Common Questions & Answers
About the running program
The 21K Runner will take you all the way to running a half marathon (21K/13.2M) in 12 weeks. The program is made 10K runners who want to get to the next level. The program is gradual, consistent, and fun - taking you through successive steps and achievements as you go.
The program runs on a 7 days cycles that go through mostly run days, but also rest and strength days which are equally important for your success.
Run / Faster run
A Run instruction given by the audio coach means to run at your normal, easy pace. A Run Faster instruction means to run just slightly faster. For example - if you are running at 6:30 minute/km pace, this means to pick up the pace just a little bit to 6:20, but not faster than that. Do NOT go as fast as you can in these segments, only run just a little bit faster than normal.
You will need a pair of sport's shoes and comfortable clothing. You don't need to go out and spend a fortune - you are not running a marathon (yet). If you want to spoil yourself with new gear after a week or two to celebrate the beginning of your new life, then by all means, go for it :-)
In order to properly warm-up for your exercise, do a brief non-stop walk. Set your own pace, slower the first few times and a little bit faster later on. You should feel energetic after a good warm up - but not out of breath.
For a proper cool-down do a brief walk followed by a stretch. The walk helps you catch your breath, and stretching helps reduce muscle soreness. There are many stretching guides on YouTube. see here: stretching after running, dynamic stretching
We strongly recommend that you go through the full program. The biggest mistake people make when starting to run is going too hard, too quickly. You might feel fit, but your body still needs time to get used to the program, and skipping weeks will be counter-productive.
Even if the first week seems easy, go through the routine. Give your body a chance to get used to it, and give your muscles the rest they need. We promise that together we can get to 21K in 12 weeks
What is a good running pace?
Run at a speed that is comfortable for you. This is not a race, so don't go too fast. You should be able to say brief sentences or even have a short conversation while running. If you are breathing too hard to speak, then you are probably going too fast.
Whichever you prefer! Some love the outdoors and others prefer the treadmill at the gym. Choose your favorite or even mix between the two.
Rest and strength days
We built rest days into the program. On others, we recommend adding strength workout to your routine. Strength days can focus on your legs/upper body/arms. We strongly recommend that you follow the advice. These days are extremely important for building your muscles and letting your body get ready for next run.
Ensure that you stretch properly and get enough rest. Muscle soreness is normal, injury pain is not. If you have any doubts, please consult a doctor.
Don't worry, an occasional bad day is perfectly normal, it happens to everyone. Even Michael Jordan had them, so you are in good company! And there's even an upside - usually, they come right before a great breakthrough. So rest a day or two, and keep going!
Can I run every day?
We strongly recommend that you stick to the plan, with a rest day between workout days. The rest days are just as important as the running days. Anytime you exercise you cause muscle strain which then needs time to heal in order to build and get stronger. Without proper rest, your muscles will actually get weaker as will your tendons, and reaching your goal will actually become harder.
I am already in shape, and have been running for a while, do I need to start on w1d1?
In this case, you certainly don't need to start at W1D1. The best way is to make your own assessment about where to start, and then take it 3 days back in the program. If the first run goes easy, move up, and so on. This way in the worst case you will have a few easy training session and then continue. The opposite would be overtraining which can easily cause injuries that last for a while.
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If you are combining running with strength training exercises (pushups, situps, etc), we recommend to do both the running and the strength training on the same day and stick to 3 days a week. We provide some suggested combined workout routines in the 'Training Plans' menu.