Every year you’ve thought about it. Your friends and family all look so happy with their paper turkey feathers on their heads and running shoes on their feet. They beg you to join them but you decline, saying Thanksgiving dinner isn’t going to cook itself. Inside, you want to join them but feel there is NO way you could run, jog or even walk 3.1 miles.
This year is going to be different.
This year I have a plan.
Last Tuesday with Kevin & Liz, I shared my fool proof plan for your 1st Turkey Trot. You’ve got just about 5 weeks to make it happen so don’t delay. Start today!
- Set realistic expectations. You won’t be first, but if you do what I say you won’t be last either. If this is your very first race EVER expect to jog and walk. Allow yourself about 45 minutes to finish. (Put someone else in charge of basting the bird.)
- Walk before you run. Set a plan to walk 4-6 days a week until the Turkey Trot. Start slowly and wait at least a week before you add jogging intervals. The first time you jog do just 30 seconds and work your way up from there.
- Get fitted for shoes. You need the right tools for the job. Properly fitted running shoes make all the difference in not only how your runs feel but in decreasing your risk of injury.
- Add leg strengthening exercises. Check out the Fit Friday video below with Paul Adler on Ozarks Today for some of the best leg strengthening exercises to prep for a 5K.
- Commit!. Make it real by registering, declaring it on Facebook and telling your friends and family you’ll be joining them this year!
