Couch to 5K Program

When beginning to run, you want to start off slow to reduce the risk of injury. It is often hard to start running if you have no direction for where to go, or no plan for how to get to your goal. Josh Clark developed a program in 1996 designed to help sedentary individuals get moving and accomplish something - a 5K! This program is specifically developed for beginners or individuals who want to work themselves back into shape. Here is the program, designed to get you running a 5K in just 9 weeks, working out 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes each time.

Week	Workout 1	Workout 2	Workout 3
1	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
2	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
3	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)
4	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
5	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.
6	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 22 minutes) with no walking.
7	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
8	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
9	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Running - Getting Started

Running is a great way to get in shape, and it benefits almost every part of your body, as well as lifts your mood. I love to run. I love how I can go outside, explore new areas, and the only equipment I need is a good pair of shoes. I personally am not a natural born runner. However, I love how with running you can start from barely exercising at all and see measurable improvements. Even though I am not a fast runner, I have participated in numerous 5K's, 12K's, half marathons, and two full marathons. The feeling as I cross the finish line and accomplish something that not many people do is exhilarating. So, this post includes some tips for those of you that may want to begin running, but do not know where to start. It will be the first of many posts I do on running.

First, to start off with the benefits (because not many of us like doing something for nothing) as found on active.com:

Improve Your Health

Believe it or not, running is actually a great way to increase your overall level of health.  Research shows that running can raise your levels of good cholesterol while also helping you increase lung function and use.  In addition, running can also boost your immune system and lower your risk of developing blood clots.


Prevent Disease

For women, running can help lower your risk of breast cancer.  It can also help reduce the risk of having a stroke.  Many doctors today recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack.  By helping the arteries retain their elasticity and strengthening the heart, your chances of suffering a heart attack can be significantly reduced.

Lose Weight

Running is one of the best forms of exercise for losing or maintaining a consistent weight.  You will find that it is a leading way to burn off extra calories and that it is the second most effective exercise in terms of calories burned per minute, following only after cross country skiing.

Boost Your Confidence 

Not all of the benefits of running are physical.  Running can provide an noticeable boost to your confidence and self-esteem.  By setting and achieving goals, you can help give yourself a greater sense of empowerment that will leave you feeling much happier.

Relieve Stress 

Stress can actually cause a number of health and mood problems.  It can also diminish appetite and sleep quality.  When you run, you force your body to exert excess energy and hormones.  Running also helps to reduce your chances of developing tension headaches.

Eliminate Depression 

When you are depressed, the last thing you likely want to do is to get up and go for a run.  Yet you will find that after only a few minutes of running, your brain will start to secrete hormones that naturally improve your mood.  In fact, there are few things in the world that can better or more rapidly treat depression than exercise such as running.

It may seem surprising to learn all of the different ways that running can improve your health, but the truth of the matter is that these are only a few of the many benefits that it can offer to your body.  Running really is incredibly beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit, and you will find that even short runs can leave you feeling more energized, more focused, and better able to enjoy all that life has to offer.

Now, on to the tips:

• Running is about 95% mental. Your mind is a powerful thing.  It can discourage you and tell you that you’re too overweight, too out of shape, too uncoordinated, etc. However, if you’ve ever seen The Biggest Loser, you know that any sized person can run. (Unless you have a medical reason why you shouldn’t.)  It’s slow going at first and you have to keep at it and train your muscles, but mostly you have to train your brain.
• What you put on your feet is important; get some new shoes.  An old pair of shoes will cause injury and will make your body ache, causing you to run slower and causing you to get frustrated. Make sure there is extra room by your toes. You don’t want numb toes or cramped feet.Comfort is more important than how a shoe looks, so make sure to invest the time into finding a shoe that is right for you. 
• Practice walking first.  Do not to take lengthy sprinter strides. Keep your steps short and right underneath our body. Put your heel down first and then roll to our toes as you walk (heel strike is important to reducing the risk of plantar fasciitis).  Running/walking on your toes uses more energy and if you want to run for a long time, conserving energy is important.  If you need to, walk around in circles in your living room, putting our heels down first and practice a nice even gait, with a short stride.
•  Relax your hands, bend your elbows, and relax your shoulders.  This is all about conserving energy.  If you clench your fists, keep your thumbs up, have you shoulders up by your ears, tense up, et cetera, that uses extra energy. Learn to completely drop your hands and just let them hang off your arms.  If you need to, just lightly touch your thumb and middle finger.  And then bend your elbows and let your arms swing naturally as you run.  But keep it relaxed. During a run if I find myself tensing up I drop my arms, do a few backward shoulder rolls, and am relaxed again. 
• Run on the road when possible.  The sidewalk is a lot harder than pavement so whenever possible, use the shoulder of the road.  This will help prevent/minimize achy knees and joints.  Also, try and run on a flat road.  This will keep your muscles working evenly in both legs.On a deserted road, you can even run right down the middle of the road, just be aware of your surroundings at all times. That's another safety issue in itself. 
• If you get tired, slow down your steps.  Slow way down if you have to but you don’t have to stop.  Just try slowing down first, see how you feel, then try going just a bit longer.
• If you want to run faster, speed up your steps, not the length of your steps.
• Warm-up and Cool-down.  Walk for at least 5 minutes before and after your run.  That’s a good way to transition in and out of running.
• Stretch.  Stretch before and after running to help lengthen the muscles and reduce the risk of injury.
• Sign up for a race. This really works to motivate me. Once I have invested money in something; I am guaranteed to invest the time to get it done.
• Reward yourself. Set a goal for yourself, and once you reach that goal - reward yourself. It can be a new shirt, a movie, some new shoes, whatever motivates you. Also, don't forget to reward yourself for the steps along the way. 
• Find what keeps you going. I like to run to music. Upbeat songs that make me run faster. There are applications on smart phones that can even play songs based on your pace to help you keep pace. I find that if a slow song comes in, I run slower. So, I keep my music upbeat. If you like music, find music that puts you in a good mood, pumps you up, and keeps you moving. Also, running with a friend can help as well. A good conversation can make the time go by fast and keep you going as well.
• Be accountable. Tell a friend or loved one about your fitness goals, write them down, and report regularly. Myfitnesspal.com is a great resource. You can log activity daily from your computer or smart phone and share with friends so that you keep each other accountable. There are a variety of other tools on there as well, and it is free!

Examples of Warm-Up Stretches

Here is a picture of some stretches in case you are not sure where to start:

Preventative Stretching

Benefits of Stretching

• Increase blood flow to the muscle
• Helps improve flexibility
• May improve your performance in physical activities and work
• Helps your joints move through their full range of motion
• May decrease the risk of activity-based injuries
• May improve physical performance for daily activities or athletics

How to Stretch Properly Stretching incorrectly can actually do more harm than good

• Find a safe area to stretch in 
• Warm-up before stretching
• You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles
• Light walking, jogging, or biking at low intensity for five to ten minutes
• Stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed up
• Move the muscle slowly into position
• Focus on major muscle groups
• Calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck, and shoulders
• Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play
• Hold each stretch for 30 seconds
• Stretch both sides (front and back, left and right)
• Repeat stretches three or four times
• Stretch at least 2-3 times a week
• If you don't stretch regularly, you risk losing any benefits that stretching offered

Important Stretching Tips

• Remember to breathe
• Expect to feel tension while you're stretching, not pain
• If it hurts, you've pushed too far
• Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch
• Make stretches activity specific
• Don't bounce
•  Bouncing can cause small tears in the muscle that leave scar tissue as the muscle heals
• This tightens the muscle even further making you less flexible and more prone to pain

When to Stretch

• Before and after work or exercise
• Stretch at least 2-3 times a week
• Take micro breaks (15-30 seconds periodically throughout your day to perform one or more stretches)
• Do a stretch that is opposite of what you normally do at work/throughout the day 

Know When to Exercise Caution

• If you have a chronic condition or an injury, you may need to adjust your stretching techniques
• If you already have a strained muscle, stretching it may cause further harm
• Make sure your exercise routine is appropriate for you
• Stretching won't prevent an overuse injury 
• Talk to a doctor about the best way to stretch if you have any health concerns

 

Effects of Alcohol

The Immediate Effects

• Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant which is absorbed into your bloodstream quickly.
• The absorption rate depends on the amount of food in your stomach.
• A valve at the bottom of the stomach closes to allow for digestion of food.
• A carbonated alcoholic drink, like champagne, will be absorbed faster than a non-carbonated drink.
• Alcohol is metabolized in the liver by enzymes; however, the liver can only metabolize a small amount of alcohol at a time, leaving the excess alcohol to circulate throughout the body.
• The liver can only break down alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour.
• Alcohol is a diuretic, it acts on the kidneys to make you urinate more than you take in.
• Alcohol reduces the production of a hormone called vasopressin, which tells your kidneys to reabsorb water allowing the bladder to fill up more freely, which can lead to dehydration.
• If a person consumes alcohol at a faster rate than the liver can break it down, the blood alcohol concentration level rises.
• Older people's liver will metabolize alcohol more slowly than younger people. However, excess alcohol can do more damage to younger brains, since they are still developing.
• The effects of alcohol may appear within 10 minutes and peak at approximately 40-60 minutes. 

Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages

• Caffeine can mask the effects of alcohol, making people think they are less intoxicated than they really are, giving a false sense or the ability to function normally.
• The caffeine in these beverages can lead to more drinking, since one of the bodies reaction to drinking without caffeine is to get sleepy and stop.
• Since caffeine and alcohol are both diuretics they can lead to serious dehydration.

Different levels lead to different effects

• 0.02 - legal driving limit in China
• 0.03 legal driving limit in most of India
• 0.04 - reduction in reaction time
• 0.05 - reduced inhibitions and legal limit in much of Europe
• 0.08 - legal driving limit in USA
• 0.10 - slurred speech
• 0.20 - euphoria and motor impairment
• 0.30 - confusion
• 0.40 - stupor
• 0.50 - coma
• 0.60 - respiratory paralysis and death

What is a standard drink in the United States? 

A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in:

• 12-ounces of beer
• 8-ounces of malt liquor
• 5-ounces of wine
• 1.5-ounces or a "shot" of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor (i.e. gin, rum, vodka, or whiskey)

Drink Responsibly

• Drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink to help reduce dehydration
• Know your limit - take a cab or have a designated driver

 

Relaxation Techniques

1. Deep Breathing

• Relax your arms and shoulders
• Close your eyes. Slowly breathe in through your nose. You should feel your stomach rising.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth. Try to empty your lungs completely and let your stomach fall.
• Repeat several times until you feel calmed and relaxed. Practice daily.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Sit or lie down.
• Begin with the muscles in your face. Frown hard for 5-10 seconds and then relax.
• Move on to your jaw. Tense and relax. Then, move on to other muscle groups until you've tensed your whole body.

3. Visualization.

• Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
• Imagine a pleasant, peaceful scene, such as a lush forest or a sandy beach. Picture yourself in this setting.
• Focus on the scene for a set amount of time. Then gradually return to your other activities.

4. Meditation

• Sit or lie in a relaxed position.
• Close your eyes. Concentrate on a calming thought, word, or object.
• If you're having trouble, try repeating a word or phrase over and over, such as "let go" or breathe.
• Gradually, you'll begin to feel more relaxed.  

Stress Management

What is stress?

• It's the body's response to a situation that's new, unpleasant, or threatening
• Too much stress or stress that lasts too long can cause or worsen health problems
• These problems include high blood pressure, fatigue, chronic pain, diabetes, anxiety, and depression

 What cause stress?

• Finances
• Family
• Work
• Daily Life

What are some signs of stress?

• Physical signs: Faster heartbeat and breathing, muscle tension, headache, and fatigue
• Emotional signs: Anxiety, anger, irritability, and depression
• Behavioral signs: Quick temper, concentration problems, isolation from others

How can you prevent stress?

•  Accept what you cannot change
• Focus on what you can change
• Be positive
• Find some pain relief - massage, stretching, etc.
• Time management (get up on time, set priorities, plan ahead, take breaks, break big jobs into small chunks, get help, say no sometimes)
• Create a healthy eating pattern
• Get enough physical activity
• Get enough sleep (7-9 hours per night)
• Limit alcohol
• Cut back on caffeine
• Get help to quit smoking
• Exercise (activities you enjoy, aerobic exercise, calming exercise)

Other tricks for relaxing:

•  Enjoy yourself
• Stay organized
• Keep anger under control
• Share your feelings
• Write about stress (keep a journal, etc.)