Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with 5K

Programs similar to Couch to 5k?

hishtafel — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:59:41 -0800

Are there other graduated exercise programs like the Couch to 5K? I hate running, but I like the specificity, and the feeling of "leveling up" it gives me. I'm a mid-twenties female with a desk job. I'd like to be more active and to lose weight, but I find most forms of physical activity incredibly boring. HOWEVER, I did try the couch-to-5k program a few years ago and had some success with it, even though I hate running. I liked that it gave me boxes to check off and goals for each day. Are there other similar programs out there?

Y'know how Jim Fixx died? A heart attack, while he was jogging!

Lucinda — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:22:06 -0800

I will be jogging in my first 5K race in a week and a half. What can I do in the upcoming days to ensure I don't crash and burn? I am not expecting to win any awards or break any records - at my pace and my rate I will call finishing under 40:00 a major, major victory (I have been doing the Couch to 5K program.) But I'm excited (because I never thought I'd actually *be* at this point), and want to make sure I have the best experience possible.

Any advice y'all have, I'd appreciate. How should I spend the next week and a half? I jog every other day, on the course that the 5K will take (it goes right past my house). What should I eat the morning of the race? (It starts at 9am). What should I eat the night before?

5k in NYC this summer?

cosmic osmo — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:56:11 -0800

I am looking to find a walk/run 5k I can enter this summer in NYC. As motivation for getting in running shape, I'd like to enter a 5k either in the last few weeks of July or sometime in August, anywhere in New York City. I'm not a competitive runner (yet!) and so am looking for a good first time race to join. I can't seem to find anything using Google. Any ideas?

Workouts!

SirStan — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:38:11 -0800

Advice for training for a 5k run. I am looking into running a 5k run this May, which leaves plenty of time. For a while I was working my way up on the Couch to 5k progression, and I am (was) at step 6. I took a ~8 weeks off from the gym when I broke my toe, and am now getting back into it. I have started back at step 5, which I can handle.

My question is this.. Being overweight (~250lb, 6'2", 23yr) how bad is this for the knees? I am exercising mainly on a treadmill at a gym. Should I be doing this more on an elliptical? How applicable is a elliptical workout to a treadmill workout for a real-life 5k run on streets?

Thanks!

Last minute running tips?

patr1ck — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:29:16 -0800

RunningFilter: I'm running my first competitive 5K race tomorrow morning. Any last minute tips? I've been training since early August, and I'm ready to run my first ever 5K competitive race tomorrow morning. Previous running questions (like this one on recovery, or this one on it's benefits) have been of great help, but can anyone tell me what I can expect on the actual race day, and how to be ready for it?

Extra info: It's the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront race so there will be several thousand people there and I'm a little nervous (but also very excited).

Running without, y'know, running

Failure31 — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 16:55:01 -0800

I’m not a runner, but I want to run a 5K once, for my 40th birthday, in 2 months. I need to train, but I don’t like running, and want to do as little of it as possible. I know about the couch-to-5K training plans, but they all focus solely on running to train.

Can I train for a 5K by running a little but mostly by using the elliptical machine? That is, is using the elliptical for 30 minutes roughly similar to jogging for 30 minutes? I'm not in superb shape, but not horrible either—I work out on an elliptical machine 4 times a week. Should I just suck it up and hit the treadmill? Thanks!