1 year to train for 5k(HELP)

Okay..so heres the deal..im planning on several 5k (about 3.5 miles) I have about 1 year to train for them. IS this enough time??..i kinda suck at running. I have already started running on the treadmill and stuff like that. Im the manager for the cross country team (i get them water..support..etc) so i do have some idea of how to train for one by watching the workouts the runners do at practice.

I would really like some advice and tips. Like what are some other exercises should be doing beside just running? What should i be eating( i hate vegetables btw) so..HELP!!!

help jogging personal country cross diet running goals 5k fitness exercise sprinting

asked Sep 03 '10 at 21:35

SJP
4.6k●84●109●168

edited Sep 04 '10 at 12:30

3 Answers:

oldest newest most voted

A year is plenty of time... more than enough time, really, if you're already in decent cardiovascular shape. My husband only started running and jogging in the past month or two months and he runs his first 5k in several weeks. That said, he's in very good cardiovascular shape from all the bicycling he does.

I think I could even run a 5k with him if I wanted to, and I've only recently (past 6 weeks) gotten back into a good routine of 30 minute to 1 hour cardiovascular exercise 4 to 5 times a week on my indoor rowing machine. Rowing's different, of course, but I routinely row 10k's (translates to 6.21 miles) on my indoor rowing machine, and I have been doing so since the first week I resumed my exercise.

I haven't really changed my diet except to knock out almost all of my former Dr. Pepper habit and dramatically increase the amount of water I drink per day. I now drink at least the recommended daily intake of water for a person my age/activity level/etc. I keep track with an iPhone app called "Water Your Body" by foware.com.

answered Sep 03 '10 at 21:43

ageekmom ♦
8.4k●43●148●322

i have been trying to get drink lots of water..and i have mangaged to fight off my poptart addiction. That said im not in great shape..but after less than a week..im starting to see improvement.

that said..should i be doing any weight training exercises (sit ups, squats, push ups..etc)??

(Sep 03 '10 at 21:53) SJP

Cross-training is definitely beneficial so pick the ways that best suit your needs. You want to focus on strengthening your "core" so anything that works your abs and such is going to help your running (or any other activity!)

(Sep 03 '10 at 21:59) ageekmom ♦

thanks for the advice!

(Sep 03 '10 at 22:22) SJP

A year? For 5K you need maybe 2 weeks. Eat bread and pasta before the run, drink lots of water and put one foot in front of the other. Run perhaps 3 times in a week and you'll be fine.

What I have noticed with most runners nowadays is that they land on their heals, which then means they need to push off from their toes. Doing this wastes a lot of energy. The best technique is to avoid landing on your heal and land on the ball of your foot. To do this for 5K you're gonna need strong quads, so to work them out stretch them now and then and (this is what I do) when brushing your teeth, go as high on your tip toes as you can, then go back down but don't touch the floor. Do that every day and your calves will be HUGE.

Also, with breathing, try to breath out of both your nose and mouth at the same time. This vastly increases the amount of oxygen you inhale and the amount of product you exhale. It really helps cardio.

answered Sep 04 '10 at 11:36

Ben Grant
2.0k●3●13●37

i will try the tiptoes thing. thanks!!

But i will admit i am not in great shape....and i want to run the 5k under 26 minutes..so i might as well start training now :D

(Sep 04 '10 at 11:53) SJP

should i do them fast or slow?

(Sep 04 '10 at 18:05) SJP

do them at a pace you can do the consistently over the time of you brushing your teeth. as your calves get stronger you will be able to do them faster with less pain.

26 is a very good time to aim for, with a year of training you should be able to accomplish that with ease!

good luck with the running, friend!

(Sep 04 '10 at 19:24) Ben Grant

Thanks! I can already start to feel the difference! :)

(Sep 05 '10 at 08:45) SJP

-2

Edited by Kat - We do NOT allow content of an adult nature on this site. Keep it clean or take it somewhere else. Period. End of discussion.

This answer is marked "community wiki".

answered Sep 05 '10 at 11:16

NoncDavid
406●7●14●24

edited Sep 16 '10 at 01:20

Kat ♦♦
5.0k●14●55●85

WTF is wrong with you

(Sep 05 '10 at 12:49) Ben Grant

What the heck..that like the worst advice anybody given to me about anything. PLus im to young to have sex anyways.

(Sep 05 '10 at 14:02) SJP

Commented edited to remove adult references. NoncDavid - that type of comment is NOT allowed here.

(Sep 16 '10 at 01:20) Kat ♦♦

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