How to Run a 5K When You Hate Running

Do you hate running but want to run an upcoming 5K race?  Perhaps you want to support a specific charity close to your heart or have succumbed to peer pressure from someone.  If so, I've got you.

Here are the steps for training for and running (or run/walking) a 5K when you hate running:

Step One:

Recruit a buddy to train with. This step is crucial. When starting a running program, you are going to need the support of your spouse, a friend, or a family remember. I suppose an athletic four-legged friend might work as well. I've been running for 15 years now, and I distinctly remember those first few tentative runs on the treadmill and in my neighborhood. My running distance back then was 1/4 of a mile, and I was only able to do it by distracting myself by talking to a friend on the treadmill next to me or by running outside with my husband. A Swedish proverb contends that "Shared joy is double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow."  This is so true in running!  So, find a buddy (or two) and lace up!

photo by freepik

Step Two: 

If you have not already done so, sign up for a race ten to twelve weeks in the future.  Paying for a race and having a race on the calendar will be motivating on the days that you don't feel like running.  You can even choose a destination race in a place you've always wanted to visit. Websites like Running in the USA have races listed in all 50 states. Hawaii, anyone?  Another great place to find a race nearby or far away is on the aptly-named website Active. 

Step Three:  

Start training. If you need some guidance, there are tons of FREE training plans out there. Olympian Jeff Galloway is the guru or the walk/run program. (Did you know it's ok to walk during a race? It is!)  He coined the term Couch to 5K and even has an app you can download that tells you when to run or when to walk. A simple Google search of the term "5K beginner training plan" will return links from hundreds of websites.  There is no one way to train.  A good rule of thumb for your first 5K is to train for at least 8-10 weeks and to start out with some run/walk intervals. Be smart and cautious with your training. If you do too much too soon, you may wind up with an overuse injury like shin splints. Try to make training more fun by running in new and interesting places, listening to music or podcasts (keep one earbud out though!), and having quality time with the person from step one. The more you practice it, the less awful running becomes. I promise. 

Step Four:

Run your race. There are lots of tips for race morning, but I'll save those for another post. I will tell you that the energy of the starting line is something special. When you run your first race, you'll see what I mean. You will be gathered with a sea of people with a common goal-- to cross that finish line in 3.1 miles. There is a feeling of unity at the start of a race. It beats sleeping in--every time. 

I always say that the 5K is the gateway distance to running. You may hate running at first, but with a training buddy, the right race, and a smart training plan, you may find running as magical as I do. You won't know unless you try. 

Donna Pittman has been an RRCA certified running coach for 13 years and has helped over 150 runners cross their first finish line. 

Is the Peloton Bike Really Worth It?

This past year, my husband and I splurged on a Peloton bike for one another for Christmas.

Unlike the couple in this poorly-received ad, my husband and I discussed it and decided that it would be a great investment for both of us and not just our waistlines, but our health. We are in our early 50's and know staying active is one of the keys to longevity, but we have jobs and teenagers and pets and a house that require a significant amount of our time and attention. 

We needed motivation. 

We needed convenience.

Enter Peloton.  

My husband was actually the first to discover the joys o' Peloton.  His gym installed one a few years ago, and he quickly became obsessed with riding it.  He sang its praises after every workout and immediately wanted us to buy one.  

I'll admit I was skeptical at first. I felt a little like I was jumping on the latest fitness bandwagon. I thought, "It's an exercise bike. How great can it be?"   

Spoiler alert: The Peloton app and the bike are worth every penny!

If you don't have the Peloton app, you need to get it. Now. I worked as a fitness instructor for almost ten years, and I'm so impressed with the trainers and the variety of classes on this app. The app alone costs $12.99 per month, and you can follow along with strength workouts, running, walking, boot camp, stretching, and even meditation with your OWN equipment at home, at your gym, or with no equipment at all. There are over 50 trainers to choose from, different styles of music with each workout, and you select the length of time that best suits your life  Sometimes, I'll just do a quick 15-minute walk on my non-Peloton treadmill when energy and time are both in short supply. Another aspect of the app I enjoy is that at any moment, I can see people all over the world who are doing the same workout I am and send them a virtual high five. 

Now that the weather is nice, I especially enjoy the audio-only outdoor runs and walks. They feel almost like going for a run or a walk with a friend.  The trainer plays great tunes and talks me through the whole workout (often with a British accent). They tell me about their lives, random tidbits of trivia, and usually include some uplifting message about loving myself or being brave enough to embrace change. AND I EAT IT UP.  It's like a podcast for my legs. 

As great as the app is, the bike has been a game changer for me. The Peloton bike has made working out fun again! I can be in a terrible mood, but a workout with Cody dishing gossip or Matt and his sweet sincerity and huge smile always makes me feel better.  I think Peloton does a great job choosing the right people. These trainers make me feel like they are speaking to only me and like they genuinely care.  The workouts are challenging, too!  Most of the trainers have a knack for getting more out of me than I would have done on my own. In one 20-minute FTP test (functional threshold power), I was done with five minutes still to go. I had nothing left to give. And then Denis Morton told me to sprint just the last 10 seconds of every minute during the final stretch, and I DID. What a feeling of accomplishment!  

My husband takes a different approach for his workouts.  His approach is "I will ride as hard and as fast as I can to be in the top 1/4 of the leaderboard" for every ride.  After what happened to Mr. Big, I find that slightly alarming. 

The Peloton app and the bike both give me the motivation of working out with a personal trainer or a friend in the convenience of my home and on my schedule. That, my friends, is priceless. 

Image: Peloton