From Walker to 5 km Runner in 12 weeks.

So, you want to run 5 km in 12 weeks time?

You have set yourself a goal to do a 5km run in 12 weeks time. Well, hopefully I can help you get there. It’s going to take 4 sessions a week, so if you are ready, and don’t have an underlying medical condition that is of concern, let’s get going.

You should set aside 4 days per week, although you could do the strength session before or after going for one of your walk/runs. Try to spread these sessions during the course of a week, instead of putting them all together as a weekend warrior would do from Friday to Sunday.

Some important points.

1. This is a slow build up, remember that running is all about adaptation. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones all need to strengthen. That takes time. Don’t jump a week forward. Just be patient.

2. Don’t run too fast, We want low heart rate running at this point. We can always add speed work in at a later stage. You should be able to hold a conversation as you run. Slow down if you can’t. This phase of running is all about building a large aerobic base. Just trust the process.

This is how the table below works. Let’s take Week 1/Session 1 as an example. It looks like this, (W10 R1) x 3. Here is what you do, Walk for 10 minutes, run for 1 minute and then repeat that 3 times. That will give you a training session that lasts 33 minutes. By week 12, session 1 you will run for 22 minutes, walk 1 minute and then run for 10 minutes giving you a total of 33 minutes in training.

	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3	Strength
Week 1	(W10 R1) x 3	(W8 R1) x 4	(W6 R1) x 5	Session 1
Week 2	(W5 R1) x 6	(W4 R1) x 7	(W3 R1) x 10	Session 2
Week 3	(W10 R2) x 3	(W9 R2) x 3	(W7 R2) x 4	Session 3
Week 4	(W5 R2) x 5	(W4 R2) x6	(W3 R 2) x 7	Session 4
Week 5	(W8 R3) x 3	(W7 R3) x3	(W6 R3) x 4	Session 5
Week 6	(W4 R4) x 4	(W3 R3) x 6	(W3 R3) x 6	Session 6
Week 7	(W7 R4) x 3	(W6 R4) x 3	(W5 R4) x 4	Session 7
Week 8	W4 R 4) x 4	(W2 R4) x 5	W2 R4) x 6	Session 8
Week 9	(W2 R5) x 5	W2 R6) x 4	(W2 R7) x 4	Session 9
Week 10	(W2 R8) x 3	(W1 R9) x 3	(W2 R10) x 3	Session 10
Week 11	(W1 R12) x 3	(W1 R 15) x 2	R18 W1 R14	Session 11
Week 12	R22 W1 R10	R24 W1 R8	R34	Session 12

Let’s work through those strength exercises.

It’s been said that you can’t fire a cannon from a canoe. The forces generated from the cannon would be too great for the canoe to deal with. The same holds true for us. You need a stable core to deal with the forces generated from your legs, torso and arms.

	Calf Raisers	Squats	Sit-ups/Stomach Crunches	Push-ups	Supermen
Week 1	10	10	10	5	10
Week 2	12	12	12	6	12
Week 3	14	14	14	7	14
Week 4	16	16	16	8	16
Week 5	18	18	18	9	18
Week 6	20	20	20	10	20
Week 7	2 x 12	2 x 12	2 x 12	2 x 6	2 x 12
Week 8	2 x 12	2 x 12	2 x 12	2 x 7	2 x 12
Week 9	2 x 12	2 x 12	2 x 12	2 x 8	2 x 12
Week 10	3 x 8	3 x 8	3 x 8	3 x 6	3 x 8
Week 11	3 x 9	3 x 9	3 x 9	3 x 7	3 x 9
Week 12	3 x 10	3 x 10	3 x 10	3 x 8	3 x 10

Calf Raisers.
Stand with your feet on the edge of a raised surface. Slowly tighten your calves and move upward. At the top begin your descent until your heel is just below the level of the raised surface.

Squats.
Get your feet facing forward and apart. They should be a bit wider than your shoulders. Slowly let your self down. We want to get to the point where your thigh is roughly parallel to the ground. Get yourself back up into a standing position. Do not proceed with these if a) You know that your knee historically hurts or b) if your knee hurts when you do these. We need to get you properly assessed if this is the case, and build a rehab program to get you over the issue.

Sit-ups/Stomach Crunches.
If you have back issues or find a full sit-up too hard, then do stomach crunches. Have a look at the picture below. Lie on your back, knees up but your feet on the floor. Squeeze your tummy muscles so that your rib cage lifts off the ground and repeat.

Push-ups.
You can do these while pivoting from your feet, or, if that’s too hard, pivot from your knees.

Supermen.
Have a look at the picture below. Lie on your tummy, legs and arms stretched out and slowly lift your arms and legs up. You will feel your calves, hamstrings, glutes, and muscles along the spine all work.

Running Shoes.

I have spent years studying running shoes. Here are some basic guidelines.
– Running shoes are expensive. It is tempting in the early days to get into a cheap running shoe. However you can pick up an injury from being in the wrong shoe. What you save by buying a cheap shoe might be overshadowed by needing to go for 10 physio sessions.
– Go to a reputable running shop. We place all our runners on a treadmill and film them running. The footage is analysed and recommendations are then given regarding shoes, stretches and strength training.
– Shoes last approximately 900 km. That sounds like a lot, but it’s not. Running 25 km per week will add up to 100 km per month, and you needing to buy new shoes in 9 months time.
You can read more about running shoes here.

Basic Stretching Routine. 

This is a very simple routine. I cannot go into all the complexities of stretching here. You might well need to see a health care professional if issues arise during this time.

Rules of stretching. 
Stretch 3 to four times a week.
Don’t overstretch, take the muscle to approximately 5/10 in discomfort. Stretching must NEVER hurt.
Stretch after exercise and not before.
Hold the stretch for between 20 to 30 seconds.

Calf stretch. 
I typically hop up on a small step with both feet hanging over the side. If you move past 5/10 in intensity, find a more shallow step.

Hamstrings. 
The picture below should give you an idea as to how to stretch your hamstrings. This will place less strain on your lower back if you do have spinal issues. On that point, please understand that tight hamstrings can contribute to lower back issues. See a health care professional if this stretch causes any discomfort.

Quads.
Stand upright. Grab your one foot behind you, Keep your knees together and make sure that your torso is upright. Failure to get your torso upright will result in you stretching 3 out of 4 of your individual quadricep muscles. Gently bring your foot in toward your butt. Remember, not more than 5/10 in pain.

Hip Flexors. 
Replicate the picture below. This is an incredibly important stretch to do if you spend lots of time sitting per day.

In Closing.

This hopefully is not just a 12 week program, but rather a shift in the way you live. Build from here. Find a new challenge, be it a 10 km run or whatever. Learn more about strength training so that your body gets strong in the process. Experiment with different stretches so that your body becomes more supple. Look at doing a Park Run if you haven’t done so already. Join a running club. In short, the sky is the limit. I really hope that this is the start of something transformative in your life.

We are here to help you should you need help with shoes or some form of rehab. You can look around the http://www.sbrsport.co.za to get an idea of what we offer. There are just over 280 articles there that will acelerate your learning curve. I also coach a number of athletes. Click on the Coaching Page if you want to take things to the next level once you have completed this challenge.

See you on the road soon,

Regards,
Mike Roscoe.