The famous Japanese novelist Haruka Murakami started running in the early 1980s. He was 33 years old. He managed a bar in Tokyo at the time, working late night shifts with a terrible work-life balance. He was an avid smoker too. It is during that period, that he had the epiphany of becoming a writer.
He recognised he had chosen a sedentary lifestyle so sought a sport that would keep him in shape. So, in the same way he had decided he wanted to become a writer, one day Murakami decided he would become a runner. The following day he went for a run. He did the same the next day. And then the next, and the next. His routine was not for the faint-hearted though: 5AM wake up, a couple hours of work, then off for a 10k run. He ran six days a week for an average of 60 kilometres a week. A year later he entered his first marathon, 26 miles.
He completed the original 40km path from Marathon to Athens. According to the legend, this was the distance run in 490 BC by a Greek messenger to inform the Greek government about the defeat of the Persian army. Murakami has since completed a marathon each year for the past 30 years, alongside becoming a triathlete and an ultra-runner. I highly recommend his book “What I talk about when I talk about running” if you are after some inspiration to embark yourself on a similar journey.
The reason for telling this story is surely not to suggest that waking up at 5 AM every morning, followed by a 10k run is the way everyone should go about being active. The point is to suggest how creating a habit requires a decision, a simple one in this case. Tying up your running shoes and going for a run. You might look back at this moment in a few years from now and be grateful for that choice.
If you are just about to start running, you do not need to aim for a 10k run right away at all. One of the main reasons people dropout from a running program is from doing too much too soon. This could lead to injury and perhaps a belief that running is not suitable for you. If you aren’t sure where to start, here is our version of a “Couch-to-5km” running program. It might come in handy if you are looking to start running from scratch, with the longer spring and summer days ahead.
The program is usually modelled around 8 weeks to allow a smooth progression to a 5k running distance.
Week 1 2-3 sessions, perform a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. Then, 1 minute jogging and 1.5 minutes walking, for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 2 2-3 sessions, perform a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. Then, 1.5 minutes jogging and 2 minutes walking, for a total of 20 minutes.
Week 3 2-3 sessions, perform a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. Then, 1.5 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes of walking, 3 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking. Repeat twice.
Week 4 2-3 sessions, perform a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. Then, 3 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes of walking, 5 minutes running, 2.5 minutes walking, 3 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes walking, 5 minutes running.
Week 5 3 sessions, perform a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. In this week, each session is slightly different:
Week 6 3 sessions, perform a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. Also in this week, each session is slightly different:
Week 7 3 sessions, in this week you are removing the walking intervals completely. However, feel free to take a break in between if need to. Aim for a 5 min brisk walking warm-up. Then 25 min running with no walking in between. Keep the speed low, you should be able to talk to a friend while running.
Week 8 3 sessions, same as week 7. Your usual 5 min brisk walk warm-up. Then, 28-30 min continuous run. In around 30 min, you should be able to cover approximately your first 5k!
If you are looking for guidance or are not quite sure if running is for you, come have a chat with us. We’d be happy to help!
Alessandro Poletto
