Before you rush to get off your couch to 5k training, you need to take care of a few things first.
These preparations will assist you to be injury free and dedicated.
Running Shoes
Running is an activity that needs very little investment, although there is one thing that you definitely need to invest in – running shoes. Wearing the right shoes reduces stress on the joints and minimises the chances of suffering impact injuries. A specialist running store will analyse your ‘gait’, basically checking the way your feet land and leave the ground. Although this may not always be true but a good rule of thumb is the more you spend on your footwear, the better quality running shoes you’ll get.
A Good Sports Bra
Another important thought for women is a good fitting sports bra. Whether you have breasts that are large or small, a sports bra will help to lower bounce and stretching of the skin which can sometimes lead to sagging. Get properly measured to ensure a good fit.
In a nutshell these are all you need to safely get started and off the couch to 5k running.
Your First Training Session
If you’re literally going from the couch to 5k training after having being totally inactive, then don’t set off running straight away because this will be a a surprise to the body. If you set off as fast as you can and aim to keep going until you need to stop, then you probably won’t enjoy it at all.
This is NOT how to start running.
All beginners ought to give their body time to change, the best way of doing this is by running/walking. Begin by setting yourself a time limit for your first training sessions of between 15 – 20 minutes and then build up gradually from then on. Write this aim down with a plan to add on a longer time on your next sessions. You can start by walking the majority of the session, then increasing the time you run for until you’re able to run the entire session.
Don’t get carried away. Once you can do this, there’s a tendency to run more often and further each time you go out. In order to reduce the chances of injury, increase the distance of just one of your weekly runs.
Also try other forms of exercise such as cycling or swimming which also help improve aerobic fitness.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, a running club may provide more motivation and support. If you’d like to know more about quickly going from the couch to 5k running in just 6 weeks time and a unique training schedule go to www.couchto-5k.com now.
