*sigh* I'm loosing my touch. (Warning: Hi-jacked by Em)

[Cynthia12]

Oh, I so agree with persons wife! 30 mins. ey? Is this person cheating in saying he/she ... ran..all the way, or was there a bit of crawling involved?

Everything in the body had to be screaming...stop! Unless this person runs/walks a few times a week.

 

[Wisher1000]

I think it is a great idea! Just don't overdo it. Wait. Are we talking finishing the 5K or winning the 5K? That might affect my answer.........

 

[Alaskan]

I am all for it... As long as the working up to the race is done at a SANE slow and steady pace.

A work out every other day, or three times a week... That every week is very slightly increased in intensity.


However, in general I think that all running is stupid and super terrible for the joints, ever for 20 year olds. Running is just bad... The body is not made for that.

Now race walking!!!! Much better for the joints! Of swimming, or mountain biking!! Those are great choices.

However, don't do any of those "mud man" races... I hear that the mud is full of poop, so that after the run is over, you get the runs.

 

[sourland]

Program calls for run/walk , walk the next day, run/walk day three, walk the next day, day of rest, run/walk 3 mi, day of rest. Week two same start to the week with a 3.5 mile on day six. Program calls for increased periods of running followed by a day of rest, etc.

This person used to run for the joy of running, and then as he frequently does it became obsessive/addictive to the point that it was like work - so he quit. He really enjoyed last night. Today's 'walk' was not as exciting. I'll give him your encouragement and am fairly certain that he just wants to run rather than compete, but with him you never know.

 

[Bunnylady]

This rabbit knows someone who started training for bicycling centuries when in her early thirties. The program she was following was more or less 3 days on the bike, 1 day off; each day on was slightly longer/more intense than the previous one, with a longer training ride each weekend. Someone once asked her what there was to "win" on these rides, and she said, "braggin' rights!"

As long as the septuagenarian remembers that he won't heal as fast as a younger, so listening to his body and not pushing too hard is even more important, I think 5K is doable, even at that age.

 

[Alaskan]

Al agrees with

 

[Wisher1000]

I know a woman who was seeking a certain job. She was told that in order to get that job, she had to be able to run four miles. She formulated a plan.

She measured off a route that took her three miles from a certain parking lot. Each day, she would drive there, park her car and run as far as she could comfortably run along that route. When she was winded, she would drop back to a walk, but keep on the route. Once she caught her breath, she would run some more. She didn't push herself, but would run/walk until she reached the three mile mark, then she would walk the three miles back to her car. At first she walked more than she ran, but that changed a little each day. In a few weeks, she only had to walk on the uphill legs. A couple more weeks, and she was running the whole way. Then she started jogging back to her car. In just over two months, she could jog (not too fast) the entire six miles, to her mark and back, without dropping to a walk. She never became terribly sore, and soon noticed that her jeans were tight in the thighs and very loose in the waist.

She went for her physical test and learned that she only had to run a mile. She aced it and got the job.

 

[sourland]

Well done, Wisher. That's what my friend is doing. A little more running and a little less walking each time out.

 

[Bunnylady]

Al agrees with

What's wrong, Alaskan? Having problems with the idea of riding 100 miles on a bike, or did you run out of air trying to say, "septuagenarian?"

 

[Wisher1000]