Beginner Runner starting C25K this (rainy) Saturday morning!

Congrats on taking the step toward running a 5K! I began running in the summer of last year and started with a couch-to-5k program and hated running in the beginning. Now I'm running up to 20 miles a week and love it. Well, up until this week anyway (taking some time off due to a bad case of shin splints). Sticking to the 5K plan will keep you from trying to do too much too soon which is a recipe for disaster.

Things that encouraged me to keep going when I first started out:

• I kept my goal in mind. I signed up for a 5K and imagined myself crossing the finish line. I also set small goals along the way.
• I didn't worry about my pace in the beginning. I just wanted to get to the point where I could run without having to walk.
• I played around with what I was listening to while I ran. Sometimes I would listen to music or a podcast, and other times I wouldn't listen to anything.
• Sometimes having someone to run with is helpful. It keeps you on target - running only fast enough where you can still carry on a conversation - and it makes the time go by faster.

So, best shoes for trail running and street running?
For shoes, I highly recommend going to a sports footwear store. They can figure out what shoes will work best depending on what your needs are. They will check your gait and see if you have any pronation. They will fit you with different shoes so you can see what feels best. There is a great store near me that will even let you return shoes after a couple of weeks of wearing them if they don't work for you. Great running shoes are an investment and well worth the money!

Should I invest in a fitbit or is my phone and MFP sufficient?
A couch-to-5K app on your phone should be sufficient for now. I started running last summer and used my phone to track my runs up until January of this year when my husband got me a Fitbit Surge which has GPS. But it's definitely not necessary - a phone works too.

What should I be eating pre/post run?
I would play around with this. Typically I eat a small meal containing carbs about 2 hours before I run and then have a small post-run snack. I usually have something like a banana or a piece of toast with peanut butter after I run. Everybody is different. Some people have stomachs of steel and can eat an hour before they run. It's also important to stay hydrated. I drink about 12 ounces of water about 2 hours before my run. I try not to drink much the hour before I run so I don't upset my stomach or have water sloshing around in my stomach.

Should I still do cardio (like treadmill, elliptical, etc) on my days that I am not running?
Doing some form of low-impact cardio on your rest days is good, like the elliptical, swimming, etc. You want to avoid doing high-impact cardio (jumping, running, etc.) so that your legs get a rest from taking a beating. It's also important to have a day or two of complete rest - maybe do some gentle yoga on these days or go for a light walk.

Or should I use those days specifically for strength?
I would definitely incorporate strength training on these days. Working on strengthening your muscles will help you become a better runner and avoid injury.


Happy running!

For shoes: go to a running store and get advice. You can use the Runner's World Shoe Finder tool, but double-check it with a real person who has some experience.

If you have a recent smartphone, that's probably sufficient for tracking your runs. Try an app such as Strava, Endomondo, or Runkeeper.

Thirty minutes is too short for you to worry about eating. Make sure you're generally well hydrated, and you won't need water either. Some people prefer to wait a couple of hours after a meal to run; others can run with a full stomach. Figure out which one you are!

You can do other cardio on your non-running days, but many experts recommend avoiding the elliptical, since its motions are very close to those of running. Cycling, stationary rowing, Nordic Track, etc. are fine. But take a day or two of rest.

Don't run too fast. A lot of beginners sprint on the running intervals. You should be able to pass the "talk test": if you can't talk in complete sentences, you're going too fast. (If you can sing, though, speed up a bit.) You can work on speed after you've been running for 6 months or more. Right now, focus on endurance.

A couple of other resources:

• ThickMcRunFast's tips for beginning runners
• The C25K subreddit, which is quite supportive

Enjoy! Running is a great sport, and very portable. I'll be running in Berlin on Monday!

I second the "trust the program" comment! I ran 5k for the first time today after doing the program. I can't believe 8 weeks ago I felt like running for a minute was going to kill me!