Week 5: Introducing Steady Running (July 19-25, 2025)
Welcome to Week 5! This is an exciting week as we introduce your first steady run without walk breaks. Don’t worry—this is a shorter run designed to build your aerobic endurance gradually. We’ll also adjust your run/walk intervals to allow more running time with shorter recovery periods.
Week 5 Goals
- Complete your first steady run without walk breaks
- Adapt to the new run/walk ratio (5 minutes running/1 minute walking)
- Continue building endurance with consistent 4-mile long run
- Focus on maintaining proper form even as fatigue sets in
Daily Workout Schedule
Monday: Rest Day
Complete rest day after Week 4. Take time to reflect on your progress so far and mentally prepare for this week’s new challenge.
Tuesday: Run/Walk
Total Time: 40 minutes
- 5 minutes walking
- 5 minutes dynamic stretches:
- 10 leg swings (each leg)
- 10 arm circles forward and backward
- 10 walking lunges
- 20 seconds high knees
- 20 seconds butt kicks
- Run 5 minutes / Walk 1 minute
- Repeat this cycle 5 times
- Focus on maintaining steady breathing during the running portions
- Use the walk breaks efficiently to catch your breath
- Walk 2 minutes
- Static stretching (3 minutes):
- Calf stretch (30 seconds each side)
- Quad stretch (30 seconds each side)
- Hamstring stretch (30 seconds each side)
- Hip flexor stretch (30 seconds each side)
Wednesday: Cross-Training
Duration: 45 minutes
- 45 minutes cycling with 4 x 3-minute moderate efforts
- Structure:
- 5 minutes easy warm-up
- 3 minutes moderate effort
- 5 minutes easy recovery
- Repeat the 3 min/5 min pattern three more times
- 10 minutes easy cool-down
- 45 minutes swimming with 4 x 3-minute faster intervals
- Structure similar to cycling option
- 40 minutes including all previous exercises plus:
- 3 sets of 12 single-leg balance exercises
- 3 sets of 10 lateral lunges (each side)
- 3 sets of 45-second planks
- Rest 45 seconds between sets
Thursday: Steady Run
Total Time: 30 minutes
- Same as Tuesday
- Run at a steady, comfortable pace for 15-20 minutes without walking breaks
- This should be a conversational pace where you can speak in short sentences
- Focus on rhythmic breathing and relaxed running form
- If you need to walk, that’s okay! Try again after a brief walk break
- Same as Tuesday
Friday: Rest Day
Rest day before your long run. Focus on proper hydration today, and try to get extra sleep to prepare for tomorrow’s workout.
Saturday: Long Run/Walk
Total Distance: 4 miles
- Same as previous weeks
- Run 5 minutes / Walk 1 minute
- Repeat this cycle until you reach 4 miles
- Hydrate during each walking break
- Focus on maintaining even effort throughout the run
- Same as previous weeks
Sunday: Active Recovery
30-40 minutes easy walking
30 minutes yoga focusing on hip mobility and lower body recovery
20-30 minutes light swimming
Tips for Week 5
Handling Your First Steady Run
Thursday’s steady run without walk breaks is a significant milestone:
- Start at a pace that feels almost too slow – you can always pick it up later
- Focus on breathing rhythm to stay relaxed
- If you need to walk, that’s completely fine – walk briefly then resume running
- Mental strategy: break the run into 5-minute segments in your mind
- Success is completing the time, not maintaining a certain pace
Fine-Tuning Your Form
As runs get longer, good form becomes more important for injury prevention:
- Check your posture every few minutes – stay tall with a slight forward lean
- Keep shoulders relaxed and hands loose (imagine holding a potato chip)
- Aim for a midfoot strike rather than heel striking
- Focus on quick, light steps rather than long strides
- When fatigue sets in, do a quick head-to-toe form check