Help with a beginning running plan!?!?!?!

sdgirl22

Hi

I'm trying to create a running program to meet my goal to run 5 miles in 60 minutes. Right now I can run for about 20-25 minutes without rest, and on a good day I can do 36 minutes (3 miles at my pace) continuously. I'm completely new to training - I basically just show up at the gym and do what I have the energy for - and I'm lost and want to create something realistic!! This is what I've come up with:
Week 1 - run 20 / walk 20
2 - run 25 / walk 20
3 - run 30 /walk 30
4 - run 35 / walk 25

...and so on until for 10 weeks. If I stay at my current pace, this amounts to 3/4 of a mile added to my run time every week, and I plan on running 4 times a week. Does this seem obtainable?

mommyskis

Check out Hal Higdon's website (google him). He has great plans for all sorts of distances, 5k, 10k (a bit over 6 miles), half marathons and marathons. He also has some plans for improving your times. You will find some great plans and information there. Good luck!

tritta01

Google couch to 5k

lisau1023

Hi, if you have an Iphone, Itouch or access to the internet, there is a great program called couch to 5k. I am currently using it and love it... Just google it and you will see a ton of options! Good luck!:happy:

amysj303

I think you are already at couch to 5k but there is gateway to 8k and that is running about 6 miles in 50 minutes-but both plans are here:
http://www.runsource.net/

amysj303

I am doing the Hal Higdon 1/2 marathon plan for novice runners:
http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

That might be appropriate for your level now, so far it is two 3-mile runs and one 4-mile run, at least for the first two weeks.

HOSED49

Take a look at Runners World website, they have a section on there called smart coach, you enter your time for a given distance that you've recently ran, tell it what your distance goal is, how many weeks you want to train for, difficulty level, how many miles per week you can run, and it sets up a schedule for you to run with specific types of runs and distances. It is also an Iphone App if you have Iphone. The full version on the site costs money but the app was free and you can get your schedule on the site for free just have to make an account.

singdawg

Hey! Check out nikeplus.com or google sites that allow you to track your runs. Some of them have a "coach" program that gives you a plan to follow. The drawback to the Nike site is that you use their sensor and their software to track your runs on an iPod or iPhone. The sensor can be inaccurate sometimes, but it's usually close enough that I don't really care (usually off by 1/10 - 1/4 mile depending on run length). But, it's realtively cheap and the site is really easy to use. They have the "coach" training programs for the more popular distances (5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, etc.). They are laid out for different running levels as well. I have used the program to go from about 1.5 miles max at a 10 minute pace to completing a 10k at a 9:45 pace. I think using the program really helped because it not only showed me what to do, but also showed me what I'd accomplished.

sdgirl22

Thanks for the info!! These sites are really good. I can't belive I didn't know they existed :P i can't wait to start.