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running confusion.

jesster64
jesster64 Posts: 109
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm going to runa 5k in june. I started working on treadmill 4 months ago, usually doing 40 minutes interval training. I figured what the heck, just start to go out and run 3 miles 3 times a week and my time will get better as well as endurance. Oh no, my trainer wants me to run 5 miles every saturday. He wants me to do interval training, but up my fast pace to 2 minutes and my walk to 1 minute. And the last month he wants to play with my carbs so I have more energy for the race. jeez, I thought I was all set with my new sneakers. He says the 5 miles should be really light pace, only getting my heart rate up to 135 to burn fat. He's a pro and knows what he's doing. This is more complicated than I thought.

Replies

  • kym38
    kym38 Posts: 48
    Wow, that is more complicated that I thought for a 5K. :0 Good Luck!
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    thats a bit OTT for a 5k tbh. I thought your original plan sounded much better.

    his plan might be better for a 10k or a half marathon. I also thought carb loading was for the day or two before a big race, not a whole month before
  • afyfe1999
    afyfe1999 Posts: 16
    Carb loading for a race as short as a 5K is not needed. Also, I'd be wary of upping my distance that quick, which leads to great chance of injury. IIRC, the official recommendation is 10% increase per week.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    It sounds as though he is trying to 'race train' you, not just get you a workout.

    My guess is that he is thinking the long run (the 5 miler on Sunday) will boost your strength, endurance and confidence. It will. He's right that speed is not the goal in that run--it's just to increase your endurance and confidence.

    I'm surprised he wants you to interval train the rest of the week though, as that means that every single run is a 'hard run'. That's counterproductive and could even lead to injuries if you have significantly increased the miles or minutes that you are running per week.

    A typical (and safe) running schedule would be Tuesday-easy run. Thursday, some sort of speedwork or hill training. Sat or Sunday a long run at comfortable pace. Your long run should be about 20% of your weekly mileage for most people.

    I also don't understand the carb advice. If you're more than capable of running 5 miles, then why would anyone believe that you need a 'carb up' to run 60% of that distance? Besides, most runners don't ever get the timing of a carb up right, and your trainer certainly isn't giving you the right advice on how to do that either.
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