LCHC offers training suggestions for “Healthy He arts/Minds” 5K event

Lucas County Health Center Counseling Services is hosting its fourth annual “Healthy He arts Promoting Healthy Minds” 5K Run/Walk event Saturday, Oct. 6, at Reynolds Field in Chariton. While some people might feel 5 kilometers (or 3.1 miles) is a lot, running experts agree it is a great distance for every level of runner – in fact, many believe it is a “fail-safe” short distance for first time runners.

If you are interested in p articipating in the Health Center’s 5K event, the proceeds from which will support counseling services for patients with financial need, now is the perfect time to begin training. For more information about how to enter the event (or volunteer to help with it), call 774-3370 or visit the Lucas County Health Center website at www.lchcia.com.

It is always best to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program or dramatically increasing your level physical activity. If you are interested in how to begin training for the Health Center’s 5K, read on.

Whether you are a beginning, intermediate or advanced runner, six weeks is plenty of time to train for a 5K event.

• If you have just begun running or you log two or three runs each week totaling six to eight miles per week, consider yourself a beginning runner for this training schedule.
• Intermediate runners are those who have been running consistently for at least a year and have run a few races. This group may have dabbled in some modest interval training and is thinking about getting more serious about racing. They want to focus on improving their times in a race.
• The advanced runner has several years of serious running experience. They follow year-round running schedules, run races of varying distances, and do regular interval training. Advanced runners are those who want to determine their personal performance ceilings and are willing to train hard.

There are four training universals for runners – rest, easy runs, long runs and speed work. Each of the three following schedules includes these four components. Rest is defined as no running at all.

• Rest days aren’t “do nothing” days, but are days to enjoy some cross training. You may walk, bike or swim but don’t over do it. This is an important step in your training, so don’t overlook it.
• An easy run means you’re running comfortably. You should be able to chat while you’re running. However, if you have enough breath left over to sing as you run, you need to push a little harder.
• A long run is defined as anything longer than the race distance for which you are training. The purpose of the long run is to build endurance, specifically the ability to run for longer and longer periods of time without dropping out.
• Speed work includes shorter than race distance runs repeated at or below your race pace goal. These runs should be hard to very hard to nearly flat-out runs. Speed work produces leg speed, stamina, and the ability to tolerate the discomfort that’s essential to racing fitness.

Now that you have identified your running level and you know the definitions of basic training universals, choose one of the following training schedules, double-knot your running shoes, and GO!