WEEK 3 TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAYS 5K

5K Beginner Training Plan Monday is the first day of Week 3 of the 10-week plan. If you struggled with the track workout the first couple weeks and did not have the chance to find specific strength training exercises, it’s not too late to get started.
 
The track day schedule advances from walking: running half laps to full laps! It was amazing to me how far that quarter mile (one lap) felt the first few trips around.  Believe it or not, the distance will seem to ‘shorten’ as you become accustomed to the track environment. You might need to devise a way to count laps as the number completed increases and your mind starts to wander onto topics other than discomfort and exhaustion. “When can I walk again?” becomes, “Oops I missed the walk mark!”
 
One thing to keep in mind, all the effort expended/ miles run in following this training plan becomes part of the base you’ll establish for future runs of the same or longer distances.  Many runners train ALL YEAR long, not just in advance of a specific race. Consider mentally adjusting your goals early on in this plan to thinking you’ll maintain a certain level of training AFTER your 2016 Turkey Trot 5K, to be ready for the NEXT RACE.

RUN HAPPY!
 
Remember, go to the RESOURCES page for all 2016 Turkey Trot related downloads:
TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAYS 5K Beginner Training Plan Calendar
TRACK DAYS Schedule
MINUTES TO MILES Calculations
 
TRACK DAY WEEK #3 (2.25 miles)
START: One lap warm-up walk
RUN: half lap and WALK: half lap
Repeat: 6 times (full laps) = 1.5 miles
then
RUN: 1 full lap and WALK: half lap
Repeat: 2 times = 0.75 miles
END: One lap cool-down walk