Bridge to Brunch 5K: Fall training survival guide
MultiCare Bridge to Brunch is a month away. It’s time to register — and make your race day plan.
The next month is loaded with potential: You have some time to increase fitness, get some structured workouts and then home in on your goal.
These four weeks also have the potential for snoozing your alarm, excuses and derailment. But not with this survival guide.
Make a plan
Create a training plan that is realistic for your current fitness, goals and lifestyle.
If you’re starting at square one, or coming off a long break, apps like Couch to 5K can be incredibly helpful in creating a plan and sticking to it.
Once you have a rough weekly plan, it’s time to get granular. Each week, sit down and map out when and where you will do each run or training session. If you plan to supplement your running with strength or drills, map those out as well. If you leave workouts to chance, chances are you won’t do them, or you’ll be cramming them into your weekend — which can leave you burned out and injury prone.
After you map out your week, make sure you write it out where you can’t miss it. Whether that’s a handwritten list by the front door or reminders set in your phone and calendar, make sure you hold your future-self accountable.
When you plan the week ahead, be realistic. This isn’t the time to plan for your ideal schedule, but rather your real schedule. If you have a long day of work and responsibilities on Thursday, make that your rest day. If Tuesday is open for three hours, load your longest run there or commit to some supplemental strength work. Make your plan work for you.
Track your progress
The best way to stay on track and motivated is to track your progress. Find the method that’s most rewarding (and easy) for you. You might love writing it in a training journal, or you might prefer a digital tracker.
And no, you don’t need to invest in a GPS watch that costs hundreds of dollars. There are plenty of free apps that are up to the task.
Personally, I’ve used both written and digital tracking. When I’m busy, the last thing I have time for is written training journals, so I lean on Strava, an app to track running and cycling. It syncs with my watch, and I can also use my phone to do the exact same tracking. I can set weekly goals and easily see my progress on the dashboard. Plus, there are great training articles on the site and challenges to keep myself engaged and motivated.
Have fun
Yes, training is hard, but there are still lots of ways to make your Bridge to Brunch training block fun.
Now that you have a plan:
- Pump up the jams. Out of playlist inspiration? Apps like WeavRun, PaceDJ and even Spotify can create playlists on the fly that are perfectly matched to your tempo and musical preference.
- Plug into podcasts. Podcasts are a great way to make a run fly by and even learn something while you’re at it. There are endless options, so it’s easy to find a series to binge while you train.
- Spice it up. Challenge yourself to try one new loop a week. And plan at least one run to preview the course.
- Treat yourself. End a run at your favorite coffee shop or bakery. Reward yourself for a week of training with a new running shirt or hat. Book a massage after a tough week of training. There are so many ways to treat yourself throughout your training block. Definitely plan a celebration or reward for after race day.
Now that you have your Bridge to Brunch survival guide, you’re ready to crush your four weeks of training. Be sure to share your journey to the starting line with #BridgeToBrunch. We’ll be cheering you on from now until that finish line!
