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Laurie Boult

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A boost for beginners

Posted on June 23rd, 2020 by

Beginners 5K Booster Programme
Just before lockdown a number of new Chasers successfully completed our Beginners 5K programme. Some had even started the 10K progression sessions, but  Coronavirus scuppered all plans for us to continue running together.  We know that our Beginners graduates would welcome programmes to build back your running confidence. This blog focusses on getting back to 5K or building on your current 5K confidence.   An additional 10K programme will also be available shortly.
There are two adaptable programmes in this 5K blog 
  • Programme 1 is for those who want to start back at the beginning
  • Programme 2 is for those who have kept up some running, but want to rebuild 5K confidence

Please contact Laurie (Lo Bo) if you have any questions or need further advice!

Programme 1: 0K to 5K
 
This 8-week programme is similar to our beginners course, but progresses more quickly, building on your recent experience, and gives you an option to include speed sessions. I encourage you to run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays as this will get you used to Chaser’s patterns for when things return to normal.  Of course you don’t have to run on these days.
Format
  • Repeat each session 3 times per week
  • Option to switch-up 1 of your 3 sessions with a speed session (see Programme 2 for options)
  • Remember to warm up and stretch down, especially following any longer, faster runs.
  1. Week 1: run 2 min/walk 2 min (x5) = 20 min moving time
  2. Week 2: run 4 mins/walk 2 (x 4) = 24 min moving time
  3. Week 3: run 6 mins/ walk 2 (x3) = 24 min moving time
  4. Week 4: run 8 mins/ walk 2 (x 3) = 30 min moving time
  5. Week 5: run 10 mins/ walk 2 (x 3) = 36 min moving time
  6. Week 6: run 20 mins without stopping
  7. Week 7: run 25 mins without stopping
  8. Week 8: run 30 mins without stopping + 1 x 5K run as your final run this week.


Programme 2: Building 5K confidence

Format
Aim to run 3 times per week with the following pattern:
  1. 1 x run at a moderate pace. Moderate should feel challenging, but you should not feel like you are consistently completely out breath
  2. 1 x interval or speed training session – you should pushing harder than your moderate run pace
  3. 1 x easy pace –  run at pace where you could easily chat to another runner (theoretically or at a social distance)
Week 1
  1. 3K run – moderate pace.
  2. Kenyan Hills (10 mins).  Go to Primrose Hill and run up and down hill repeatedly for 10 minutes keeping exactly the same pace down hill as up hill.  Take a standing break for 3 minutes.  Repeat again. Total running time 20 mins.  Rest time 3 mins 
  3. 35 minute run – easy pace.
Week 2
  1. 4K run – moderate pace
  2. 400m intervals.  Go to Regent’s Park dust track (or any other track or area where you can roughly run in loops or stretches of 400m). Run in intervals of 400m hard followed by 400m slow jog. Do this continuously for between 4 and 6 repeats depending on your running confidence. Total distance between 3200m to 4800m. 1 lap of the track is c400m. Regent’s Park track is actually just under 400m, but we can look over this…
  3. 40 minute run – easy pace
Week 3
  1. 5K run – moderate pace
  2. 800m intervals: Run in intervals of 800m hard into a 400m very slow jog. Repeat 4 times.  This is equivalent to running two-laps of the track hard followed by one lap very easy. Total distance: 4800m
  3. 45 minute run – easy pace
Week 4
  1. 5K run
  2. Kenyan hills (15mins) Go to Primrose Hill and run up and down hill repeatedly for 15 minutes keeping exactly the same pace down hill as up hill.  Take a standing break for 3 minutes.  Repeat again. Total running time 30 mins.  Rest time 3 mins
  3. 50 minute run – easy pace
Week 5
  1. 5k run
  2. 1K intervals: Run 1K at your 5K target pace.  Standing rest for 2 minutes.  Repeat 1K intervals 3 times in total. Total distance 3K. Rest time 4 mins.  1K is equivalent to running 2.5 laps of the track 
  3. 55 minute run at an easy pace
Week 6
  1. 5K run
  2. Pyramid session: Run each intervals at your target 5K pace. 400m/ rest for 1 min. 800m/ rest for 2 minutes. 1200m/ rest for 3min.   1200m/rest for 3 mins. 800m/ rest for 2 min.  400m/finish.  Total distance = 4000m.  One of the 1200m can be dropped.  
  3. 60 minute run at an easy pace