Run For the Pasig RiverYes, you can sign up for the 5-km. distance! With the
Pasig River run in less than eight weeks, here’s how to ease into a running program gradually.
This is more of a walking and jogging program. You may feel tempted to skip ahead in the program, but don’t try to do more, even if you feel you can. But if you find the program too strenuous, just stretch it out. Move ahead only when you feel you’re ready.
A few minutes each weekEach session should take about 20 or 30 minutes, three times a week. That just happens to be the same amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies for optimum fitness.
Be sure to space out these three days throughout the week to give yourself a chance to rest and recover between efforts. For now, focus on gradually increasing the time or distance you run.
Good running shoes go a long way! If you find yourself getting leg cramps or shin splints, take a look at your shoes. If they are looking ragged, try getting a new pair. A nice pair of good-fitting running shoes makes a big difference. Go to Runnr in Taguig to get a shoe test.
Warm up, cool down Before setting out, make sure to precede each session with a five-minute warm-up walk. Be sure to stretch both before and after.
Week 1: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 2: Brisk five-minute warm up walk, then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 3: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then do two repetitions of the following: jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog three minutes and walk three minutes.
Week 4: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog three minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog five minutes, walk 2-1/2 minutes, jog three minutes, walk 90 seconds and jog five minutes.
Week 5: Brisk fivem i n u t e wa rm-up walk, then jog five mi nute s , walk three minutes, jog five minutes, walk three minutes and jog five minutes.
Week 6: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog five minutes, walk three minutes, jog eight minutes, walk three minutes and jog five minutes. In six weeks, you will finish your first 5K run in about 30 minutes!
Jeff Galloway advocates combining running and walking. He introduced the Galloway Method to teach people how to run long-distance without pain and injury. He said “running can be a joy and finishing a marathon can significantly improve the quality of life at any age… Our bodies are designed to cover very long distances without breaking down when strategic recovery periods are inserted.” This means at least one-minute walk breaks taken early and often enough in the beginning.