’s not about the mileage but the minutes. Bakoulis said that we should aim for 20-30 minutes of continous workouts by alternating 2 minutes of brisk walking and 2 minutes of ‘easy’ running. ‘Easy’ means we should be able to speak in full sentences, if we feel breathless, we must ease up.

Should we run everyday?

Even elite runners don’t hit the pavement everyday. Even if we do walk-runs, Bakoulis advises us to do it every other day so our bodies have at least 24 hours to recover between efforts. We can do something else on alternate days like strength training, swimming or bicycling. He recommends at least a day off per week.

Should we eat before we run?

Having a snack or a small meal an hour before a run gives more energy and better focus for most people. Light and easy to digest foods like a piece of bread, a piece of fruit and some

nuts can help. Along the way, we learn what is good and works best for us. Even if we’re not thirsty, we take in some water before we head out and have more fluids after the run.

What if something hurts?

Mild muscle soreness, particularly in the calves, quads and hamstrings will be felt by us newbies after a run. This is normal and usually goes away after a day or two. As our muscles adjust to running, soreness lessens. But if the pain causes limping or it lingers for more than a week, it woould be wise to seek medical attention.

What should we wear?

Since running warms us up, Bakoulis said we should dress like it’s 10 degrees warmer. As we get fitter and run farther and faster, we can wear more lighter clothes. Our running shoes should have fewer than 500 kilometers of wear. Sneakers and other casual sports shoes lack the support needed to repeated landing on hard surfaces so a good pair of running shoes helps protect us from foot related injuries.*