Couch to 5K: Training to Crossing the Finish Line

By Xavier Thompson MS, ATC         
Pumpkin spice lattes, football games, cooler weather. Fall is a busy time of year with lots of hustle and bustle and lots of opportunities to be active -5Ks come to mind. There are Zombie 5Ks ahead of Halloween, Turkey Trot 5Ks to celebrate Thanksgiving and plenty of other 5Ks that raise awareness about various causes. If you’ve decided to take on this physical challenge for yourself, while there is a lot of work to be done, you’ve taken the first step and made the commitment  to try something new. Before starting any new exercise program, be sure to speak with your physician and find out if a 5K appropriate for you. If you’re new to 5Ks or new to running in general, I suggest that sign up for a race that is at least 12 weeks from now. Actually registering for a race will give you a deadline and a goal to think of while training.
If you have never been a consistent runner before this, investing in a proper pair of running shoes is an important first step. A running store is a great place to start, as they can point you to the right type of shoes for your feet in various price ranges. Buying the right pair of shoes can go a long way towards injury prevention.
This is a weekly plan designed to take you from the couch to your first 5k in twelve weeks. You may attempt to adapt the plan to make it harder or easier depending on your experience and fitness level. Keep in mind, if you wish to increase the difficulty level, remember that the weekly changes in distance are designed to help minimize injury risk. My suggestion is that if you are finding your prescribed running times to be too easy, then run your intervals at a faster pace. If you are finding the program too challenging, decrease your running times and/or increase your rest as necessary. Above all, when completing to this program, listen to your body!
Throughout this program, you will have three days of running per week. The schedule is written as Monday, Wednesday, Friday, but fit it in on the days you can attempting to take at least one day off in between each workout. Your workout times will be split between running intervals and recovery time that you will spend walking. For example, the first day you will run for 30 seconds immediately followed by 2 minutes of walking for 20 total minutes (this will add up to 4 minutes of running). I suggest adding in walking or some type of low intensity cross training (such as the bike, elliptical machine, core work, strength training, yoga, etc.) at least two other days per week. Begin and follow each workout with five to ten minutes of walking followed by stretching.
Week One
 

 
Week Two
 

 
Week Three
 

 
Week Four
 

 
Week Five
 

 
Week Six
 

 
Week Seven
 

 
Week Eight
 

 
Week Nine
 

 
Week Ten
 

 
Week Eleven
 

 
Week Twelve
 

Before you jump into any new kind of exercise or workouts, it’s important to understand your body and catch any strength, endurance or flexibility deficits that could lead to injury.

CLICK HERE to schedule your FREE ASSESSMENT with Loudoun Sports Therapy Center. Our expert physical therapists can evaluate your strength and endurance and help you cross the finish line injury-free!