Most people who "cannot run" have simply never been told to walk. This plan is three sessions a week, starts with more walking than running, and adds one strength session so your knees and hips can keep up with your lungs. Screenshot it, or tick it off in the members area.
Section
Where to run
The Forth and Clyde Canal towpath is flat, traffic-free and runs right past Clydebank Business Park. Head west towards Dalmuir and Old Kilpatrick or east towards Yoker. Dalmuir Park is good for laps. The outdoor routes guide has the rest.
The plan
Three run days a week with a day between. Each starts with five minutes of brisk walking and ends with five minutes of easy walking.
- Week 1: run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, eight times.
- Week 2: run 90 seconds, walk 2 minutes, seven times.
- Week 3: run 2 minutes, walk 90 seconds, six times.
- Week 4: run 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, five times.
- Week 5: run 5 minutes, walk 2 minutes, four times.
- Week 6: run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes, three times.
- Week 7: run 12 minutes, walk 2 minutes, twice; then one run of 15 minutes.
- Week 8: run 20 minutes, walk 2, run 5; then run 25 minutes; then the 5k, with walking breaks if you need them.
The strength session that keeps you running
Once a week, twenty minutes: squats, reverse lunges, glute bridges, calf raises and a plank, three rounds of ten to twelve. The no-kit session covers it, or do the Saturday 9am Sanctuary Total Body and let Stevie coach it.
Rules
- Slow enough to talk. If you cannot say a sentence, walk.
- A missed week is repeated, not skipped.
- Sore muscles are normal. Sharp pain in a joint is a stop-and-message-Stevie.
- Trainers with some life in them. Not the ones from 2019.