Empower Her 5k Prep
Whether you are an experienced runner or new to doing a 5k, preparation is the key to success. In this guide we will give you weekly tips on nutrition and fitness to feel confident in completing the Empower Her 5k.
Whether you are an experienced runner or new to doing a 5k, preparation is the key to success. In this guide we will give you weekly tips on nutrition and fitness to feel confident in completing the Empower Her 5k.
A great way to get started prepping for a 5k or any new fitness program is to remember to start simple.
Try walking for 20-30minutes a day.
Drink at least 32-48 ounces of water per day.
If you need a high-carb energy booster before your walk or run, you can’t go wrong with a banana. This fruit also contains a healthy dose of potassium (about 400 mg). This is especially important for long-distance runs or in hot temperatures when you are likely to sweat a lot and thus lose valuable minerals. Potassium (as well as other minerals like sodium, magnesium and chloride) compensates for this loss and lowers your blood pressure at the same time.
Now that you have started on your 5k prep journey the most important part is to listen to your body and make adjustments due to how you are feeling.
If walking is feeling good and you are looking for more strength, Click below for the Fab 5 workout. You can do the full workout or scale it to fit your fitness level. This workout can be done at home or at the gym.
Click below to get started
Fab 5 workout
Continue to drink at least 32-48 ounces of water per day. Especially during hot days. Add lemon and Himilayan sea salt to increase hydration.
Yogurt is the perfect combination of carbohydrates and proteins. It has a value of nearly 85%, meaning that it has a high percentage of essential amino acids (which cannot be synthesized by the body and so must be obtained through food). Consumed right after a walk, run, or workout, it can speed up your recovery and thus protect your muscles. The calcium contained within also strengthens your bones. An additional benefit of yogurt is that it contains live lactic acid bacteria (probiotics). These stimulate your gut flora and thus boost your immune system. This is important for everybody, not just runners.
In the 3rd week you of prep you may notice that walking is becoming easier. Now is the time to challenge yourself. That might be walking at a faster pace or possibly mixing in running in small spurts. Just remember to listen to your body as you are making these changes to your prep.
Try walking/running for 30-40 minutes a day.
Mix in the Fab 5 workout 2 times this week. Click below to get started. Remeber if the rep counts are still challenging, scale it to reps and sets that are managable.
Fab 5 workout
Drink at least 32-48 ounces of water per day. If you need more hydration, Gatorade Zero is a great option.
It is no coincidence that people often hold pasta parties the night before a marathon. These events not only help put you in the right mindset for the next day’s race, but the high-carb meal also fills up your glycogen stores. Full glycogen reserves provide you with the energy you need during the marathon. When buying pasta, and bread for that matter, make sure to choose the whole-grain variety – these keep you full longer and contain additional B vitamins (like bananas, too). These are essential for building muscle and can improve your endurance and performance. Enjoy your pasta, for instance, with a tuna and tomato sauce instead of the heartier carbonara version. It doesn’t sit as heavy in your stomach but is still full of calories.
The final week of prep! By now walking for 5k should feel ok. For an extra challenge try running at a moderate pace until feeling exhausted, then walk to recover
One of the most important things to prep for a 5k is to properly warm up and cool down. Warming up prevents injury during working out. Proper cool downs protect the body from injury and helps with the recovery process. Click below for a workout that can be used for warm up and cool down.
Cool Down
Continue to drink at least 32-48 ounces of water per day. Especially during hot days. Add lemon and Himilayan sea salt to increase hydration.
You are allowed to treat yourself once in a while. Dark chocolate (with at least 70% cacao) may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Plus, the flavanols (secondary metabolites) contained within help reduce inflammation.