How to Run a 5K...???
Discussion
ghost83 said:
As above get yourself to sweatshop!
When I started running I was wearing my adidas trainers and tbh it’s ended up knackering my heel so I bought some new balance trainers which were around £100 and make sure you go a size bigger to allow your feet to swell I’d also recommend the proper running socks at an extra £10
Last February I weighed 16stone and was classed as obese
12 month later I weigh 11stone and I now run 5k most nights with a 10k once or twice a week! It’s all in the breathing tbh and I couldn’t run for s
t and now I absolutely love it
Damn! 5 stone loss. What did you do? Chop off both arms?!When I started running I was wearing my adidas trainers and tbh it’s ended up knackering my heel so I bought some new balance trainers which were around £100 and make sure you go a size bigger to allow your feet to swell I’d also recommend the proper running socks at an extra £10
Last February I weighed 16stone and was classed as obese
12 month later I weigh 11stone and I now run 5k most nights with a 10k once or twice a week! It’s all in the breathing tbh and I couldn’t run for s
t and now I absolutely love it I have a couple of stores locally that will watch you run, analyze your gait and do all manor of other fancy stuff I am sure. The pricing does scare me however! Their website seems to be full of shoes that are hundreds of dollars. At this rate, I'll be spending about a dollar per meter!!!
pgh said:
First congratulations on taking on the challenge, as others have said, you're already doing better than many.
There's some great advice above about starting carefully and ensuring you have shoes that aren't going to injure you.
My small contribution would be to encourage you to work out a 5k loop starting somewhere very near your front door. I know Garmin Connect https://connect.garmin.com/en-US/ has a tool for drawing across a map to calculate distance. I'm sure there are others. Strava provides a great way of seeing where others near you are running too.
The 5k loop lets you know exactly how far you are going to be going on the race day. It also lets you measure your progress against your goal. Plus, you can try a mixture of running and walking around that 5k. Once you've managed running/walking around, you at least know that you will finish the event you've signed up for - that's a huge motivating boost in itself - "I'm going to do it, the only question now is the time".
Finally, as you'll experience in a month, your body/brain will find that little bit extra when you are running in an event with a big group of people. If you can get to completing 5k before the event, you may well surprise yourself with your time on the day.
Good luck!
Thanks for the positive thoughts/comments!There's some great advice above about starting carefully and ensuring you have shoes that aren't going to injure you.
My small contribution would be to encourage you to work out a 5k loop starting somewhere very near your front door. I know Garmin Connect https://connect.garmin.com/en-US/ has a tool for drawing across a map to calculate distance. I'm sure there are others. Strava provides a great way of seeing where others near you are running too.
The 5k loop lets you know exactly how far you are going to be going on the race day. It also lets you measure your progress against your goal. Plus, you can try a mixture of running and walking around that 5k. Once you've managed running/walking around, you at least know that you will finish the event you've signed up for - that's a huge motivating boost in itself - "I'm going to do it, the only question now is the time".
Finally, as you'll experience in a month, your body/brain will find that little bit extra when you are running in an event with a big group of people. If you can get to completing 5k before the event, you may well surprise yourself with your time on the day.
Good luck!
I know I can walk 5k with no problem - my wife and I used to walk 5 - 8 miles at a time and we could always have done more given the time or inclination. I know I can walk at a steady 3.5 miles per hour pretty much indefinitely so I know that in the worst case, my time will be just under 1 hour. I guess that at the event, a 6mph running speed should be about achievable - I guess that's a time of about 30 mins.
All I can say is thank f
k I clicked the 5K button when signing up as opposed to the half marathon distance!!! 
Oh, and the best news? I just double checked and it's not 4 weeks away...it's 3 weeks this Sunday
The Moose said:
Can do - our pool is a bit small for proper swimming, but I can always use the sea. Or cycling!
If you've got an exercise bike then it can be useful to do short, tough HIIT training workouts to help the weight loss.But if your focus is running in the short term then I'd lay off the longer cycles.
My advice would be to start by alternating brisk walking with jogging over 3km a few times a week, then once you've done that for a while, gradually increase the proportion of running time in the 3k runs whilst adding in a 5/6km walk/run, perhaps at the weekend, where you do more walking than running, but you're going the distance. That's one or two outings for pace and one for distance. After a few weeks you'll find you can start running the whole 3k, and then running the whole 5k will follow that. Take it easy, stretch a lot, buy decent shoes (go to a running shop with a treadmill), and try not to heel strike too much.
I'm a regular runner, but I know from experience that if I don't run for a year or more I can barely run to the end of the road, so you're not the only one! Building up gradually gets me back on track though.
I'm a regular runner, but I know from experience that if I don't run for a year or more I can barely run to the end of the road, so you're not the only one! Building up gradually gets me back on track though.
RobM77 said:
Take it easy, stretch a lot, buy decent shoes (go to a running shop with a treadmill), and try not to heel strike too much.
Agreed. Do try to run with decent form and not landing on your heels. Lift your knees and flex your hips rather than flicking your feet back from your knees. It will make a massive difference.
Don't over-do it. Running will expose any weaknesses.
MC Bodge said:
RobM77 said:
Take it easy, stretch a lot, buy decent shoes (go to a running shop with a treadmill), and try not to heel strike too much.
Agreed. Do try to run with decent form and not landing on your heels. Lift your knees and flex your hips rather than flicking your feet back from your knees. It will make a massive difference.
Don't over-do it. Running will expose any weaknesses.
T-24 days
In the back of a closet I found a pair of shoes that resemble something to run in. As I have less than 4 weeks, I thought I better get running sooner rather than later!
This evening I went out for the first time with a bunch of apps loaded up. Headed to the park and ran around the lake multiple times.
Given that I have to fit 9 weeks of training into 3 weeks, I thought I’d start with week 3, day 2 which was supposed to be:
5 minus brisk warm up walk, [then jog 90 secs, walk briskly 90 secs, jog 3 mins, walk briskly 3 mins]*2, 5 min warm down walk. Total of 28 mins.
Unfortunately after starting the first bit of jogging, I missed the first beep on the couch 2 5k app. Thinking to myself that was the longest 90 seconds ever I checked the app and I was 10 seconds from supposedly finishing the first 90 secs walk. After that, I just made it up as I went along.
What I ended up doing was:
5 mins brisk warm up walk, 3 mins jog, 3 mins walk, 90 seconds jog, 3 mins walk, 90 seconds jog, 2 mins walk, 2 mins jog and finally a 10 min warm down walk. Total of 32 mins (obviously I have made a bit of a mistake somewhere counting!).
Total mileage was 2.3 miles (3.7km). Splits:
Mile 1 - 12:31
Mile 2 - 13:36
Mile 0.3 - 17:12 (solely walking)
At today’s average, the 5km would have taken me 42:38.
No idea if this is any good or not. In my mind, I didn’t do as well as the app wanted - did more running than jogging.
Thoughts:
1. My wife came too and the first section of jogging she was behind me and was surprised at my pace. I remarked that her strides were much shorter than me. Second jog around she lengthened her stride a bit and was with me. She is fitter than me (in all ways!!).
2. Why the fk do people do this for fun? Are you all a bunch of sadomasochistics?!
In the back of a closet I found a pair of shoes that resemble something to run in. As I have less than 4 weeks, I thought I better get running sooner rather than later!
This evening I went out for the first time with a bunch of apps loaded up. Headed to the park and ran around the lake multiple times.
Given that I have to fit 9 weeks of training into 3 weeks, I thought I’d start with week 3, day 2 which was supposed to be:
5 minus brisk warm up walk, [then jog 90 secs, walk briskly 90 secs, jog 3 mins, walk briskly 3 mins]*2, 5 min warm down walk. Total of 28 mins.
Unfortunately after starting the first bit of jogging, I missed the first beep on the couch 2 5k app. Thinking to myself that was the longest 90 seconds ever I checked the app and I was 10 seconds from supposedly finishing the first 90 secs walk. After that, I just made it up as I went along.
What I ended up doing was:
5 mins brisk warm up walk, 3 mins jog, 3 mins walk, 90 seconds jog, 3 mins walk, 90 seconds jog, 2 mins walk, 2 mins jog and finally a 10 min warm down walk. Total of 32 mins (obviously I have made a bit of a mistake somewhere counting!).
Total mileage was 2.3 miles (3.7km). Splits:
Mile 1 - 12:31
Mile 2 - 13:36
Mile 0.3 - 17:12 (solely walking)
At today’s average, the 5km would have taken me 42:38.
No idea if this is any good or not. In my mind, I didn’t do as well as the app wanted - did more running than jogging.
Thoughts:
1. My wife came too and the first section of jogging she was behind me and was surprised at my pace. I remarked that her strides were much shorter than me. Second jog around she lengthened her stride a bit and was with me. She is fitter than me (in all ways!!).
2. Why the f
k do people do this for fun? Are you all a bunch of sadomasochistics?!Edited by The Moose on Saturday 24th February 01:02
Edited by The Moose on Saturday 24th February 01:04
Long strides are not actually desirable. (powerful, quick strides are what you want) Don't push your front leg too far forward, otherwise you end up landing on your heel, impacting hard and decelerate whilst rocking over it.
Don't worry about your pace yet. Concentrate on running properly and building up without injury.
If you are not coming from a position of good conditioning it would also be worth doing a few pressups, squats, squat thrusts and planks. Try to do them with good form.
Don't worry about your pace yet. Concentrate on running properly and building up without injury.
If you are not coming from a position of good conditioning it would also be worth doing a few pressups, squats, squat thrusts and planks. Try to do them with good form.
Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 24th February 12:25
There's a recommended number of strides per minute, and for most people it's quite fast to avoid injury - Google will tell you more. I used to have a huge stride with a heel strike and it wrecked my knees. I saw a running gait specialist and I'm now averaging about 160-170 strides per minute and my knees are much better for it.Regarding your comments on pace and wondering why people do it for fun, these two are linked. When you're huffing and puffing round at 5-6 minutes per kilometre (don't worry, that's running all the way, I appreciate you'll be much slower if you walk bits!), it doesn't seem like fun, but once the fitness comes after a running for a while, then most people find that running starts to become enjoyable. Generally, I find it more fun the faster I get, but if I haven't run for a while and am struggling then no, it's not fun, no sport is when you feel like you just want to stop the whole time.
The Moose said:
2. Why the fk do people do this for fun? Are you all a bunch of sadomasochistics?!
Good question. Depending on your fitness: after a certain period of time, it gets easier and thus more enjoyable... it also gets easier to push on also.k do people do this for fun? Are you all a bunch of sadomasochistics?!Edited by The Moose on Saturday 24th February 01:04
johnwilliams77 said:
The Moose said:
2. Why the fk do people do this for fun? Are you all a bunch of sadomasochistics?!
Good question. Depending on your fitness: after a certain period of time, it gets easier and thus more enjoyable... it also gets easier to push on also.k do people do this for fun? Are you all a bunch of sadomasochistics?!Edited by The Moose on Saturday 24th February 01:04
This is also why people buy road bikes for fitness cycling - you put the same effort in as you do on a mountain bike, but you get to go much faster, and fast is fun. Speed matters 
Do get to a running shop get your gait checked to try and prevent injuries.
Re pace run with your mrs and chat , if you can't get a word out your going to fast if your able to talk as normal your possibly going a bit slow , somewhere in between is just right.
Providing you don't flog yourself to death every run , at some point you'll get to the end and realise you did that run without really trying to hard , it's like you just go into auto pilot and run.
Re pace run with your mrs and chat , if you can't get a word out your going to fast if your able to talk as normal your possibly going a bit slow , somewhere in between is just right.
Providing you don't flog yourself to death every run , at some point you'll get to the end and realise you did that run without really trying to hard , it's like you just go into auto pilot and run.
MC Bodge said:
Long strides are not actually desirable. (powerful, quick strides are what you want) Don't push your front leg too far forward, otherwise you end up landing on your heel, impacting hard and decelerate whilst rocking over it.
Don't worry about your pace yet. Concentrate on running properly and building up without injury.
If you are not coming from a position of good conditioning it would also be worth doing a few pressups, squats, squat thrusts and planks. Try to do them with good form.
Dont want to turn this into a argument, but if you can do bigger strides surely you would run faster ? Don't worry about your pace yet. Concentrate on running properly and building up without injury.
If you are not coming from a position of good conditioning it would also be worth doing a few pressups, squats, squat thrusts and planks. Try to do them with good form.
Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 24th February 12:25
Robster said:
MC Bodge said:
Long strides are not actually desirable. (powerful, quick strides are what you want) Don't push your front leg too far forward, otherwise you end up landing on your heel, impacting hard and decelerate whilst rocking over it.
Don't worry about your pace yet. Concentrate on running properly and building up without injury.
If you are not coming from a position of good conditioning it would also be worth doing a few pressups, squats, squat thrusts and planks. Try to do them with good form.
Dont want to turn this into a argument, but if you can do bigger strides surely you would run faster ? Don't worry about your pace yet. Concentrate on running properly and building up without injury.
If you are not coming from a position of good conditioning it would also be worth doing a few pressups, squats, squat thrusts and planks. Try to do them with good form.
Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 24th February 12:25
You're right in that a longer stride length can increase your speed, but the way to do it is to generate more of your stride length behind you, and impact the ground closer to the point directly underneath you, resulting in fewer injuries and more of a toe strike, using the shock absorption of the ankle. Think more of how people sprint, how you run in bare feet, or how children tend to run - high knees, contact point underneath the body, toe to mid-foot striking.
Robster said:
Dont want to turn this into a argument, but if you can do bigger strides surely you would run faster ?
Not having an argument.If you maintain a quick cadence and travel further by each "stride" yes, but not if that means stepping the front foot further forward and rocking over on your front heel, reducing your cadence and speed. Ideally you lean forward from the ankles as shown in the diagrams above.
One of controversies with those blades that some paralympic sprinters use is they can increase effective stride length.
The problem with running is that you can't start slow and gradually build up like you would with swimming or cycling (which you can do at any speed from 0.5mph upwards), there's a sudden jump from walking to running. Imagine cycling where you had to be averaging 15mph to stay on, or swimming where you had to get below 1m/s to stay afloat... With running, the whole time you're struggling at the start, your fitness is gradually building up to the point where you can run continuously for 5km, but you don't know it because unless you reach that minimum standard, you're walking. All of a sudden you'll reach that standard and it'll be fine.LordGrover said:
Would you say jogging is just slow(er) running or a different exercise?
I was including that. For a human to change gait from walking to jogging/running is a step change in energy requirement, the like of which doesn't exist in swimming or cycling, which show continuums of energy expenditure as speed increases.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff