Whew! We made through the first 2 weeks! Now it’s time to kick it up just a little more. It may seem like things are moving along a bit slow, but I promise, if you’ve been out of the running loop for a while, around week 3 or 4 is about the time you’re going to be most injury prone. So, in this case, if you’re over 50 and returning to running, slow and steady wins the race.
Week 3 Running Schedule
This week there is more interval training in our future. I know . . . I know . . . you can hardly contain yourself, but I promise, it will get more exiting. Injuries happen because people jump in with both feet when you really need to start with putting one in front of the other at a doable pace.
With all of these interval training days please remember to warm up and cool down with a 5 minutes walk before and after these reps. Follow up with stretches. If you have a stretching routine already, great! Otherwise here is the link from last week for the stretches I do.
Sunday ~ Run/Walk interval training ~ Run 2.5 minutes, Walk 1 minute x3 reps; then Run 2.5 minutes, Walk 1/2 minute x 3 reps
Monday ~ Rest Day
Tuesday ~ Cross train
Wednesday ~ Rest Day
Thursday ~ Run/Walk interval training ~ Run 3 minutes, Walk 1.5 minutes x 4 reps
Friday ~ Run/Walk interval training ~ Run 3 minutes, Walk 1.5 minutes x4 reps
Saturday ~ Run/Walk interval training ~ Run 3 minutes, Walk 1.5 minutes x4 reps
You can tailor this to the days of the week that work for you. Just because I have things scheduled on specific days doesn’t mean you can’t switch it up to work more conveniently for you. These are the days I’m either not working or I know I’m not on call. So do what works for you. Just be sure you write it on a calendar so you remember you have an appointment with your running shoes.
Complimentary Healthy Habits
Along with starting any exercise routine, it should go without saying that a healthy diet is equally as important. I’m just as guilty as anyone for having a sweet tooth. And once in a while I indulge in something with a little more butter than I should probably be having.
I feel that the important thing is what you do 80 percent of the time. If you’re living healthy 80 percent of the time, you won’t get burned out and cave into the first cupcake in a fancy wrapper you meet.
Fancy Gadgets
I know that fitbits are all the rage right now. I have considered that I might like to have one, but I balanced the need against the cost and have decided it isn’t a necessary purchase. I spent all my previous running years without one and was the most fit I have ever been in my adult life, and I didn’t need a fitbit to tell me so. I could look in the mirror, or see my lab results, my low heart rate and blood pressure, or run for 11 miles without stopping, and complete a half marathon and know I was doing it right.
The free athletic watch I got from Runner’s World with the purchase of a magazine subscription was good enough.
The Right Shoes
The most expensive and important piece of equipment absolutely necessary for running, is a good quality running shoe. That’s all you need. The only piece of advice I can give on that is to go to a reputable store that specializes in running shoes. We have a store in the Quads called Running Wild. That’s where I go.
2017 update: This is the shoe I purchased this year. Love them! Amazon has a great price right now!
Keep up the good work and stay injury free this week!
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© 2016 – 2017, Pamela. All rights reserved.
