After loads of walking, I'm training to run!

estherdragonbat

Up to now, I've striven to walk two hours daily, sometimes at a stretch, sometimes a number of shorter walks. I average a walking speed of 3.5 mph. This evening, I'm meeting up with a group run by a fitness club and we're going to train for a 5K to be held at the end of August. It's the first session for everyone; I'm not joining something already in progress. The session is an hour and I'm not sure whether it's going to be all running from the start or a combination of walking and running where the walking segments decrease and the running segments increase week to week.

How much walking (and how close to run time) is it reasonable to do without tiring myself out for the training session. The meeting place is downtown and accessible by public transit. It's also about 2 1/2 hours of walking away. It's also from 7-8, which means right around when I'd normally be having supper. So, the options I think I have are:

1) Mid-afternoon snack/light meal. Walk down around 3:30 or so, rest for a bit before running.
2) Walk partway. Stop off at a place I know en route around 5:30/6, have supper, take transit the rest of the way.
3) Take a shorter than usual walk this afternoon, take transit to running meeting.
4) Forget the walk for now. Just go down to the running.
5) Going by transit all the way, I'll be taking the subway to slightly more than the halfway point, then taking a streetcar. I could just take the subway and walk the streetcar leg.

As far as fitness, my RHR is around 56 bpm which puts me in the "athlete" category (I'm a 46-year-old woman) according to this: https://www.topendsports.com/testing/heart-rate-resting-chart.htm. I don't usually do anything high intensity. I'm seldom exhausted after a walk or even really tired.

What option do folks recommend? Or is there another suggestion I missed that might work better?

stanmann571

Assuming you're transiting home, and that your budget permits the dinner out without too much financial discomfort I'd say 1 or 2 or 5 would be my suggestions. You probably don't want to eat too close to the run session or too heavy for a first go.

quiksylver296

stanmann571 wrote: »

Assuming you're transiting home, and that your budget permits the dinner out without too much financial discomfort I'd say 1 or 2 or 5 would be my suggestions. You probably don't want to eat too close to the run session or too heavy for a first go.

I know this is shocking, but I agree.

estherdragonbat

Thanks!

estherdragonbat

As it turns out, I got the start date wrong. The first session's in 2 weeks. But I'll head off there with a plan!