5K

You can spot us in the gym 5-6 times a week but until a few weeks ago you would NOT catch us on that piece of equipment called the treadmill; however,  after a ~long day~ at Wurstfest last month we decided it was time to take on a new challenge! We were waiting in the car and jamming to the beloved Sam Smith when we decided (actually it was more of a proclamation) that we wanted to run a 5K. Like we noted, neither of us are runners but we thought it would be something fun, different, and new for us to take on. Our typical cardio style consists of either elliptical or biking but we wanted to mix it up, take on that treadmill, and even expand to the trails!

The 5K we plan on running is in April so we have a while to prepare which is definitely a necessity… honestly, we aren’t even to a mile yet! But, neither of us ever let something we set our mind to fall through the cracks. We did some research and have incorporated a 5K training program into our workout plan, even though Thanksgiving may have set us back a week, it is extremely manageable and easy to follow. We were pleasantly surprised after the first day how “easy” it was since the last time both of us actually ran was in middle school for those dreaded mile mondays! Each week has gotten progressively better and we’ve ventured onto the austin trails for our weekend runs. We implement the 5K training about every other workout session and follow it up with an arm and ab session to ensure we don’t lose our tone and strength.

Our first week began with running for 60 seconds and walking for 90 seconds. We did this for a total of 20 minutes and started and ended with a 3 minute walk and 3.3 mph. We typically keep our jogging pace at 5.4 mph while on the treadmill and around 6.0 mph when we are outside on the trails. We followed this same plan last week but the running interval increased to 90 seconds and the walking to 120 seconds. This week we will be bumping it up to 120 seconds of running and 120 minutes of walking for the 20 total minutes. This interval format increases over a span of 6 weeks getting us ready to challenge the 3.3 miles this April.  

One of our favorite trails that we have ventured to so far is at Pease Park. It is extremely close to our apartment so we walk to the park and start running/walking in intervals that fit the trail. We recommend finding landmarks to begin or end your run interval so you have motivation to “make it to the next tree” or “run up the nearly vertical hill.”

Our favorite shorts for running are the Lulu runtime shorts II *4 way stretch. You can find them here! They allow for optimal movement and don’t stick to your legs or ride up on each stride.

We will definitely keep you all updated as our 5K plan progresses! Stay posted for another workout plan coming up soon!

Cheers, Kenn and Rach