Running a 12K is a test of your physical fitness.
While running can be a fun and leisurely activity, preparing for a 12K race - which is approximately 7.5 miles - requires dedication and preparation. You must hone your mental and physical endurance through targeted training and abstain from any deleterious habits. Training like an elite and experienced runner can provide the proper base of cardiovascular conditioning as well as staving off injuries. Completing a 12K is a serious commitment, but the journey to race day can be enjoyable if you properly plan.
Instructions
1. Analyze your current level of physical fitness. If you are an established runner, use your current distance as your starting point. If you are a newer runner, though, you should begin by jogging around the neighborhood at a moderate pace. This first session will provide a baseline sketch of your endurance.
2. Perform one long run each week. In preparation for a 12K, you should strive to easily complete around 10 miles during your longer session. Run at a comfortable pace, as the goal for this day is increasing cardiovascular and physical endurance, not speed. If you cannot finish 10 miles at once, you should still complete one longer run every week and add distance each session.
3. Complete three medium-length runs each week. These should range from five to seven miles to adequately train your body for a 12K. Your pace on these runs should approach your ideal per-mile time that you strive to attain on race day.
4. Incorporate a fartlek -- Swedish for speed play -- workout into at least one medium-length run. Fartleks can be largely unstructured; simply choose a landmark ahead of you, sprint to it and then resume your previous pace. This method of training increases your oxygen capacity, bolsters your speed and strengthens your legs.
5. Run speed workouts on a local track one a week. Alternate every week between completing around 18, 200 meter runs - half a lap - and 12, 400 meter runs - a full lap. Take these intervals at a pace faster than your normal per-mile time. If you cannot complete the prescribed number of laps, continue running the same distance and instead increase the number of intervals each week. Rest adequately between each interval.
6. Save one day each week for cross-training sessions. While running should be your default activity, cross-training prepares your body for the rigors of racing and increases your pace. Weight training strengthens your core and legs and yoga reinforces your hip girdle and aids flexibility. Various types of exercise can contribute to your overall wellness and, most importantly, your success in completing a 12K.
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