Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 3

If you're following along with us, you too are entering week 3 of the 13-week running program. My group agrees that the program has been pretty reasonable so far and they are even looking for new and more interesting running areas. Two members have discovered a beautiful trail not far from our neighborhood that should make the longer runs more entertaining.

Last week, I mentioned that this program emphasizes consistency; meaning that you want to get into a regular training schedule. In this case, it means three days per week with at least one day of rest in between training days. Another important training rule is moderation. You need to give your body time to rest and adapt to the new stress you are inflicting on bones and tissues.

To my mind, the best part about moderation is that it allows you to feel good about what you are doing. If you hit the street thinking that you need to be "serious" and run several miles right off the bat, the odds are good that you won't enjoy your experience and it'll be that much harder to run the next time. If you start small, you'll find that you enjoy your effort and can feel good about your slow but steady progress as the weeks go by.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.

Week 3

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9times. 5-minute stretch


Week 4 (Easy Recovery Week)

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 8 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute stretch


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!