Running is good exercise for people of all ages.
A good way to gauge your fitness level is to look at how long it takes for you to run a specific length. Five kilometers, or just over 3 miles, is a good length because it is long enough to require a certain level of personal fitness but not so long that it takes an entire day to run. What's more, many races are 5k so it is easier to compete with this length. There are a few training techniques you can take to lower your 5k time, all of which involve boosting muscle, reducing fat and generally becoming more physically fit.
Instructions
1. Split your runs into different variations on different days of the week. Combine long runs and interval training with sprint training to keep your muscles "guessing" and encourage them to grow more, which is the key to better speed.
2. Interval train for 20 minutes on the first day. Run for a short period, then slow down to a walk for a short period, then repeat. The lengths of the intervals and rests depend on your overall fitness. If your 5k generally takes around 40 minutes, you should run for one minute, then walk for one minute. If, on the other hand, your 5k only takes 30 minutes or less, then you should run for 3 minutes and walk for one minute.
3. Take a day to recover. During your recovery day, you shouldn't be a total blob. Go for a walk, slow swim or conduct some other other low-impact physical activity that still gets your blood flowing a little bit.
4. Run sprints on the following day. Cover a specific distance as fast as you can, then stop and rest for a few minutes, then repeat. For your first workout, run four 400-yard sprints.
5. Run for 2.5 miles the next day. This is not a time goal, but rather a distance goal. You should cover it, but you shouldn't be completely out of breath at the end.
6. Increase your interval training workout by 5 minutes at the start of the next week. Continue to do so until you reach 30 minutes. Interval training should not, however, exceed 30 minutes.
7. Add two 400-yard sprints every week, until you reach a total of 12.
8. Periodically change the length of your long run, going as high as 5 miles and as low as 2 miles. Do not, however, run the same distance two weeks in a row.
9. Run your 5k after 7 weeks (or more) of sticking to this and compare your time with your previous 5k time. With any luck, you will have shaved some time off.
Tags: 400-yard sprints, period then, short period, short period then, then repeat, until reach, walk minute