5K season is starting up!

The 5K has grown exponentially in popularity in the past few years, and there are 5K races themed around the craziest things:  Glow runs, Color runs, Hot Chocolate runs, Hot Dog runs, Cupid Undie runs, Zombie runs, Tough Mudders, Warrior Dashes, Slime runs, you name it!  Runs for food, runs for charities, runs for just weird fun!

Maybe you're interested in running (or walking!) one, but the 3.1 miles seems a little daunting.  Or maybe you've run one before, but your winter fitness routine has not included a regular jogging routine of that distance.  In any scenario, it's important to train your body in preparation for running or walking the distance.

One helpful tool is to use a phone app called "Couch-to-5K".  The premise of the app is to provide timed interval workouts (periods of walking/jogging) that get progressively more challenging until your body is prepared to run the entire 5K distance.  Most apps are plan for 8-10 weeks of training 2-3 days per week.  

The Couch-to-5K app I use most often with personal training clients interested in training for a 5K is "C25K" by Zen Labs.  There is a free version that can be downloaded for Android or Apple devices.

Here is the website:
​http://www.c25kfree.com

This app doesn't have to be used just for running or jogging!  If you're interested in walking the distance, then walk slower during the "walk" interval phase and walk more briskly during the "run" interval phase of the workout.

One of the reasons I like this app is A) It includes a warm-up and cool-down period within the workout (SO important!), B) It allows enough time to properly train the body for the race, and C) It's free!  DO make sure that you stretch after your cool-down, though!  Take the time to stretch your hamstrings, your quadriceps, your glutes, your calves, and your chest/shoulders.  

It's beneficial to round out your running training regime with weekly strength training and flexibility (like yoga!) workouts also!  

Questions about how to use the C25K training app and plan?  Don't hesitate to contact me!

It's that time of year!  The weather is getting nicer, the grass is greening, the trees are budding... and we are more than ready to take our exercise OUTSIDE!  
​
Whether you bike or walk or jog, exercising outside can be a refreshing and invigorating option.  One of the challenges of exercising outside, however, can be tracking your distance.

Even if you have a fitness device or smart phone that tracks your distance AFTER your workout, sometimes you want to plan a route BEFORE you get off and running.  For an easier method than driving your potential route in the car to track the distance, check out G-Maps Pedometer.
​
Using Google Maps technology, G-Maps Pedometer allows you to map out a route before your workout.  Thus, if you're training for a 5K, building up your mileage for RAGBRAI, or just have a set distance goal in mind, you have a mapping tool to help you plan for your workout success.  Or maybe you just want some variety from the route you've mapped out with your car years ago!

To use G-Maps Pedometer, go to the following website:
https://www.gmap-pedometer.com

1.  Enter your city/town in the "Enter Starting Point" box.
2.  Use the Zoom buttons as necessary (the +/- in the bottom right hand corner of the screen), or drag the map to position over your proposed route.
3.  Click the "Start Route" button.  Double-click along your proposed route.  Your distance will be added up as you go along.

There is the option to save, share, or print routes, but I don't have much experience with that (if you give it a try, let me know how it goes!).  I usually use G-Maps as a resource to help me plan a variety of routes for an activity for which I personally may be training or to map out a route a personal training client and I may take for a nice day's exercise session.  

I hope you will enjoy using this resource as well!  ​