Training for 5K obstacle race - help!
julesloveland
Posts: 93 Member
Hi
In 4 weeks I am running a 5k obstacle race (Bear Gryll's Survival Race) for charity.
Since April I have lost 18lbs (through deficit) and I am doing body pump twice a week and spinning once a week (as I enjoy them and they are on at times that work for me). I was supposed to start my running training 3 weeks ago but had an injury and couldn't run (annoying). I now have 4 weeks to get my running up to speed!
I ran today and it was bad. A mix of walking and running for 20 mins and I managed 2k but I was not in a good state.
Anyone have any training advice? How often should I run to improve endurance quickly? I don't want to quit body pump as I will need strength for the obstacles so I need to work around that.
Thanks!
In 4 weeks I am running a 5k obstacle race (Bear Gryll's Survival Race) for charity.
Since April I have lost 18lbs (through deficit) and I am doing body pump twice a week and spinning once a week (as I enjoy them and they are on at times that work for me). I was supposed to start my running training 3 weeks ago but had an injury and couldn't run (annoying). I now have 4 weeks to get my running up to speed!
I ran today and it was bad. A mix of walking and running for 20 mins and I managed 2k but I was not in a good state.
Anyone have any training advice? How often should I run to improve endurance quickly? I don't want to quit body pump as I will need strength for the obstacles so I need to work around that.
Thanks!
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Replies
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I'm a former British Commando, bear grylls was made 'honorary' spokesperson for our unit...bit of a tit if you ask me butttt for your training: don't worry about endurance or long runs, just do high intensity interval training and you'll be fine.
Simple sprint circuits with basic exercises is plenty for a few weeks, for eg-
-sprint 50m
-10 pushups
-walk/jog 50m
-10 situps
-sprint 50m
-10 burpees
-walk/jog 50m
-sprint 50m
-10 lunges
Recommend that around 5 times per exercise sessions over the next 4 weeks and youll be fine
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I'm a former British Commando, bear grylls was made 'honorary' spokesperson for our unit...bit of a tit if you ask me butttt for your training: don't worry about endurance or long runs, just do high intensity interval training and you'll be fine.
Simple sprint circuits with basic exercises is plenty for a few weeks, for eg-
-sprint 50m
-10 pushups
-walk/jog 50m
-10 situps
-sprint 50m
-10 burpees
-walk/jog 50m
-sprint 50m
-10 lunges
Recommend that around 5 times per exercise sessions over the next 4 weeks and youll be fine
I'll take that from a commando - fitness on a whole other level! Thank you.
How many times a week should I aim to do circuits?
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Lol yea pity ive spent the past 2 years being a piggy though.
I'd stick with the other exercise classes you've been doing and try the circuits at least x3 a week. I don't know what the obstacles are on your course but a 5k obstacle course is not the same as a 5km run. Think of it as a 'sprint' between each obstacle, and even obstacles that may seem easy will still put your heart rate through the roof.
If there are uphills on the course either jog lightly or walk those small portions- it'll allow you to maintain speed and strength for the obstacle itself...and also allows you to go FULL sprint when you dismount the obstacle. This is preferable to being a complete mess by the time you arrive at the next obstacle you face lol.
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Great advice, thanks! I seriously have no idea why I thought this would be 'fun'!!!0
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Beats doing a 10km run those are boring lol1
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julesloveland wrote: »I ran today and it was bad. A mix of walking and running for 20 mins and I managed 2k but I was not in a good state.
In terms of improving your endurance, four weeks doesn't give you much opportunity, so your options are limited.
As OCRs don't need you to run for long you've got some contingency in there. If you were running a 5K then I'd be recommending a Galloway walk/ run approach, but that's broadly what you've got in an OCR anyway.
I'd disagree with the advice above as a realistic way to improve your endurance, as sprints don't have a particularly significant effect until you've got a solid aerobic base. In practice I'd generally be suggesting being able to run 10K or an hour before bothering with sprints.
I'd veer towards using something like C25K as a way to improve your running endurance. In four weeks that'll get you to a 20 minute continuous run, which would be of somewhat more use to you than 50 metre sprints.
Using commando training as a comparator, I would be expecting candidates, either RM recruits or All Arms candidates, to be comfortable running for somewhat more than an hour before they get exposure to the obstacle courses.
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »
I'd disagree with the advice above as a realistic way to improve your endurance, as sprints don't have a particularly significant effect until you've got a solid aerobic base. In practice I'd generally be suggesting being able to run 10K or an hour before bothering with sprints.
I'd veer towards using something like C25K as a way to improve your running endurance. In four weeks that'll get you to a 20 minute continuous run, which would be of somewhat more use to you than 50 metre sprints.
Using commando training as a comparator, I would be expecting candidates, either RM recruits or All Arms candidates, to be comfortable running for somewhat more than an hour before they get exposure to the obstacle courses.
Thanks, that's helpful. Lol, conflicting advice - maybe I need 12 day weeks to do it all! The injury was such a bummer
- I'm going to find this hard!0 -
I also disagree with the above that you shouldn't worry about endurance. Most runner's say to start with that, then you can move to speed work if it's something you're interested in.
You obviously don't have a ton of time, but following a run/walk interval plan may be best. It'll build your endurance so you don't feel like you're going to die within the first half mile.
But I do hear you on the frustration of injury. I just got sidelined from the half marathon I was training for due to a knee injury. I'm going stir crazy because even cross training causes pain. Do what you can now. But do not worry about speed at this point. You need endurance before you can worry about that. No matter what, finishing is the goal, even if it means slow.2 -
I did a Tough Mudder a couple of years ago (12 miles) and never got round to training.....I struggled to move the next day.....
I did a 10k obstacle race not so long back whilst half way through c25k training - much better - I could jog between obstacles and that saved my strength for them.
Upper body strength is probably key, that and, erm, smiling sweetly at all the bigger/taller competitors around you - they'll help you if you ask but make sure you help others round as well. Keep on your current schedule and try and perhaps start c25k like someone else suggested and you'll be fine. There tends to be a bottleneck at each obstacle anyway so you can catch your breath then.
Once you've finished that one, you'll know what training you need to concentrat on for the next one!!!
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Go out with the mindset that you are doing this for fun and to finish. I know it doesn't feel like it but a 5K run isn't really that difficult especially if you're throwing walking intervals in there. The addition of obstacles make it more challenging but it sounds like you're already pretty well prepared for those.
I agree with @gc384 that being able to run the whole 5K isn't what is needed for this type of race. I disagree that you should be planning to sprint all out between the obstacles. Speed shouldn't be the object at this point, you won't have the training base for it and it's not necessary. The goal is to finish not finish first.
I agree with @MeanderingMammal in that a C25K run/walk approach for your training runs up until the race is probably best. You're going to be running from one obstacle to another and while they won't be a cake walk they won't be running, either, and you'll catch your breath a little bit before the next running segment.2 -
I agree also with these types of runs you are not running a whole 5k straight you need to just be able to jog between event/skill so HIIT is probably more what you need for this.0
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I would recommend following a C25K program and not rushing any of the weeks to make it fit. Pushing through progressive training will only lead to more injuries that prevent you from working out. Building up your cardio base will benefit you much more than doing HITT, in my opinion.
I'm not familiar with the race, so I'm not sure what obstacles they have. Try to find out and do your best to prepare. As much as people love to focus on the obstacles - it is the running part that is the hardest. A 5k probably won't be too bad unless it's on a mountain. In which case start building up on that stepper machine.0 -
Four weeks isn't much time...personally I'd just do what I could do and go into it with the idea to have fun and to finish...they're fun races anyway. This is just how things go sometimes.
I've been training all summer for a cycling time trial series here...it's this coming Sunday and unfortunately I've lost about three weeks of training with an injury and I'm in physical therapy now for four weeks. My therapist told me I could go ahead and ride, but not to actually race...so I will do the course at an easy endurance pace and I will have fun even though 75 year old ladies on aero bikes will be smoking my *kitten*...it's all in fun, and injuries are part of the game...you just have to roll with it and do what you can...and never forget to just have fun.1 -
No worries about the disagreements i only did it for a living lol.1
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No worries about the disagreements i only did it for a living lol.
You gave good advice for someone who would be really gung ho about doing the best they possibly could and was adequately trained. I agreed with everything other than the sprinting which I don't think the OP is really going to be capable of in just a few weeks. 1 -
working on the cardio base by using a couch to 5k program is whats needed. if there were obstacles every 100 yards sprints would be fantastic but the obstacles will be spaced out over 5k. You could throw in a couple sprints at the end of all your c25k workouts to improve your cardio fitness but I think that the c25k program is the way to go.
You may have done this for a living but you certainly had a distance running component in your training that came before your obstacle course runs. My guess is you had to be able to run a couple miles for time just to enter your branch of the military.0 -
I'm a former British Commando, bear grylls was made 'honorary' spokesperson for our unit...bit of a tit if you ask me butttt for your training: don't worry about endurance or long runs, just do high intensity interval training and you'll be fine.
Simple sprint circuits with basic exercises is plenty for a few weeks, for eg-
-sprint 50m
-10 pushups
-walk/jog 50m
-10 situps
-sprint 50m
-10 burpees
-walk/jog 50m
-sprint 50m
-10 lunges
Recommend that around 5 times per exercise sessions over the next 4 weeks and youll be fine
I'm stealing this.
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Thanks everyone. I'm going to start a C25K tomorrow and run 3 times a week. I think I'll swap spinning for HIIT circuits and do my two body pump classes. At least I'll have tried my best with what time I have and by then I'll have lost another 4lb up (I'm still eating at deficit) - which will help when hurling my butt over walls!
Great advice all round! I'm defo not worried about my race time or anything like that but I would like to finish sometime before Christmas!1 -
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »
managed to stay at 45 for the most part apart from other detachments. were you in before yourself?
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lsutton484 wrote: »working on the cardio base by using a couch to 5k program is whats needed. if there were obstacles every 100 yards sprints would be fantastic but the obstacles will be spaced out over 5k. You could throw in a couple sprints at the end of all your c25k workouts to improve your cardio fitness but I think that the c25k program is the way to go.
You may have done this for a living but you certainly had a distance running component in your training that came before your obstacle course runs. My guess is you had to be able to run a couple miles for time just to enter your branch of the military.
Hence the reason I suggested to the OP to continue with her spinning/body pump circuit- if she is injured she isn't going to run 3 miles in one direction then be stuck out there due to her aforementioned injury.
Our longer distance runs were all ran with weight so it wasn't the same as without. When it came to obstacles/assault courses they were sprints between obstacles. When I said sprint I was exagerrating, but after each obstacle you should be hitting the ground with 80% of your max speed.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »
managed to stay at 45 for the most part apart from other detachments. were you in before yourself?
Good location to be based out of, and some pretty interesting tours lately.
I've had 26 years in so far, all over the place.0 -
[/quote]
Good location to be based out of, and some pretty interesting tours lately.
I've had 26 years in so far, all over the place.[/quote]
26 years jesus lol. Where are you at now? Did you go the commission route?
I finished after 8 and been contracting for the past 7 and moved to the states. I have to say 'uk commando' or they like to compare us to USMC there lol..
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I'd agree with c25k, you can probably start a couple of weeks in, 3x a week and body pump 2x a week.0
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Well 10 days later and I'm surprised that I have managed to keep up my usual workout routine and do C25K 3 times a week (4 runs so far) without dying! LOL! The first two runs were killer (started on week 2) but today I ran from week 5 and it pushed me but I could have done more, all good. I'll keep pushing myself as best I can, but I'm feeling much more confident about the race now. Thanks!2
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Well today was my 5K race and I did it! I finished. Pretty crappy time but I knew it would be. Considering I've had ME/CFS for the last 10 years I'm amazed I completed at all!!! Hurrah!
Ready for my next one now! 1
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