Getting out of the Door

Hopefully getting out of your door will not look like this !

The training season for our Northern New Jersey runners starts on June 2nd with a nice and easy 3 miler at the Sneaker Factory in Millburn. Before the training season proper starts, just like the baseball players it is always a good idea to get in a little Spring pre-season training.

Getting out of the Door:
Whether you are a seasoned runner or new at this game, the key goal at the beginning of any training season is to make going out and running a habit, rather than a chore. Try and get out of the door and go for exercise at least four times per week, no matter whether it is simply a jog for up to thirty minutes or so. The key thing is to make it something you do regularly. Make it part of your routine. If it remains a chore, something you have to squeeze into your day, then it will be a battle for you from now until the day of the big event.

If you need a schedule, then the following would be a basic start for you, no matter whether you are doing a 10miler, a Half or a Full Marathon:

Warm-up: Before each workout, do a warm-up of walking 5 minutes easy pace.
Cool-down: After each workout, do a cool-down of walking 5 minutes easy pace, then 15mins of stretching

Mondays – An easy run at an easy conversational pace, for as long as if comfortable, up to 30mins.
Tuesdays – Cross-training; bike ride, swimming, gym workout, spin class, etc.
Wednesday – Rest day, go for a walk, recover
Thursday – Run at a faster pace than your Monday run. Whatever is comfortable for you, but something like this would be good: Slow for 10mins, faster for 20mins, slow again for 10mins.
Friday - Just like Monday, a nice easy run.
Saturday/Sunday – Here is your long run. Long run one day, rest the other day. Depending on your current running experience, do somewhere between 45mins and 1 hour. Increase by 10/15mins each week if you can. Take walking breaks if you need to.

Notice I've put five workout in here. This is ideal. If you can do four, you will be fine. Just make sure you don't skip the long run. That is going to be our staple diet.

Gear
Welcome to a sport where you really don't need a lot of gear. Whether you already own what you would consider a good pair of running shoes or not, I would recommend that you take a trip to a good running store and get both your shoes, and your feet checked out. Take your shoes with you, and the store will be able to 'read' your existing shoes, to tell how you have been wearing them down. They should then check your feet out, and be able to match you with a good pair of shoes for your foot type. If you cannot find a good running store, then get in touch, and I'll send you a list.

Last note... Take it easy. We'll start this slowly, and build up by around 10-15% per week. If you make jumps in mileage too quickly, you'll get injured.

Feedback, ideas, questions? All welcome?

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing"

- Abraham Lincoln

Let's Go TNT!

David Leech
TNT Running Coach