I have no endurance. NONE. Zip. Nada. Zilch. When I ran track, I only did sprints. I constantly blamed my asthma for not being able to run long distance, when in reality I just didn’t think I had it in me. I guess that’s why I want to do it now. I hate stepping out of my comfort zone when it comes to physical activities, but I also know that I’m in a exercising slump. I’ve gotten unbelievably lazy in the past several months and I need a physical goal to work towards. I also vowed that this would be the year to try as many new things as possible, so adding a 5k to the list just made sense. After talking to a few friends who’ve trained for various races, and reading a handful of articles on the subject, here are three of what seems to be the best tips for new runners:
1. Start Small- Don’t go too hard, too fast. You’ll become frustrated easily if you push yourself to do too much in the beginning. I was told to start by walking for two minutes and then running for one minute and repeating that process for 20 minutes.
2. Eat Better– This is a given. I know it’s so much easier said then done, but eating badly will make you feel extremely sluggish, especially when it comes to running. Trust me, I found out the hard way yesterday when I attempted to run after having Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Major Fail. Also cut back on the amount of alcohol you consume!
3. Be Consistent– I read that it takes about four weeks to build enough endurance for you to be able to run at a comfortable pace for an extended period of time. I was told you should run at least 3-5 times a week to reach your goal.
I’ll be using these tips myself over the next couple of months. The race is May 6th. Wish me luck!
