Photo credit: www.self.com
This week’s workouts are part of SELF’s Learn to Love Running Program, designed to help beginners reach a 30-minute continuous run. Let’s dive into what you can expect as you embark on this journey.
Welcome to Week 3! This week continues with a familiar approach, featuring three walk/run sessions. Two workouts will last between 30 and 35 minutes, while one will extend to about 40 to 45 minutes. Aim for a perceived effort level of 3 to 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 during your running segments.
Now is an excellent moment to assess your experience and readiness to progress. If the upcoming running schedule feels overwhelming, it’s perfectly acceptable to repeat last week’s routine for additional practice before advancing. Just revisit the previous week until you gain confidence. Conversely, if you feel ready to face the challenge, go ahead—unless you encounter any significant discomfort (more on that shortly). Pushing through self-imposed barriers can lead to immense personal satisfaction.
Regardless of your decision, keep the broader objective in mind: the focus isn’t on an immediate race goal but on establishing a sustainable running habit that aligns with your personal pace and comfort.
Overview of Week 3:
This week, you will resume walk/runs starting from where you finished last week, with 90-second running intervals. However, there’s a slight increase in intensity: intervals now include 3.5 minutes of walking instead of 4 minutes. This small adjustment is crucial as it steers you closer to achieving longer, continuous runs.
Despite making progress over the past two weeks, some degree of muscle soreness may still occur as your body adapts to the increased activity. Experiencing mild soreness in your calves, glutes, and quads is typical. You can proceed with your runs as long as you maintain a gentle approach, which is the essential principle of this program.
However, it’s vital to recognize when pain signals a need for caution. Be mindful of sharp pains, focused discomfort in specific areas, any issues affecting your running form, or pain that worsens or persists for an extended period. In such instances, consulting a sports medicine professional would be prudent. For further information on physical therapy, consider researching when intervention may be necessary.
Monday: Walk/Run Intervals
- 5-minute warm-up
- Walk 3.5 minutes, run 90 seconds (repeat 4 times)
- 5- to 10-minute cooldown
Total time: 30–35 minutes
Tuesday: Rest Day or Active Recovery
On Tuesday, you have the option to either take a rest day or engage in active recovery. If you’ll be following one of our active recovery sessions, consider revisiting a routine you’ve done previously to see how your body responds differently this time around. Perhaps your hips feel more flexible during the World’s Greatest Stretch, or you find it easier to deepen your stretch in the couch stretch. These improvements suggest that your body is adapting and your mobility is enhancing.
Wednesday: Strength Training
On Wednesday, you’ll focus on strengthening the muscle groups that support your running routine. Now that you’re familiar with these exercises—this being your third session—try to concentrate on enhancing your mind-muscle connection to maximize effectiveness.
Source
www.self.com