Good running programs?

May 18, 2010 1:49 AM

I want to start running again, having not run for 18 months. I've kept fit though, with cycling and other things. Last time I did Couch-to-5K, and it was great. But I'd like a more aggressive schedule this time. Any suggestions or recommendations?
posted by ascullion to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Can't you just do Couch-to-5K and skip every third step or so?
posted by Harald74 at 2:57 AM on May 18, 2010

Could you elaborate a bit on what "more aggressive" means here? Do you want to be a faster runner, sooner? Do you want to run more miles, sooner? Both?

I found it was really helpful to join my local amateur running club. Unfortunately, the only ones I know of are based in the United States, so I'm not sure specific links will help you here. I do encourage you to see if there are any good ones in your area, though. Mine provided schedules for training for marathons, half-marathons and other distances, so you can pick a schedule that is closest to your goals. They're also a good source of advice and coaching.
posted by millions of peaches at 3:10 AM on May 18, 2010

Response by poster: Longer distances sooner would be the priority. But mainly I just want to not be bored when I go out.

Running club is a good idea but I sort of feel that it's not for me.
posted by ascullion at 3:24 AM on May 18, 2010

Too hard too fast is the express lane to injury - remember that your aerobic capacity will almost certainly outpace the capacity of your joints, ligaments, tendons, etc.

18 months will have lost you that latter capacity, regardless of how the former stands. Take your time. :)
posted by smoke at 3:36 AM on May 18, 2010

Run three miles once this week. Twice next week. Three times the week after that. Bam! you're back in the game. Pile on some distance, if you feel the need.
posted by notsnot at 3:55 AM on May 18, 2010

I'm in a similar situation, and I've been using the Podrunner Intervals to 8k mix. The first week is 4 reps of run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute, with a lengthy warm-up and cool-down. Easy peasy, especially since the beat is quite slow. It eventually works up to a continuous 50 minute run.
posted by snoogles at 4:18 AM on May 18, 2010

Response by poster: "Too hard too fast is the express lane to injury - remember that your aerobic capacity will almost certainly outpace the capacity of your joints, ligaments, tendons, etc.

18 months will have lost you that latter capacity, regardless of how the former stands. Take your time. :)"

Thanks for that smoke. Completely understand that - but there's got to be something safe that's a bit less glacial that couch-to-5k?
posted by ascullion at 4:28 AM on May 18, 2010

Completely understand that - but there's got to be something safe that's a bit less glacial that couch-to-5k?

If you're feeling up to it, why don't you try to follow a basic half-marathon training schedule? You'll, of course, need to spend a few weeks getting yourself to the point of being able to run a 5k as there is one the first week, but it's a little more aggressive.
posted by Hiker at 4:31 AM on May 18, 2010

Best answer: Hal Higdon has some good running programs. I did Couch to 5k and followed it up with his 10k novice program to build my time.

If you haven't run at all for 18 months, why not just go out there and see how you feel running a mile? It's hard to know what to recommend when you're not sure of your capacity at the moment. I'd give it a test run first and then pick up with whatever week of Couch to 5k feels appropriate.
posted by something something at 5:05 AM on May 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Yeah, something something has it: go ahead with Couch-to-5K, but start in the middle. That's what I did the last time I started running again. I started in Week 4, I think. I knew I was fit enough to do that -- I'd been running 5 to 10 minutes stretches every week or so, but I wasn't building endurance, so I just jumped in at Week 4. (Bonus: bypassing the very glacial first few weeks of running and walking in very short fits and starts.)

It also helped that I used an app on my phone (I have an Android phone, and the app is C25K Pro) that does all the timing for me so I can listen to my own music and podcasts, which keeps me from getting bored.
posted by devinemissk at 5:44 AM on May 18, 2010

Best answer: if you've completed couch to 5k, why don't you do the couch to 10k program this time around? just skip the first few weeks since you're in good shape and are used to running.
posted by lia at 6:12 AM on May 18, 2010

Best answer: I just did Couch to 10k, and it was great. There's a bridge program for people who have already done Couch to 5k.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:24 AM on May 18, 2010

Best answer: Couch to 5K is really for the people who've never done squat before, so I take your point. You could pick up Hal Higdon's Half Marathon training program. It's more aggressive, in the sense that you build up to a much longer distance in just 12 weeks, but it's still for beginners, so it is unlikely to do you serious damage.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:13 AM on May 18, 2010

Best answer: Do you have a Garmin? If not, you should buy one.

Whether you do or don't you can set your own training schedules for a goal race and goal pace on the Runner's World UK site. If you have a Garmin you can upload the schedules to the device and use it as your trainer.

These are similar to the schedule Hiker linked to, but you can tailor them to yourself based on goal pace or HR training.
posted by Brittanie at 7:22 AM on May 18, 2010

Response by poster: thanks all, i was unaware of couch to 10k. will look at that and a couple of the other suggestions.
posted by ascullion at 12:59 PM on May 18, 2010

hi acsullion, the Hal Higdon recommendations are also good - he's a real classic. Just do be careful...
posted by smoke at 4:02 PM on May 18, 2010