"If people ran more 5Ks, I'm positive the average life satisfaction of humans would increase dramatically."
- Lauren Fleshman

We all want to get in shape for different reasons. The Goldenwest 5K for Schools is one of the first races of the year which makes it an awesome way to mark progress, set a benchmark, or get off the couch! A 5K is such a great race because it is short enough that anyone can participate, yet long enough, that it challenges you. I have run dozens of 5Ks, and I want to help you set some goals to be ready for this 5k. To track time and distance, I recommend downloading a free running app like Map My Run, or Strava.

Struggling on where to start? Start now! The first steps are the hardest. Just get up and walk out the door and don’t come back for 15 minutes. That is a great way to start. This is an opportunity to challenge yourself, but with only a month left, be careful not to push yourself too hard.

Week 1 - Feb. 22 (total mileage 4-6 miles)
Start slow. Nothing is worse than getting burned out on the first or second run. You can’t expect to go from 0 to 3 miles without any training. If you haven’t done any training then go for a mile walk or for 15 minutes. Then build up from there. Pay attention to your body, take 3 rest days this week, and know your limits. By the end of the week you need to be able to walk 2 miles or jog 1 mile.

Week 2- Feb. 29 (total mileage 6-10 miles)
This Monday it might be hard to find the motivation to get out, so start slow again. You can try cross training on a bike, elliptical, or swimming. Build from how you ended last week. Take 2-3 rest days this week. One day this week you should go the full 5K distance which is 3.1 miles. I recommend the day before rest day- so try Saturday. Don’t worry about speed on the 3 miler. Listen to your body, and don’t push it too hard. This is an opportunity for you to see what your “time to beat” might be.

Week 3- March 7 (total mileage 8-14 miles)
This week will be the most intense training. You can start to work on shaving your time down. If you are feeling good- try running hills, fartleks, intervals, or tempo runs. Or if you are walking, try walking faster or jogging for a section or two of your route. These different workouts help you increase your speed and agility. Take 1-3 rest days this week. Take one day to walk or run 3.5-5 miles. Distances longer than your race allow you to increase your endurance for race day.

Week 4- March 14 (total mileage 3-6 miles + 5k!!!)
Race day is near. Start tapering. Monday will be your longest/hardest run of the week. This week comes down to how you feel personally. I would do a slow/easy 3 miles on the 16th, and on the 17th or 18th do a short but quick mile.

Race Day
Remember the work you have put in. Go out there and leave it all on the course. If you are new to races, you may have a tendency to go out too fast and burn out quickly. So be careful not to push the first mile too hard. It is better to build up to a higher speed and intensity as the race goes on, and on the last mile- give it everything you have left.

Most of all, don’t forget to have fun training and on race day!