Run a 5K in 30 Days (and Feel Good Doing It)
So, you want to run a 5K! Or a half marathon, a mile, or (insert personal goal here). It’s important to know that you CAN do it. No matter what shape you are in, you are capable of far more than you think.
There are some important things you need to know before you start running so you condition your body and your mind, take good care of your body, and crush your goals.
Let’s break it down into 3 parts: Preparation, Progress, and Post-Run.
Prepare Well.
Find your “why.”
Why do you want to do this? What do you want to accomplish? What do you hope to get out of this? Once you figure this out, you’ll know how to better motivate yourself when it gets hard and you feel like giving up.
Identify your fears.
Is there anything holding you back from doing this? Often times we never start because we have underlying fears that keep us from trying. Is it failure? Are you trying to avoid discomfort? Scared of what’s on the other side? If you can identify your fears, articulating them (literally saying it out loud) gives you the opportunity to realize how minuscule they really are compared to the joy of accomplishing your goals.
Find a support buddy. (or buddies!)
This can be someone you want to run with, or simply a friend or family member who will help you remember your “why” and hold you accountable to get out of bed and do the thing when you feel like putting it off.
Make a plan, and stick to it.
Plan out which days, and what times of the day you will run. That means sticking to a bed time if you plan to run in the mornings. Get a babysitter for the kids. Meal prep and shop for groceries the week before so the time you set aside for your morning or evening run stays open and doesn’t fill up with other life things. Your 5K will not just ‘happen’ to you. You show up and make it happen! Need help figuring out a calendar? We’ve got you, girl. Here’s a sample 30 day calendar we made just for you. We do this together with our gym every summer! If you want some buddies to run with, join us at Dropgym. We’d love to run with you :)
Note: In our calendar, ’ means “minutes.” For example, Walk 3’ Run 3’ x 3 means “walk 3 minutes, run 3 minutes, 3 times.
Make Progress.
If you want to run a 5K and do it well, you need to run consistently. Sticking to a schedule like our 5K calendar above will help you get there.
Now let’s get to the actual running part. Here are some important steps that will help you feel run farther, avoid injury, and feel better while running.
Warm up.
We cannot stress it enough. Warm. Up. Your. Muscles. It’s so important that you warm up so you avoid injury and help support your body while asking her to do something that’s going to physically and mentally stretch you. It’s also vital that you know which muscles to warm up. These are the major 3:
a) Ham strings
b) Calves
c) Psoas
Your psoas muscle is located in the lower lumbar region of your spine and extends through your pelvis to your femur. This muscle works by flexing your hip joint and lifting the upper leg towards the body.
Movements to help you warm up are calve raises, psoas raises (sitting on the ground with legs extended out while doing leg lifts), and skipping, knee ups, butt kicks and lunges to get your heart rate up.
Nose breathe.
If you’ve trained with us, then you know how vital nose-to-nose breathing is! Nose breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, i.e. your “flow” state. Likewise, inhaling through your mouth triggers your sympathetic nervous system, which keeps you in survival mode, or in a state of flight. Practice inhaling and exhaling through your nose for your entire walk / run. You will be challenged. Ultimately, you will train your body to be able to run much farther and avoid unnecessary injury.
Eliminate unnecessary noise.
One of the quickest ways you can grow your capacity is to eliminate unnecessary noise. Run without listening to music. Music can often distract you from your own thoughts and feelings. What if you allowed yourself to be present with your emotions when it gets hard?
Don’t talk to your buddies while you run (and you won’t want to if you stick to nose breathing). Be with yourself. Train your mind to choose to keep going when you want to stop. Move in to physical discomfort with your breath. Choose to struggle and find your states of fight and flow instead of giving up.
P.S. Want to learn more about the science and power of your breath? Come train with us and we’ll work with you to strengthen your breath and movement.
Post-Run Care.
How you finish effects how you start next time. We want you to finish well so you feel great—physically, mentally, and emotionally—the next time you train.
Be proud of yourself.
When you finish training, how do you see yourself? What are you thinking and saying about yourself? Your self narrative is extremely influential and shapes how you treat yourself and what you accomplish. You are in charge of choosing to either champion and affirm yourself for the work you’ve done, or tear yourself down and punish yourself for what you haven’t done. Be proud of yourself. Kind to your heart. More compassion, less punishment.
Warm down.
Walk. Stretch your calves, ham strings and traps. Box breathe (inhale through the nose, exhale through pursed lips) to bring your heart rate down. Drink water. Replenish. Eat a nourishing meal. Rest. Get a good night’s sleep. Prepare for tomorrow. You’ll be running a 5K in no time! You’ve got this!
